FAQ

Outdoor Photoshoots

Can we involve our pets?

Providing they are of a nice temperament then dogs/pets are more than welcomed. Please be mindful that you will probably want some without & so a suitable safe place/lead/obedient temperament would be necessary. I have a dog of my own (A border collie) so am confident around animals. Due to the shorter session time, pets are not recommended on motherhood mini or motherhood lounge sessions.

What about naps and bedtimes?

I recommend adapting bedtimes & naps on the day of the shoot just as you would do for any other special occasion such as a wedding/ holiday that you are invested in where the timings are a little different.  

In my experience, photographing 1000's of families with children of different ages, the momentum, excitement & attention that kids receive during a session provides them with enough energy & distraction to forget their usual schedules. 

Rested kids are the happiest. For little ones if you can juggle in a nap prior, even if it’s a short one I recommend it. Similarly, try where possible to have a rested day/evening the 24hrs prior so everyone is relaxed and not wired.

For sunset sessions, some families opt for a larger lunch and relaxed early dinner or fast food treats near to the shoot location & take a change of clothes for the kids if needed, even Pj's for afterwards.

If you are traveling from further away, some families even book dinner for afterwards locally or stay the night and build mini holidays around the session. There is plenty to do and see in the Bracknell area.

What about bags, buggies and our valuables during the session?

Invariably the sessions are off the beaten track, and so I rarely advise bringing a buggy/stroller/pushchair as usually the locations are not buggy friendly, even for off road buggies. Additionally, the fluidity of the session means that small children and babies are carried (where needed) and are interacted, cuddled or played with throughout our time together.

Most clients who feel the need to bring snacks/water/accessories bring along an easy access bag/shopper bag that can easily be put on the ground. 

Valuables, such as your phones and keys can be put into my secure/zipped camera bag which is either always on my back or within a few meters of me. This is the safest place for them.


What about the weather?

Both sunny, overcast, and stormy days have their benefits & I can successfully shoot in both weathers. 

In case of rain, I will be watching the radar all day. If it doesn't rain, but is overcast, we will still proceed. Similarly, if we are due intermittent/spotty showers but it is not actually raining yet, we will still go ahead. 

Good styling plays a key part to ensuring your session looks amazing whatever the sun decides to do, the textures, layers and colours really will make a difference to the overall look and feel of your session.


  • If the weather is looking iffy and you live less than 45 minutes away, I’ll be in contact with you 1 to 2 hours before your session to discuss further.
  • If you (or I) are traveling from further away, the 'weather check in' will be proportionate to the journey length/any over night arrangement & getting ready times. This could mean we chat up to two days prior.

Reschedules...
If I decide your session is ‘rained off’ we will rearrange at a mutually convenient date & time as soon as possible. There is no additional cost for a weather reschedule.

Weather watching is a huge part of my job and I only shoot if I think it's possible to provide you with an epic gallery based on the conditions & location.  Please always assume your session will be going ahead. I will only be in contact with you regarding the weather if the forecast is questionable. 

Can you tell me the shoot location before I book in or months in advance?

Most outdoor sessions are located based on where the floral and fauna is blooming best during the week of your session. Part of the service I provide involves searching and regularly checking the best locations for you.

Each season I have a couple of options that I use and I select the best one relative to what's in bloom, what the weather is doing and what will suit your family best (based on your client questionnaire and my experience).

As you can imagine all of this affects the parking and directions. 

The directions will generally be communicated on email and/or text the days prior to your session. Unless otherwise discussed, your shoot location will be within Bracknell Forest or close surrounding area. 

In general I don't tend to use obvious parkland areas, as the magic and beauty  is usually found off the beaten track.

Can you travel to me for an outdoor photoshoot?

In general my clients tend to visit me in the beautiful Bracknell forest area, some choose to stay overnight near-by or make a few hours drive if they are not local.

The benefit of shooting in and around the Bracknell Forest is that the locations are very well know to me, like an outdoor studio. They're familiar and tried and tested to ensure the perfect logistics and conditions for a great shoot. I know where the sun moves on the trees at different times of year, what's in bloom and when.

I can however, travel to other areas on request. Usually clients that opt for this have requested an at home and outdoor 'mixed' location session, so we start at a clients house and move outdoors for sunset. Or, they are based near an amazing outdoor location, or have their own private land.

