Scheduling

Scheduling your session is as easy as sending an email (Jenn@JennCanfieldPhotography.com) or giving me a call (703*472*6768)! You might want to check your calender first, to get a few dates/times that work best for your family but it's just that easy! During the course of setting up your appointment, we will talk about places, as well as preferences for your session time and date, we will also talk a bit about your family – after all I want to get to know you, the more I know you the better your session will flow, and the better you images will turn out.

What will my session be like?

First, you should plan for me to be with your family for anywhere between 1 to 3 hours (unless your booking a mini-session), typical sessions usually last for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. This time allows for clothing changes, location changes, eating or snacking, bathroom breaks, diaper changes, ect. This time allows you to relax and get comfortable, while making sure you still are able to cater to your children's needs, as well as your own. Conversation during our time together is a must, I want you to be comfortable with me, so ask questions, make suggestions (no suggestion or idea is a bad one), make jokes, sing songs, anything you do to show how relaxed you are, will in turn, make your children feel more relaxed.  Don't be nervous or worried, every session marches to it's own drummer, so allow me to start playing while you relax!

What should I wear?

As a natural light photographer, I am a fan of bright and bold colors. Designs such as, bright solids or stripes work well, however overbearing floral or busy designs, can distract from the main subject. Usually, with my style, casual clothing works very well, jeans and a tee shirt are great (little ones in overalls or jeans and white shirts also work well). Being in cloths your comfortable in, shows! All, clothing choices are yours. These are just some ideas:

Groups/Families: complementary colors tend to work best or different shades of the same hue; besides having colors that “meld” together, create unity, which in turn tends to signifying a family! I also enjoy doing full body shots without shoes – they tend to be a distraction, and who doesn't love little baby toes?

Children: Bright and Bold! Stripes and polka dots! There is nothing like color to portray a child in a portrait. Be sure to stay away from character clothing as these types of clothes can date your photographs quickly. (However, if your child is like mine and loves a signature character IE Mickey Mouse, character clothing can work, just make sure to have more than one clothing choice on hand.) Shoes are not needed; it's to fun to see little toes dangling off the sofa, or buried in the grass! I also suggest bringing along a favorite toy or two, a blanket or something special, from home that means something to your child (or to you). This really helps to personalize each session and make it even more unique! I do not limit clothing changes but please remember that your child may get irritated with to many wardrobe changes.

Newborns/Babies: A simple diaper (cloth or disposable) or their “birthday suit” is most suitable for these sessions. Most likely, Mom and/or Dad will be used for background material (IE holding the baby). If you would like your baby to be in clothing, please be sure that whatever you pick is not baggy or covering the ever important “baby parts” such as fingers, toes or their ever percious chin. You will also want to be sure to have several baby blankets and/or other items that mean something to you and your family on hand, personal touches add a uniqueness and familiarity to your portrait session.

Maternity: Pregnancy is such a hard but beautiful time in a woman's life; my goal is to make you as comfortable as possible. Please consider wearing something YOU are most comfortable in, a button down shirt is often a good choice, maybe even one of Daddy's? Another idea is a solid color tee shirt that can be pulled up to show your belly, with a pair of jeans or black pants. It can also be fun, to put on a pair of jeans you wore before becoming pregnant, no buttons please! Please Note* At least one hour before your photo shoot please make sure you are not wearing anything that is to constricting, which can cause marks on your belly or skin. Also, your hands, and those of your husband will be a big prop that we use, you will want to be sure they are nicely groomed. For portraits in the nude, or mostly nude expectant mothers; I request we do your shoot in the comfort of your home. Please make a robe available for use in between portraits.

Individuals: Wear something that expresses who you are; are you laid back, like a flare for the exotic, maybe like to spice it up? Go into it with an open mind and have plenty of options available!

What happens after my session?

With in 24 to 48 hours of our time together you will receive an email from me, with a “facebook and blog preview” - this preview usually contains 2-4 images that personally I fell in love with at first glance. This little glimpse, will hopefully wet your appetite for what is to come. Please feel free to save these images, email them to family and/or friends or tag yourself on facebook!

Seven to ten day's later you will receive another email from me, letting you know your gallery is live. This email will include a password, to enter your gallery; please share this password with any family or friends you would like to! Your gallery will be live for 3 weeks for ordering. (Remember, any order that meets the minium will receive a free 8x10.) If you have questions, please don't hesitate to email (Jenn@JennCanfieldPhotography.com) or call (703*472*6768), I am always available to help!

After I order, then what?

Once you have placed your order, either on-line, via email or phone, please then allow 1-2 weeks for your prints and products to arrive. Orders are placed with my professional print lab, within one to two days after I receive payment. I will contact you as soon as your photographs arrive, to arrange a pick up time and date. If out of town family or friends will be ordering I will ship the photographs to them for a nominal fee. For rush print jobs please contact me for prices.

 

A word about cropping

I use a Nikon D300 which has a print ratio of 2:3. What this means for you, is that the image that you see when proofing will not always be exactly what you see when viewing your proofed images. The easiest way to understand this is you can print at 4x6 and 8x12 without cropping your picture. To print at the other sizes, you'll have some of the image cropped off of the picture. 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 are "narrower" than the 4x6 and 8x12.

I do not crop down at all for the images in your gallery, unless noted.