FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
This is such an important question.
My Shooting style is relaxed, intimate and down to earth. I want to capture the individual personalities of everyone in your family, quirks and all, as they naturally unfold before me. I want the random cuddles and touches, the genuine grins and occasional tear. I want belly laughs and fun times, but most of all real people and real emotion.
Don’t worry- I’ll have prompts to help you on your way, and we can definitely do those posed pictures that Nan likes a Christmas gifts, but we’ll capture everything in between as well as we explore our surroundings and have a bit of fun together. We’ll chat with everyone along the way, and hopefully it won’t take long for you to forget that I’m even there, until I’m asking you to stop moving for a second because “the light looks absolutely gorgeous here!”
Worried you are too awkward for photos? I love enticing people out of their shell slowly and gently….and if you are awkward, I want to capture the uniqueness of you, in the most authentic way. Everyone worries that they aren’t photo people…..to be honest very few people are. But that’s not what we are after. We want your genuine memories and love that the whole family can reflect on for years to come. I aim to make the experience as memorable as the photos themselves.
This is why I shoot in the way that I do, it doesn’t really matter if we don’t get those perfectly staged images. Its about the moments in between where everyone forgets the camera is around. Sometimes I’ll appear to be shooting one family member, when in fact I’m capturing the one who refuses to smile in an animated conversation unknowingly in the distance.
I have worked in an array of industries from hospitality, events and customer service. I have encountered every personality type there is, and as a social chameleon I am able to adapt to my surroundings. It takes a lot to shock or surprise me, I have seen it all!
We will work together to find locations which are appealing to the family, and I always encourage drinks and snacks hidden in my backpack for when they are required, and a little end of shoot bribery often goes a long way.
Honestly these shoots are no different to any other, apart from the fact we may need to do a little more pre-planning. Ensuring we choose suitable locations for those with mobility issues, and safe surroundings for younger ones prone to running or falling.
Its important for me to understand your concerns and have as much information as possible to help your loved one enjoy the experience as much as the rest of the family. Do they have triggers I should avoid? Are loud sounds a problem? Are they soothed by particular stimuli? Do they need headphones or a screen present? No worries if they do- that’s just part of who they are.
I will work with everyone in the family to get what they want, in the ways that are needed. There is zero expectations, and zero judgement on my behalf, and if you approach the session with the same idea, that’s when the magic happens. Let’s just capture your family as they are- because you’re all amazing in your own unique ways.
I don’t think this should even be a question, but it’s something photographers often get asked and my resounding answer is of course! Whoever you are, whatever you look like, whatever your relationship situation- I’ve got you covered. Never any judgement, we are all who we are, living life the way we do.
Absolutely-100% I’m free to catch up face to face chat over coffee to discuss your plans-especially for the big shoot, or we could have a phone chat or meet on your preferred virtual platform- skype, zoom, webex, facebook messenger- whatever you need we’ll make it happen.
Not keen to meet or chat- no problem- I can chat away on SMS, email or Facebook or Instagram Messenger till you have all your questions and concerns answered.
My favourite thing is photographing families in places that are special to them. Maybe in the family home, your favourite beach or park you always go to together, or that epic view where you became engaged. I’m up for going where you want.
Maybe you saw something on Instagram you are keen to visit. I’m totally up for adventure and finding new places with you, and if distance isn’t too crazy I can do a pre-explore to try to find the safest routes and cool shoot spots. Sometimes we just have to find magic along the way, and this makes for some great images. With my travel shoots generally the locals give me tips and we all explore together.
Locally I have my favourite go- tos which I am totally happy to share with you. If you have some visual references we can try to recreate a vibe or scene. Let me know if its beach, forest, city scape, or country retreat and I can help source the ideal location.
Please be aware some venues will charge to shoot in some locations. This cost will be passed on to you if required- but we will discuss this before the day comes.
I am located near Shellharbour, in the Illawarra region, NSW. We cover the entire Illawarra, Kiama, Southern Highlands, and Shoalhaven as my “local” area.
I often advertise my services in locations I am travelling as special offers. I will update my website with travel destinations in which you can book in advance. These sessions will not incur additional travel fees- because I’ll be there anyway.
I sure do! My family grew up moving from place to place often, which has instilled in me an intense desire to explore and adventure, which was one of the reasons photography as a career became a viable choice.
