Do you have a studio?

Not anymore. In my experience, I have found children much happier outdoors somewhere fun, or in the comfort and warmth of their own home surrounded by their favourite toys and familiar things. To get the best pics of your little ones we want the session to be as natural as possible doing much of the same daily activities that they enjoy doing regularly. Also getting pics of these moments, from a mom’s perspective, are the best memories to treasure forever! (We do have a studio for product photography purposes)

 

Do you use props?

No, not if I can help it. I have a collection of props that come out every now and then, but I prefer shoots that are more natural and unique to each family. Props can lead to “cookie-cutter style” sessions which I try to avoid. That being said, if there is a prop you have had your heart set on, do let me know! OR if you have sourced your own props I am happy to make use of them during your session provided they are safe to use.

 

What area’s do you cover?

I cover the general Dorset area and surrounds. If you are out of my travel radius I can try make a plan, but additional travel charges may apply.

 

How far in advance do I need to book a session?

The sooner the better! As I only take on a limited amount of sessions per week my calendar gets booked up fairly quickly.

 

Can we book a session on the weekend?

As I have 2 small children and weekends are precious family time for me, I try to book my sessions during the week. That being said if you need a weekend slot get in touch and we will see what we can do!

 

Would you travel abroad?

Absolutely! It would of course depend on the scope of the project, to ensure I’m not away from home and my little ones for too long!

 

What age is best to book a session?

All ages have their unique characteristics specific to their stage of development, but my personal favourite is around 6-9 months when they are sitting but not yet crawling. Babies tend to be really chubby at this age, just before they get really active and are perfect little models sitting looking adorable no matter what their expression. For Newborn photography we need to book the session within the first 2 weeks of the little one’s arrival, so we advise you book soon after your 20 week scan to ensure we secure dates in and around your due date. If you would like to book a Bump & Baby or Maternity session, the best time for the shoot is between 30-35 weeks pregnant. My own little boy arrived at 36 weeks , so I don’t advise booking the session too close to the end… you just never know!

 

Will I own the copyright of the photographs?

Yes. I feel it is only your right as the parent to own full copyright of the photos of your own children. Being a parent myself, it feels wrong to keep some aspect of the copyright from you. I therefore provide all the high-resolution photos for you to share with everyone in the family and do with as you wish. All I ask in return is that I use the images on my website and in any promotional or marketing material when required.

 

Do you sell vouchers?

Yes I do sell Vouchers. We have digital vouchers, which can be customized and emailed same day for last minute gifts or a printed voucher, which takes 3-5 days to receive in the post.

 

How much does a session cost?

Please get in touch to request information on our packages and prices. We have 3 different packages, Mini Sessions (mainly for outdoor family sessions & couple sessions); Classic Package (all ages after 2 months) and a Newborn Package. (We also offer a Bump & Baby Package)

 

How long does a session usually take?

Mini (outdoor) sessions take 1-2 hours, Classic sessions usually take 2-3 hours, and Newborn sessions tend to be 3 hours. Newborn sessions will always take longer, allowing for feeds and much needed cuddle breaks.

 

Where do sessions usually take place?

Outdoor sessions take place at a pre-agreed location in and around Bournemouth. Classic package sessions take place in the comfort of your own home. Couple sessions often happen in London, or somewhere fun and exciting!

 

For home sessions, where is the best place for the shoot to take place?

We normally try for the room with the best amount of light. It would be good to ensure this area is free and ready to be used for the shoot. A double bed (usually parents bed) works very well, it’s the right height and is nice and comfortable for little ones. The crawlers and walkers might be chased around the house rather than having them sit in one place. I also often take the shoot out in the garden or local Park (depending on the weather), as a change of scenery does wonders to get those gorgeous smiles caught on camera!

For the slightly older children – their favourite DVD on the sofa gives me some time to take pictures of their feet, eyes, eyelashes etc. This tends to be a great end to a shoot – a little TV time with a snack to keep them happy after “posing” for the camera! Modeling is an exhausting job after all!

 

When is the best time of day for photographs?

This depends on your little one’s routine and available daylight. Best time for very young babies is after a feed and a sleep so that they are happy and not hungry. In winter, natural light drops significantly from mid-afternoon, so morning shoots are best for that particular time of year.

