FAMILY
PHOTOGRAPHY
FAQ’S

WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM MY SESSION?

Family sessions are so much fun, I get the chance to be silly without being judged and your child gets to make as much noise as they want without getting told off! They involve dancing, spinning, laughing and LOTS of playing!

Please see the full family session information here for details and photos from my sessions.

when should i book my FAMILY session?

Whenever you want photos of your family! For family sessions, they can be any age and for whatever reason. Perhaps you want to update your photos at home, you've got a wedding coming up and want photos of you all in your posh outfits, you need gifts for the grandparents or you just need somewhere for your children to be entertained for an hour!

when will my session take place?

If your child is of school age, many families will take their child out of school for the morning or afternoon. Alternatively during the school holidays is a good time but these do book up quickly! If they haven't started school yet we can work around childcare and any groups or classes to book them in during the week. I shoot Tuesday - Friday and during the school holidays.

do we need to bring anything?

Your child is more than welcome to choose one or two favourite things from home to bring to the session. Not only does it help them relax into the session if they have a comfort from home but when you look back on the photos you will remember what they loved at that age, as it could change again in the blink of an eye! From trains, to dolls, tea sets and treasured teddies we can incorporate anything into the photos to create something unique to your child.

how long does a session last?

Sessions last up to an hour, with up to three outfit changes, subject to clothing you want your child to wear and how happy they are to keep getting changed! I love to do a combination of photos from serious, relaxed and happy to downright ecstatic so it's good to have a range of clothing to suit.

what should my child wear?

Within the session, anywhere up to three outfit changes is a good amount and a combination of super smart, really casual and smart/casual are a good mix. I think bare feet look great with most outfits but with smart outfits shoes usually finish the look nicely.

Please avoid stripes and patterns and clothing with logos as these can date the photos very quickly. Plain clothing looks best so the focus remains on your family. I can send pinterest boards for inspiration if needed too.

HOW MANY CHILDREN CAN BE INCLUDED?

Included in the session fee is up to 4 children which can be siblings, cousins or even just good friends! This allows enough time to photograph each of them individually, however the amount of children will dictate the number of outfit changes we will have time for, and in combinations and full groups too. If you have more than 4 children please contact me before booking as the price and length of session may need to increase to accommodate photographing additional children so the quantity and quality of images is not compromised.

can mum and dad be included in the photos?

Family sessions are perfect to get those gorgeous portraits of the whole family that are so rare to capture. In a world of selfies let’s make sure the traditional portraits, as well as relaxed snuggles and laughter, aren’t forgotten!

What should we wear?

I find it looks best when outfits are coordinated, so matching colour schemes and styles, so if the boys are in shirts perhaps Dad would wear a shirt under a jumper as an example. Avoid patterns and logos to keep the images timeless.

can i take my own photos?

You are welcome to take a couple of behind the scenes photos of me photographing your child during your session to remember this special time in their life, however these shouldn't be close ups as these are the images you have paid me to take and a phone photo will not do them justice! It can also prove distracting for your child and I want you to focus on the moment and making them laugh too!

Please do not take any photos of any other elements within The Cabin, both for privacy reasons but more so as seeing The Cabin for the first time is all part of the experience of booking a session with Mama Bear Photography, so we like to keep some details a nice surprise for future clients. 

The camera on my phone is really good, why should i hire a professional?

As someone who takes thousands of photos on my phone I know they are invaluable in capturing those fleeting or funny things your children do every single day, but they cannot replace quality, beautifully crafted imagery that is meant for the walls and albums and this is what professional photography will give you. I will do everything in my power to coax natural smiles and laughs out of your child so the photos don't look forced or awkward, whilst showing them a really good time too so they remember the day fondly and want to keep coming back.

Do you edit the images?

During your session, I will likely take around 200-400 photos. This consists of numerous angles of each pose and often very similar images, re-takes due to blinks, focusing on different areas and so on. Using my creative discretion, I only delicately edit the very best images including removing unsightly blemishes, colour correcting, detail enhancing and creative development to create the final portrait.

how many images will i get?

Images are not included in the session fee and are available to purchase separately. For a family session, you will have a minimum of 30 images to choose from when ordering.

DO I HAVE TO CHOOSE AN IMAGE PACKAGE BEFORE I BOOK?

You don't need to choose any package when you book your session. When you receive your online gallery you choose your images and your preferred collection as well as any additional prints. products or wall art.

do you share images on social media?

I love to share a sneak peek from your session if time permits. I may also use any images from your final gallery on my social media pages as well as my website or blog as a promotional tool and most parents love to see their child being featured in this way. If you would prefer your child's images not to be used in this way that's fine too, please just let me know before your session.

How long does it take before we can see the photos?

Within 1 week of your session you will receive an email link to an online, password-protected gallery full of beautiful images from your session. These will have a basic edit on them for viewing purposes to allow you to choose your favourites and let me know those you’d like to order. At this point, you can also choose artwork or display pieces and once your invoice is paid your chosen digitals go into my editing schedule to be delivered back. to you 3-4 weeks later. Prints, artwork and albums will be delivered after this according to their different time scales.

If we order wall art or prints, how long will my order take?

This all depends on the specific products ordered and individual timescales however I would generally say between 4 - 6 weeks after you receive your digital files and your order will be fulfilled. All can be discussed further individually and I will keep you updated along the way too.

how do we receive our order?

The price of my products includes delivery, this could be in the post for smaller orders or we may hand deliver larger orders to prevent any damage to the pieces and you are also welcome to collect your order by appointment. All will be discussed with you individually upon ordering.