GLOUCESTERSHIRE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER FAQ’s
GLOUCESTERSHIRE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER FAQ’s
any questions?
Firstly, it is truly wonderful that you want to book a family shoot. A family shoot captures unforgettable moments, strengthens connections, and provides lasting memories for generations to come.
How exactly do you choose a Gloucestershire family photographer though ? Googling family photographers adds to the confusion and most people envision an awkward experience and are worried about how their kids might behave. You don’t have to worry about either of these concerns with me. I’ve put together some questions and answers for you, which will give you an insight into how I shoot and also what to expect.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR STYLE?
My outdoor family shoots are ‘play based’ for children, meaning that I get your kids to engage in activities that distract them from the camera, and allow me to get natural shots with genuine smiles and interactions. No pressure PLUS Happy kids! I never ever ask a child to say ‘cheese’ as it creates an unnatural smile and I’m all about authenticity. I want you to recognise your child’s familiar happy expression in your photos and feel that I have captured their ‘spirit’. Photographing them whilst they are engaged in play or interacting with you, is how I achieve this.
Q: HOW LONG IS A SHOOT?
Typically a family shoot is about 1.5 hrs but I like to carve out 2 hours, as that provides some flexibility and I need a little bit of time to build rapport with your children. We walk, we talk, we play games and it is all very easy and relaxed.
Q: WHERE AND WHEN IS THE SHOOT
If you have booked my Cirencester family shoot package, then the shoot will take place outdoors near Cirencester, preferably in a park, meadow or woodland. When the shoot takes place is crucial. Ideally, in the summer I like to shoot later in the afternoon when the sun is lower. Just think of that beautiful soft warm light with a golden glow. Bright midday sun is not flattering so I avoid shooting at this time of day. If the weather is a typical British overcast day, then we can shoot earlier as the overcast weather acts like a giant soft box which provides a beautiful light too.
Q: WHAT DO WE WEAR?
Firstly, I want you to be comfortable in your choice of clothing. Wear whatever makes you feel good. I do suggest you avoid wearing branded clothing with printed logos. There is no need to wear ‘matching sets’…gone are the days of white shirts and denim jeans for the entire family. Try and choose a colour palette that works across the family, such as pastels together, or bright colourful tones together. Accessories such as scarves and hats work really well in the Autumn or Winter. Pinterest is a good source of inspiration for what to wear for a family shoot. Try and avoid wearing very dark colours such as black, as black tends to suck the light in and can be difficult to edit if the other family members are wearing lighter colours.
Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS?
We can reschedule your shoot if it is raining. We do not need to reschedule if it is overcast as that provides lovely light, but we can certainly postpone if it will be raining all day.
Q: DO YOU TAKE TRADITIONAL POSED PHOTOS?
Yes, I do, towards the end of the shoot when the kids love me :) Firstly, when I meet you, I like to chat to your children and take their photos first. So, I play with your kids and do individual child portraits and then siblings together. Parents get to relax at this stage and see how I work. Then I move onto the group shots, but again, play based with minimal posing. I also like to take individual portraits of both parents and the parents together, and for this your kids get to help me :) They thoroughly enjoy this bit as they get some control in the shoot which works really well. So, your final gallery will contain a wonderful balanced mix of beautiful portraits, family groups and candid moments.
Q: DO YOU DO NEW BORN SHOOTS?
Yes, I do, but my new born photography is more ‘lifestyle’ orientated, meaning I don’t pose your new born or use ‘props’ and prefer to focus on natural connections as a family. Because I don’t pose new borns, there is also no rush with my new born shoots to have them in the first 2 weeks of your baby being born. An ‘older’ new born is perfect for my style of my photography.
Q: WILL YOU POST OUR PHOTOS ONLINE?
Yes, a few of your images may appear on my instagram page or on my web site. As I’m sure you can appreciate, the only advertising photographers have, is our own work and if we never shared any of it online we would never get any bookings. However, if you request that I don’t share any of your images, I will absolutely respect that.
Q: DO WE GET THE DIGITAL FILES?
YES! Yes! A thousand times Yes! If I was to have a family shoot myself, I would 100% want the high res digital files. I don’t want to upsell you to have to purchase these or have you spend hours trying to choose a package of only 5 or 10 files. I want you to have all the edited high res images, to print yourself or to share online and send to family members. I do provide 5 mounted prints as part of my package, as I love to know that you do have a tangible product but I’m very aware of how important the digital files are to people in this day and age. A gallery will typically contains upwards of 60 images.
Q: WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SHOOT?
Firstly, I cull your images in Lightroom, meaning that I pick out the best ones, the ones that I’m going to edit. There will be many duplicate images that I need to sift through, images with eyes closed , people mid speech, etc.. that wont make your gallery. Once I have my selection, I will edit them. 80% of the gallery will be colour but there will be a few images that I will edit in black and white. My editing style is fresh and contemporary and I try to keep colours true to the day but give them some ‘life’ and ‘pop’ in the editing process.
Q: HOW DO WE BOOK?
I would be absolutely thrilled to do a family shoot for you, so the first thing to do is to send me a message using my contact form on my contact page. We can then look at what dates will suit you and book in a time and location. Once you are booked in, I will be in touch a few days before to finalise the details and check what the weather forecast is saying. And that’s it…then we meet and create gorgeous magical images that you can treasure forever!
