Category: Photography

Child photography, Maternity Session, Newborn, Photography, Session Types, smash cake session

Major Milestone Package 2018

hlopez86

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I have highlighted my Newborn and 1st Birthday/Cake Smash sessions but this one is a combination of both!!  If you are planning on getting more pictures of your little ones besides just newborn then this package is for you.

My Major Milestone Package includes a Newborn, 6 month, and 1st Birthday/Cake Smash session in one and at a discounted price.  For the newborn and 1st birthday sessions you get exactly what you would get if you booked them alone while the 6 month session comes with 1 hour of session time and up to 10 digital images.  I love the idea of getting pictures throughout the first year since we all know just how much little ones change in such a short amount of time.  The total of this package is $500, $300 is due at the newborn session, $75 at the 6 month, and the remaining $125 at the 1st birthday session.  Additional sessions can be added on for a discounted price as well since  I know some people like to have pictures done more frequently in the first year.

Additionally, I also offer a Maternity and Newborn package.  It is completely understandable that some parents want to just take pictures themselves throughout the first year.  If this is the case no problem there are still options for you!  My Maternity and Newborn session is $375 and includes a full standard session for maternity and a full newborn session.  A Maternity session can also be added onto the Major Milestone Package for half the original price.

The first year of your child’s life is so important, I am so glad I can offer options that can hopefully fit into everyone’s schedule and budget.

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Photography, Session Types, smash cake session

1st Birthday Cake Smash Sessions

hlopez86

Cake smash sessions for a first birthday are so much fun!  There are so many possibilities of other things to use besides cakes as well and I am excited to try more of them this year.

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Cake smashes are typically done for a first birthday so I offer a 1st Birthday Cake Smash session.  The session includes up to 1.5 hours of session time.  It does sound like a lot for a little one but I like to allow time to set up stuff and give the little ones a break.  The session is split up between essentially two different sessions.  The first part of the session is more of the first birthday session.  This is where I will take pictures of your little one in his or her birthday outfit, because everyone wants to get pictures of their 1 year old looking cute and adorable in a new outfit.  This part can be a different theme from the cake smash or just the more formal, don’t get cloths dirty, part of it.  For the second half, we do the cake smash part!  This is the fun part that gets super (hopefully) messy and the kids just have a great time.  Parents typically have a different outfit or no outfit for this part of the session.

My cake smash sessions include props, background, and cake.  Yes I do provide the cake for these sessions!  I have a good friend from Special Occasion Cakes by Pam who will work with you on what you would like for your cake.  You will be able to talk or meet with her to get your cake ordered to your specification.  The price of the cake is built into the session price so it is one less thing you will have to worry about.  I do understand if you have a good friend yourself who makes cakes and would like to bring your own, this is perfectly fine by me, unfortunately this will not change the price of the session.

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These 1st birthday cake smash sessions can be done either inside or outside depending on your vision or time of year. We can even do an “indoor setup” outside if that is something you would like to do.  There are so many possibilities!

If you are looking for a 1st Birthday Cake Smash session you can book any time! The session is $250 and includes 1.5 hours of session time, 20 fully edited digital images with print release, all props/backgrounds, and the cake.  As with any session a $50 non-refundable retainer fee is required to book your session.  If you have any questions or some great ideas you would like to try, contact me today!  I can’t wait to see what this year brings for the amazing little ones.

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Newborn, Photography, Session Types

Newborn Sessions

hlopez86

ModlifeMarketingBoard-5x5Newborn sessions have become very popular and there are so many different ways to do them.  From styled to lifestyle I can do them all, they are so much fun and I just love all the different visions everyone has for their pictures. Newborn pictures are such great ways to remember all the details of your little one and to have memories to cherish for always!

This week I have put together some information and tips if you are looking to or need to book a newborn session this year.  I am booking for spring now but I am unfortunately not booking for the summer months June, July or August 2018 as I am expecting my own newborn sometime in June! Contact me if you would like more information on sessions or booking.