That being said, make sure you book your session during the happiest time of day for your little one! I tend to find children/ babies are happier in the earlier part of the day so most of my shoots tend to be around 10/11am onwards. Try and take meal times and sleep times into consideration. With small babies sleep times aren’t such a big deal as a few sleepy shots are nice and a good opportunity to do detail close-ups of all their features. Also, meal times can be a fun new scene for some candid shots.

 

What should we wear for the session? How many outfits do I need to have ready?
This is entirely up to you. Some of my clients have 3-4 outfits lined up and others just the one. 1-2 outfits are usually sufficient, although it’s good to have at least one back up! I think less is more, as we don’t want to waste time changing outfits and sometimes upset babies, as they tend to not like being undressed and dressed! As for what to wear, make sure you are comfortable and try to co-ordinate your outfits but don’t try matching them, as that can look a bit cheesy

 

Do I need to prepare anything for the shoot?

When you make a booking we will send you a booking form along with all the extra info you need to know about your session including any preparations that will help the shoot go smoothly.

 

What do we do if it’s raining?

As we all know living in the UK, we can’t let bad weather get in the way of our plans or we’d never go out! As long as it’s dry outside and not totally miserable the shoot is on. Make sure everyone is wrapped up nice and warm and have their wellies on stand by (which makes for a great shot). It’s good to get out and have some fun, and maybe even jump in muddy puddles. (This is when that back-up outfit is handy!) Sessions in the rain aren’t fun… so if it’s raining we will reschedule to the next convenient rain-free day. I tend to keep an eye on the weather forecast leading up to the shoot and will get in touch if I have any concerns. Cloudy, overcast weather is great from a photographic point of view so don’t let that bother you. (It’s the perfect big soft-box in the sky!)

 

How to reschedule or cancel a session in unforeseen circumstances?

I appreciate there may be a very good reason to cancel a shoot but unfortunately I will need 48hrs notice to reschedule so that I have enough time to fill your slot with a new booking. Cancellation with less notice will, within reason, incur a forfeit of your deposit. Just let us know as soon as possible and we can move the session to a new date that suits.

 

How many photographs will be included in our package?

Each package will get you a minimum of 100+ high resolution (lightly) retouched images from your session. I tend to give you all the shots from the day (apart from any duds) as I would rather you had all your beautiful pics of your children on your computer for you to enjoy and treasure than sitting on mine in my archives. For more information on your particular package please get in touch.

 

Will we have a collection of Black & White and Colour photographs?

Yes, I like to treat each photograph as a piece of art and treat the colour to suit the mood and style of the photograph, but if you have any preference to colour or B+W please let me know before the session. I usually give an equal mix of both, giving very similar shots in B&W and colour but not identical duplicates in both treatments.

 

How long will I have to wait for my photographs after the session:

After the session, you will get a sneaky peek 1-2 weeks later, and your final package in the post 6-8 weeks from the day of the shot. This excludes any additional items ordered such as calendars or books. If you need a pic for a thank you card or birth announcement, you can choose your favourite image from your sneaky peeks and request a high resolution version.

 

Do you print coffee table books or calendars?
Yes, if you would like to see a full list of products and prices get in touch.

 

What are e-books?
An e-book (Electronic Book) is a digital pdf of your printed book included in your package, this can be used to print more copies of your book, as gifts for loved ones or simply to share online. (Excludes all mini sessions),

 

I’ve lost all the images you’ve given me, can I get new copies?
Tandykerry keeps a backup of all our client’s images for 1 year from the date of the shoot. Within this time, you are welcome to request a copy of your images.

 

What if I don’t want my photographs to feature on your website?

This may seem rather strange and severe, but I no longer take on sessions with restrictions on what I can share as part of my portfolio. I absolutely love what I do and am incredibly passionate about the photographs I take It’s therefore heart breaking for me to have photographs that I adore, just sitting on my server, that I am not allowed to share as an artist. I am sure you can appreciate this from my point of view. I am of course sensitive to what I share online and will never share anything that has personal information or anything of a private nature. (ie breast feeding etc.) Happy to discuss this in more detail so please give me a call.

Save