Photography has taken me to some amazing places, with experiences like no other- and I hope its continues to do so for years to come.
So if your planning on running away and getting married to your number one, or you want special photography for a special trip away, or you want images in a particularly unique location, I would totally be up for coming on the journey with you. Just say when!
For travel fees outside of my local, I usually charge an additional $50 per hour for transportation costs. 3 hours from home (Shellharbour NSW) 1 nights accommodation will need to be added to the total cost also. For all interstate & overseas weddings I make sure that we come up with an agreement that is cost effective for not only myself but you guys too! If you are keen on an adventure, so am I.
As mentioned in the question above, I often advertise my services in locations I am travelling as special offers. I will update my website with travel destinations in which you can book in advance. These sessions will not incur additional travel fees- because I’ll be there anyway.
Also if I you are from a particularly isolated region and we can secure multiple family or community shoots, I can distribute travel fees amongst everyone accordingly.
For outdoor portrait and family sessions I prefer golden hour- so sunrise or sunset. If you need a particular time of the day- lets discuss and find a suitable location to avoid squinting sun filled eyes, and unflattering overhead light.
Any day of the week works for me, depending on my bookings schedule. Weekends are preferred for larger and event shoots- but let’s chat and we’ll see what we can make work.
Whether it be a family, wedding, portrait, maternity or portrait session, a non-refundable 25% deposit & signed contract are required to secure your booking. Final payment is due 7 days before the shoot date. All packages can be paid off in instalments at your own pace before the session or your special day.
Head on over to my contact page and tell me a little bit about yourself and your requirements. Be sure to include a preferred time and date and I can take it from there. Alternatively, reach out via my social media and we can have a chat on there if you prefer, and I can answer specific questions about locations and special requirements.
Once all is agreed on, and you are happy- I’ll send you the contract for you to take a look at and sign and an invoice with payment details. I will also send over a style guide to help you choose some outfits for the day.
Generally you will receive your photos within 2- 6 weeks of your shoot. Longer shoots, and weddings take longer to process. Shorter shoots I can process quite quickly. You will receive your images via an online password protected private gallery. From here you can download and share them with family and friends effortlessly, all over the globe! All images are provided digitally in high resolution, print ready format.
Express turnaround is available for an additional fee- just ask and I’ll let you know a estimated wait time based on workload. I take a lot of pride and put a lot of care into my editing, with most images being individually hand painted and retouched (which is why my name has fine art photography in the title) and I’ll make sure it is worth the wait.
Each package has an estimated photo amount guideline. Packages can be found here.
You sure can- sort of! There will be product selections you can choose and pay for directly from your gallery, which will be shipped to your address. This service is provided by an external provider who has been quality tested and approved.
The answer is, and always will be, no. The editing process is a big part of creating my images, and unedited images are not a true reflection of my work. You have selected my style for a reason, and I will work with you to get the final product you want- but I don’t provide my images for someone else to edit.
I saw this analogy on another photographers page, and I think it is perfect: A painter starts with a blank canvas (RAW file) and then paints their art (edits the image). The painter would never give you their blank canvas, instead, only their finished art. We consider our delivery of images in the same way, with no exceptions to this.
I can sub contract to another photographer (I have my preferred people, who shoot a similar style to me) for bigger events, if we are concerned about time constraints, and needing to be in multiple locations at the same time, or to capture particular traditions (I have male photographers on my books, who are always keen to be involved). But to be completely honest, 99% of my shoots, I do myself- with some careful planning and creative scheduling.
Yes! I have done a few of these, and I would always recommend the longer session! There are so many different personalities and dynamics, that there are always lots of laughs to capture. Sometime friends are more like family, so why should we shoot these differently. You are welcome to also split off into separate family groups for photos also, any and all combinations of family or friend members are included in the one session.
I do need to account for this when shooting though, to avoid being taken advantage of. Standard family package prices are for up to six individual family members. $25 will be added per person to the package price beyond this number. Remember the more people, the less intimate moments I will be able to capture- so factor this in to timing. Please contact me if you have a large family to shoot and it might be cheaper to book at an event rate instead.