If you would like me to come to an outdoor location out of the Bracknell area - ideally this will be discussed prior to booking in.

  • For any mixed or single location sessions that are further than 20 miles from Bracknell, a pre-upgrade of collection 2 needs to be purchased in advance of your session. 

  • Additionally, out of area sessions further than 20 miles from Bracknell usually have travel fees added to cover my additional time and fuel. This will be included into the quote for you after booking. Please provide your postcode if you would like a travel fee quote prior to booking.

Your final quote would look similar to this, e.g 
Base session fee (£395)+ pre-upgrade to minimum of Collection 2 (£275) + any applicable travel fees 

Based on previous sessions here are some approximate travel fees as a guide.
London (West, North, South) - £50 
London (East and Central) - £70
Cotswolds - £60
Brighton - £60
Milton Keynes - £75
Bristol - £75

I love to explore and create in new places and I'm open to being enticed further afield. I will always be honest as to whether I think a location is suitable enough to deliver a varied and beautiful gallery for you. 







Ready to

Book
Or
CHat?

If you'd love to get started with your booking you can select your session type, choose your date and make your first payment easily online using the general bookings site*

Alternatively, if you'd like to chat about which session or something else please reach out.

Access online bookings >

CHAT FURTHER >

 (* if you have already paid a booking fee or received a gift voucher you will need request a private link to book your session not the general link above)

More FAQ's >

FAQ

At home Photoshoots

Is my house ok to photograph in?

If it has windows, most likely! I travel lightly with just my camera in hand and a few blankets and accessories. There won't be any back drops to set up or lighting rigs to worry about, everything is shot with natural light. Sometimes I'll get creative with a few strategically placed blankets if required, but in general I will simply use the place that has the best light.

Sometimes this means us shooting in unconventional areas of your home, in general it is a bedroom or lounge. Whichever room we find ourselves in,  I'll be there to subtly style and create art with the angles. It's all very fluid and we'll move around depending on where's best at that time for what we are aiming to capture.

Having shot in 10 bedroom mansions and one bedroom flats, I can assure you that I can create magic anywhere. Some clients love to show off their home decor and others are not so fussed, either way is ok.

I want to do an indoor shoot but I don't want to be in my home?

As a lifestyle  photographer, I do predominantly shoot 'on location'  in homes and outdoors, however I appreciate this sometimes does not suit everyone.  Throughout the year I run relaxed and stylish lounge sessions from my home in Bracknell, you can read more about what they are like and who they are suited to here.

Can we shoot in home and go outside too?

In general, yes, we can pop into you garden or grounds.  If you are looking to travel to a separate outdoor location this is possible with a bit of pre-planning. It's classed as a mixed location session and can be booked by request prior to booking. Mixed location sessions require a pre-upgrade of collection 2 to be purchased in advance of your session. This covers the additional time, logistics and editing involved. 

I live quite far from Bracknell can you travel to my home?

I regularly travel out of the Bracknell area for in home photoshoots. If you would like me to come to your home out of the Bracknell area a Ideally this will be discussed prior to booking in.

For any mixed or single location sessions that are further than 20 miles from Bracknell, a pre-upgrade of collection 2 needs to be purchased in advance of your session, along with any out of area travel fees.

Out of area sessions are anywhere further than 20 miles from Bracknell. Travel fees are included into the quote after booking. Please provide me your postcode if you would like a travel fee quote prior to booking.

Your final quote would look similar to this:
e.g 
base session fee (£395) + pre-upgrade to minimum of Collection 2 (£275) + any applicable travel fees 

Based on previous sessions here are some approximate travel fees as a guide.
London (West, North, South) - £50 
London (East and Central) - £70
Cotswolds - £60
Brighton - £60
Milton Keynes - £75
Bristol - £75

Ready to

Book
Or
CHat?

If you'd love to get started with your booking you can select your session type, choose your date and make your first payment easily online using the general bookings site*

Alternatively, if you'd like to chat about which session or something else please reach out.

Access online bookings >

CHAT FURTHER >

 (* if you have already paid a booking fee or received a gift voucher you will need request a private link to book your session not the general link above)

More FAQ's >

FAQ

General

What is a 'base package' ?

