FAMILY, CHILDREN + BABY SESSIONS
DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE?
I like my photo-shoots and resulting images to be as informal and natural as possible, capturing children as they really are. That’s why I prefer to shoot in the child’s own environment or out and about in a familiar place. I’m not an overly technical photographer and only ever use available light which gives a lovely authentic look to the pictures. It also gives me freedom to photograph without being bogged down by a lot of complicated lighting and equipment, and to engage fully with my little subjects!
HOW DO I KNOW YOU’RE THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER FOR US?
It’s really important that you’re 100% comfortable with who you book, and being able to build a rapport with you and your little ones is really important. Ensuring that everyone’s comfortable is a huge part of my job – and if the children are happy and having fun, it’s much easier to get amazing pictures.
If you like the images on my website but are still unsure of booking, the easiest thing to do is give me a call. I’m happy to chat about anything from the kind of shoot you’d like to possible locations to what happens if your toddler has a tantrum mid-session… Basically I’m happy to chat about anything which might put your mind at rest and alleviate any concerns, then you can decide if you’d like to go ahead and book in your own time.
WHAT’S YOUR RATE AND ARE THERE ANY HIDDEN COSTS?
For Family photography I now offer three shoot options, with costs ranging from £100-£250. With all sessions you get your photo-shoot plus stated amount of edited images (see pricing) on a USB stick to print as you wish. I absolutely hate the “hard sell” approach, and I hope that these simple packages offer real value for money for my clients. If you’d like more images from your shoot – no problem, I just charge £5 extra per picture, though there’s no obligation whatsoever to purchase more.
WHAT EXACTLY DO I GET FOR THE SESSION PRICE?
All sessions include:
- The shoot itself, either one hour, an hour and a half or two hours (this is flexible depending on the needs of your child)
- Pre-shoot chat or email contact so I know exactly what you want to get from the session – whether there are any priority shots and who/what to focus on most
- Opportunity to choose exactly what you’d like from contact sheets I email over after the shoot
- My time and talent in editing and retouching the images
- A USB stick with final images for you to print as you wish, in your own time
SO WE CAN HAVE THE PICS ON A USB?
Yes. You can then do what you want with them, though I’ll retain copyright : )
YOU HAVE QUITE A LOT OF BLACK AND WHITE PICTURES ON YOUR WEBSITE. WILL THE PICTURES YOU TAKE ALSO BE AVAILABLE IN COLOUR?
Of course! I just have quite a strong personal preference for black and white pictures, I love their classic simplicity, but I know a lot of people prefer colour. Don’t worry, all pictures are always available in both colour and b+w
TALK ME THROUGH THE SHOOT…
Prior to the photo-shoot itself we’ll have a chat, preferably on the phone but via email if that suits you better. It’s a good idea to discuss things like: what your priorities are photo-wise; what kind of things your toddler’s into; what time of day would suit your newborn best; if you have any queries about outfits etc. It also gives us a chance to get to know each other a bit better, and for me to find out anything in advance that will help on the day of your shoot.
On the day itself I will arrive promptly so we can have a little catch-up before we begin. This will give the children time to warm up and get used to me and the camera. If we’re at your home and it’s ok with you it’s useful for me to have a little look around the house to work out where the best areas are and light is for the pictures. If we’re out on location I’ll have done this before you arrive.
On an average shoot I’ll take a range of pictures depending on what you’d like, usually this includes single portraits, siblings together, various family combinations, detail shots, (shots that use the landscape if for example – we’re on a beach) and group shots to ensure I’ve covered everything. I find it best to let the children take the lead and snap away at whatever they’re up to to get lovely natural images, as well as giving a little bit of direction to get some eyes to camera shots as well.
WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR?
This is really important (so important that I send a “What To Wear” guide out prior to the session)! After years of organising magazine photo-shoots and watching top stylists at work I understand how well thought out clothes can transform a good picture into an outstanding one.
Here are some pointers:
- With babies, it’s nice to have them as natural as possible, and it’s lovely to see their tiny hands and feet so having them in a simple vest, or even just a nappy or vest can make the most striking images
- Hats and hooded towels are great props for babies as well as textured blankets for them to lie on or be cuddled up in
- Be aware of colour – for example if your child has bright blue eyes it can be nice to accentuate this with a bright blue top
- If it’s chilly on outdoors shoots cosy hats and boots or wellies can look great
- Avoid too much black or white or you risk all merging into one another
- Also avoid loud patterns, character t-shirts and big logos, basically anything that can be a bit distracting
- Try not to clash! It’s best to try to loosely co-ordinate
- Most importantly – make sure you’re all comfortable!
WHAT IF THE WEATHER’S RUBBISH?
If we’ve booked to go to your local beach and the weather looks a bit iffy – don’t worry we can keep an eye on it, discuss the day before (or even a few hours before), and re-book if necessary
WHAT IF OUR CHILD IS SICK?
No problem, if your child is sick we should definitely postpone. In fact if they are under the weather at all we should reschedule anyway. An unhappy child does not a good picture make!
IS THERE A TIME OF DAY THAT’S BETTER FOR OUTDOOR SHOOTS?
Definitely. In summer the light will be much better earlier in the morning or late afternoon, so we’ll just book an appropriate time-slot. Always best to avoid the harsh light of the mid-day sun! In the middle of winter the light is a totally different ball game, we can only really shoot for the few hours around mid-day… so again, we’d book an appropriate time-slot depending on the time of year to get the most of the light
HOW MANY PHOTOS WILL YOU TAKE?
Absolutely loads – hundreds. But they’ll be edited down to a final selection of stand-out images which I’ll pop on contact sheets from which you can choose your favourites
YOU MENTION RETOUCHING – CAN YOU ELABORATE?
As I’ve said I like my pictures to look as natural as possible so any retouching I do is kept to an absolute minimum. Children’s skin is usually pretty flawless anyway but if someone has an odd spot or scratch I would certainly clean that up
HOW LONG BEFORE I CAN SEE THE PICS?
I usually send a sneak preview of a couple of favourite shots by the next day followed by contact sheets for you to choose your favourite pictures from, once you’ve let me know your choices I do a little bit more work on them. Once you’ve given final approval I pop them on a USB and will usually turn this round within a few days of receiving your choices. If you have a particular deadline, for example if you want to get a picture printed as a birthday gift, just say and I’ll make it a priority.
HOW FAR DO YOU TRAVEL FOR SHOOTS?
I’m based in Gosforth, in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and I love to shoot in the parks and nearby beaches of this glorious city. I’m always happy to travel though and often head up to Northumberland to take advantage of those amazing beach backdrops – over the last few years I’ve had shoots in Cumbria; North Yorkshire and as far as sunny Surrey and Kent! If I travel quite a distance I just add on (pre-agreed) travel expenses to my fee
WHAT NEXT?
Well… if you’d like to book, just give me a call on 07779 167295 or drop me an email at clare@clarebowesphoto.com… in fact if you have any questions at all please do get in touch! Look forward to hearing from you soon!