When scheduling a newborn session please remember that newborns have a mind of their own and do not always follow the schedule we would like them to have.  This is why my newborn sessions are up to 3 hours of session time.  This allows plenty of time to set up different things, feed and change baby, and get baby back to sleep if needed.  These sessions also take a LOT of editing sometimes because not every baby has perfect baby soft skin.  Baby acne, jaundice, scratches, redness, and bruising are all common and are things I will gladly fix on your precious baby.  Because of this I will say that newborn sessions do tend to cost a little more than regular sessions and tend to take the entire 2 weeks or more to finish and get into your gallery.  My newborn sessions include up to 25 fully edited images with print release.  As long as we are able to get a good amount of images I will try to include around 30-35 images in your gallery for you to choose from.  Unfortunately there are not always that many to add into your gallery, I will do the best I can with your little one.

Scheduling: It is best to schedule your newborn session for about a week after your due date to ensure you have a spot on my schedule.  I understand babies do not always wait for their due dates and like to come early.  If this is the case, let me know when baby arrives and we can try and schedule you sooner.  It is preferred to take newborn pictures in the first 14 days of life when baby is still very sleepy and easier to work with.  Do not worry if we are unable to schedule you right away, newborn sessions can be done at any time, an older less sleepy baby may be a little harder to work with when it comes to wrapping them but they may be awake more and therefore we might be able to get more pictures of them with their eyes open!

Location: The location of your newborn session is entirely up to you!  I am happy to come to your home if you have good natural lighting or I have an indoor location to use if you prefer.  During the summer months when the weather is warm, outside is always an option.

Props:  If you would like to do a specific theme or color scheme let me know beforehand.  I will have props and backgrounds ready for your session.  I do have wraps, blankets, baskets and some other various items for you to pick from.  You are also welcome to bring your own props you wish to use.

What to wear:  Newborn outfits, diaper covers, blankets, wraps are all good things to put your baby in for your pictures.  Outfits do tend to be a bit big and can cover baby’s face, just something to think about when choosing which ones to use.  Baby can be naked for some, if not all, of the images so please keep that in mind when deciding what to get.  If you choose to have others in the images, baby, mom/dad or siblings, it is best to put them in more solids or neutral colors.  It is important to keep focus on the subjects.

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact me.  Newborn sessions for 2018 are $300 and include the 3 hours of session time and 25 fully edited digital images.  A $50 nonrefundable retainer is required to book.  I understand not everyone feels they need that much time or images but if you are wanting to do newborn pictures I do ask that you book the newborn session, I will not be booking newborn sessions as standard sessions.

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Child photography, couple/engagement photography, Family, Maternity Session, Photography, Session Types

Standard Sessions

hlopez86

Every Friday it is my plan to highlight the different sessions and products I offer.  I will be giving information on what is included in these sessions, tips for them, how and when to book, as well as the price or prices of each session.  I’m hoping this will give everyone a detailed overview of what I offer in order to make the right decision on choosing a photo session that fits your needs and budget.

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The first session I would like to highlight is my Standard Session.  This session is my most booked session and is great for families, milestones, maternity, engagements, or holiday pictures.  As with all of my session, the location is completely up to you as long as it is within an hour’s driving time for me.  I do have a couple favorite spots if you do not have something in mind and an indoor location to use for those cold winter months or newborn sessions.

Standard sessions are up to 1 hour long.  I say up to one hour because there are a lot of little ones who decide after about 30 minutes that they are done.  If this is the case, no big deal, I will work with your child until he/she is ready to be done.  In some cases your little one might just need a break, a few minutes to run around could make a big difference.  I will never force your child to take pictures.  I have learned with my own children, the more you force, the less they will do.  If your child does not want to cooperate that is ok, I have spent many hours chasing kids around and trust me sometimes these are the best pictures!