  • Family Chapter sessions and Family Chapter lite* sessions work on BASE PACKAGE basis. This ensures you have five full resolution digital photographs included along with the session itself and all of the other support I provide.

  • Motherhood lounge sessions also work on a base package basis. They are shorter in length and ensure you have one full resolution digital photograph and a matching print included with the session itself and all of the other support.

Before or after any of these sessions you have the flexibility to upgrade to include further digital images and prints.

 Collection upgrade options can be viewed here 

What payment options are there?

During the booking process you can select from an array of spread-the-payment options that fit your family. I accept bank transfer, credit or debit cards. To secure any chapter session an initial part payment of £100 is required. 

Do you do an all inclusive price that includes all the digital images?

Sure! The 'all inclusive' price would be your base session package plus either upgrade collection 2, 3, or 4. For example a standard Chapter Session plus all the digitals would be:
 
£395(base session) + £275(collection 2 ) = £650

A lot of clients, especially my regulars, choose to pre-purchase their upgrade collection prior to their session. This can be easily done during the booking process. Read more about collection upgrades here.

If you are opting for an extended family session, the pricing is already all inclusive. Read more about extended family shoots here.  

How many photos does a gallery have?

Just as your family is unique, so is each photoshoot. In general for a family of 4 you can usually expect a gallery of at least 25 beautiful colour photographs - usually more. If it suits the image, there will also be a black and white version of your photograph too.

However your decision should not be based on quantity. What you'll receive from me is a carefully curated quality gallery full of wall worthy and storytelling images personal to your family.  

What happens if it rains or my child is born late or is very poorly?

Sometimes life or the weather happens. Safe to say this isn't my first rodeo, I am also a great weather watcher too! I won't photograph in heavy or persistent rain or if your children are very ill. You simply wouldn't have a very nice gallery if I did! So it is not in my interest to do this.

All of this is covered in your preparation guide, and terms and conditions detailed during your booking. I will work with you to find a new date if it is absolutely necessary to do so, I keep some wiggle room aside each month. (I'd be mad not to!)

When should I book?

Some families are super planners and some are spontaneous. As soon as you know you'd like some photographs, let's start chatting. The sooner you book the longer we have to plan your styling and also you can spread your session payments into small amounts if you need to.

If you *have* to have a weekend date you'll usually need to book well in advance as they get booked up very quickly. There are only so many weeks in the year and only one of me!

As an example, by December last year there were 42 families already booked in for the next year. This saying, I often open up new additional availability for outdoor sessions if the weather has been particularly good and I do also photograph midweek.

For Maternity Sessions I recommend 32-34 weeks although i am happy to shoot earlier if your bump is showing well and of course later if you've just decided last minute.

Ready to

Book
Or
CHat?

If you'd love to get started with your booking you can select your session type, choose your date and make your first payment easily online using the general bookings site*

Alternatively, if you'd like to chat about which session or something else please reach out.

Access online bookings >

CHAT FURTHER >

 (* if you have already paid a booking fee or received a gift voucher you will need request a private link to book your session not the general link above)

More FAQ's >

FAQ

Motherhood

What aged children could i bring to a motherhood lounge session?

In general I recommend a newborn to pre-schoolers with 2 to 3 children max. This is simply due to the light and space available coupled with the length of the session. If you feel that a school aged child is happy and calm enough to join in please let me know and i can look into some possible school holiday dates for you. These sessions are not available during the weekend.

Can I bring my newborn to a motherhood lounge session.

Sure thing. These sessions are a great option for cosy mother with baby portraits. They will last around 45>60 minutes. This shorter time period should be taken into consideration when booking. Some babies will settle more easily than others, and although i will use my experience to help sooth and settle, if you are looking for more time to feed and change, I would suggest considering a session at your home with me instead.

Can I come along with my mother/partner for support  even if they are not in the photos.  

Whilst i don't mind other adults watching, i would ask that you consider whether their presence may effect your baby/childs attention towards you.

Ready to

Book
Or
CHat?

If you'd love to get started with your booking you can select your session type, choose your date and make your first payment easily online using the general bookings site*

Alternatively, if you'd like to chat about which session or something else please reach out.

Access online bookings >

CHAT FURTHER >

 (* if you have already paid a booking fee or received a gift voucher you will need request a private link to book your session not the general link above)

More FAQ's >

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