Overcast, cloudy skies make for amazing photos. A little rain is ok, but torrential rain or crazy wind and we are going to need to reschedule. We will make the call the day before…sometime even the day of. We’ll work together to decide this as we come closer to the day. If we can only shoot on the allocated date we will have a back up indoor location. Hotels, Air Bnbs, cafes, galleries, libraries, bars and restaurants are always creative options. I’ll have some options up my sleeve should we need them.
If you or your little ones are sick, please try to give a least 24 hours notice, and we can reschedule when everyone is feeling better, as soon as possible. Due to scheduling I can only allow for reschedules of this nature once.
In the event of needing to cancel your shoot, the non-refundable deposit stays with me, but in most circumstances I will allow this to be redirected to another shoot in the future.
Our #1 priority is the health of our clients and their families. We are here to help all of our current clients who need to navigate their weddings, elopements, family and portrait sessions accounting for Covid-19 restrictions, with compassion and professionalism.
Overcast, cloudy skies make for amazing photos. A little rain is ok, but torrential rain or crazy wind and we are going to need to reschedule. We will make the call the day before…sometime even the day of. We’ll work together to decide this as we come closer to the day. If we can only shoot on the allocated date we will have a back up indoor location. Hotels, Air Bnbs, cafes, galleries, libraries, bars and restaurants are always creative options. I’ll have some options up my sleeve should we need them.
If you or your little ones are sick, please try to give a least 24 hours notice, and we can reschedule when everyone is feeling better, as soon as possible. Due to scheduling I can only allow for reschedules of this nature once.
In the event of needing to cancel your shoot, the non-refundable deposit stays with me, but in most circumstances I will allow this to be redirected to another shoot in the future.
Our #1 priority is the health of our clients and their families. We are here to help all of our current clients who need to navigate their weddings, elopements, family and portrait sessions accounting for Covid-19 restrictions, with compassion and professionalism.
– Bring snacks, and comfort items
– Be prepared to love and interact with each other
– Don’t stress about moods and behaviours, we’ll work through it
– Let me know pre-session if there are particular shots or styles you are hoping to achieve, and let me know any special details about family members that will help us navigate the shoot.
– Just be you in your best way. Enjoy your family, be confident in yourself.
– Bring snacks and alcohol if you need
– Liquid courage is acceptable, being smashed isn’t pretty. Wait till we are done to hit it hard
– Be prepared to love and interact with each other, but don’t take it too seriously
– Don’t stress, just be how you are with each other in your dreams and daily lives
– Let me know pre-session if there are particular shots or styles you are hoping to achieve, and let me know any special details about family members that will help us navigate the shoot.
– Let me know if you need help to set up a special moment. I can help coordinate special backdrops, picnic set-ups or special items (depending on your requirements, some cost may be added, but lets discuss what you need)
– Couples, thruples, poly groups…..whatever your relationship type- I’ve got you. No rules or judgement from me.
– Wanna get a little sexier? I also do boudoir shoots.
– Bring snacks and alcohol if you need
– Liquid courage is acceptable, being smashed isn’t pretty. Wait till we are done to hit it hard
– I’ll encourage meeting a little before the shoot so we can have a chat and a drink and you can get a little comfortable with me before we start shooting.
– This experience is about you and your confidence. Splurge a little on some beautiful lingerie that fits well, and makes you think…..”damn….I look good in this”
– Arrive with your first outfit under your normal clothes to save some time.
– Couples- be prepared to love and interact with each other, but don’t take it too seriously
– Don’t stress, just be how you are with each other in your dreams and daily lives
– Let me know pre-session if there are particular shots or styles you are hoping to achieve, and let me know any special details about you or your partner that will help us navigate the shoot.
– Bring snacks and alcohol if you need
– Liquid courage is acceptable, being smashed isn’t pretty. Wait till we are done to hit it hard
– We will chat before the shoot so I can understand what you are hoping to achieve, and we’ll discuss the best ways to do this.
– This experience is about you and your confidence, and conveying who you want people to understand who you are. Be authentic.
– Arrive with your first outfit under your normal clothes to save some time.
– Let me know pre-session if there are particular shots or styles you are hoping to achieve, and let me know any special details about family members that will help us navigate the shoot.
– Let me know if you need help to set up a special moment. I can help coordinate special backdrops, set-ups or items (depending on your requirements, some cost may be added, but let’s discuss what you need)