During the one hour session I will take as many pictures as needed.  Sometimes this means we get a lot or it could mean that we only get a few.  I will do my best to get as many different poses and a different variety of images for your gallery but I like to tell those with small children to have low expectations, you just never know how your little one will act that day.  After your session I will upload all your pictures and pick the best 25-30 to upload to your gallery.  Galleries usually take around 2 weeks to be available, a little longer depending on the time of year.  The Standard Session includes 15 fully edited digital images with print release, meaning out of the 25-30 images in your gallery (maybe less depending on how the session went) you will get to choose the 15 YOU like the best .  Once you have chosen your images, I will send you their files along with the print release.  I do offer professional prints through a photographer only print lab but I do not require you to print through me.  If you happen to like all of your images or a few more than 15 you can purchase additional digital files for $10/image.  You can also purchase prints of images not included in your chosen 15.  You will not only receive the print but also the digital file for the image as well.  So many options!!

So to summarize my Standard Session is up to 1 hour of session time and includes 15 fully edited, high resolution images with print release.  This session starts at $150!  You can add on extra digital images or prints at an additional price.  If you have a large party or extended family you would like photographed I adjust the package a little bit to include 1.5 hours of session time and 20 digital images for $250. I can also customize your session to include more if needed.

I book Standard Sessions throughout the year with fall being by far the busiest.  If you know there is a certain time you would like pictures taken of your adorable little one or your beautiful family, contact me to book at any time!!

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Photography, Uncategorized

Print Products and Sizing

hlopez86

I did a post a while back on how important having prints are.  I love seeing images in print, I print my images all the time, probably not as much as I should but I do print, and I love seeing pictures as wall art!

That being said, choosing the right size for wall art is as important as the image itself.  An amazing picture can be lost if the image is too small for the display it is placed in.  Below is a comparison of image sizes.  Some people love their pictures to cover the walls, while others prefer smaller frames on a side table or on a shelf.  There is no wrong way to display, as long as you are happy with it!

As you can see, larger images work so well as wall displays.  In person the 30 x 40 would look massive, but once hung on a big wall could look perfect.  When having pictures taken, it is important to consider where you want to display your images, what you want to print and what size and orientation you are looking for.  Once you decided, it’s even more important to tell your photographer.  In my questionnaire I send to all my clients, I want to know how they plan to display their images so I can make sure I have a few different options for them.  I have a place on my wall I like to keep updated images but I need a specific orientation for them, therefore when I take pictures I make sure to get one I know will fit in the space I have designated for it.  I also know the size I need and that changes how I take the image.

In my print packages I give a set number of digital images with print release.  I do this because I know how much everyone wants those digital images to share on social media or create fun photo books and I know not everyone can afford the prints I offer.  I use a professional, photographer only print lab who prints on the highest quality, long lasting photo paper.  Like most things, quality some times means a larger price tag, print products are no different.  So as much as I would love to be able to print your images I understand if that does not work for you.  I do offer all sizes, so a small wallet to share with friends or a giant 30×50 to cover your wall.  I can do gallery wraps, wood prints, metal prints, photo books, and lots more.  If you are interested in prints just email and I can give you a quote!

If you can swing the price, I highly recommend printing from your photographer and here is why…
1. Quality:  the products printed from professional print labs are of the highest quality, they are made to last decades without fading or warping.
2. You see what you get: 1 hour print labs such as Walmart or Target are great for snapshots but not as much for professional images.  When I print you pictures for you, what you see on your screen is what your image will look like when printed.  Check this out to see what I mean.
3. Crop: Different size images require a different crop on the image itself.  Look at the difference between an 8×10 and a 5×7.  When I crop sometimes I have to go in and extend the background to ensure the crop does not cut off heads, arms or whole people.  This is unfortunately is not an option when printed somewhere else.

4. Convenience: Lets face it, after you receive your images unless you do something with them immediately, you tend to forget about them.  Unless you really need to update a picture you end up just leaving them in the digital world.  After you receive your gallery from me, you start thinking about what you want printed and instead of having to figure out where to print them, do all the adjustments (crop, paper type…) you just let me know what image and size and I take care of the rest!  So easy and at the end you have high quality prints!!!

My goal as a photographer is to capture moments that will last forever.   It is important for me that my clients are in love with their pictures, that they will cherish them and look at them for years to come.  I do my best to ensure you receive the best print products possible!

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