Rundown of a Family Session
I don't know about you, but whenever I have to do anything for the very first time, I get anxious. If I don't know what to expect, I imagine the worst. What if all my worst fears (or even just one of those fears) come true? How do I know that you're going to take all of the necessary precautions to keep my family safe and healthy? Whenever possible, I need details of what I'm getting before I commit. I need a rundown of what's going to happen. So that's what we're going to do today.
Let's do a rundown of an Allison Patel Photography family session:
The Beginning of Something Beautiful
Once you've decided that you want to hire me (if you need help finding a photographer, you can download my 5 tips here), contact me via my contact form on my site and let me know what type of session you're looking for (family, maternity, or newborn). You’ll be redirected to a thank you page to let you know I got your inquiry, and also get automated confirmation in your inbox. (If you don’t get that, it’s a good time to check your Spam folder.)
I'll email you back within 24 hours to answer any questions you listed in the form, and we'll schedule a time to chat on the phone. I know, I know, the phone makes me anxious too. But I want to make sure we’re on the same page, and I know you have questions and not a ton of time to go back and forth over email for two weeks. So we’ll do a 15 minute call, when you’re ready for that. Then after the call, I’ll send you a proposal with all the details we went over on the phone, along with a contract and invoice you can sign and pay when you’re ready to move forward. Once you’ve finished your paperwork, our date and time are set and we can start planning. I’ll send you a link to my prep guide, which has things like ideas of what to wear, and how to prep your home if we’re doing an in-home session.
Two Weeks Before Our Session
I hope you like questionnaires, because I’m going to send you one 2 weeks before our session. It’s thorough, because I like to get to know clients as we work together. It’s much easier to photograph friends and family than strangers, and I love to watch your eyes light up as you talk about the people and things you love during our session.
I'll also scout our location 2 weeks in advance, if we’re going to be out and about in Richmond. I learned that lesson the hard way. Whomp. After I scout the location, I'll send you some inspiration photos so you can see what it will look like when we get there. If our session is scheduled to occur in your house, we’ll spend a few minutes at the start of our session walking through your house and judging it. Just kidding! We’ll walk through and find the room(s) with the best light before we get started. Rest assured we won’t set up camp in a room with no windows.
The Session
If you have kids who are nervous about being with strangers, not to worry! I have ways of helping them open up, including letting them basically run the session. A lot of times, an unfamiliar environment can largely contribute to their sense of nervousness, so if your kids are especially shy at the beginning of new things, consider holding your session at home, where they’re already more comfortable.
I'll send one last reminder text 24 hours before our session to make sure everyone is healthy, and let you know how excited I am to see you.
On our session day, we'll meet either at your house or at our agreed-upon location. I'll likely get there before you because I hate making people wait for me, and so we can get going right at the start of our session. If we're meeting outside, we'll walk around the location to the spots I scouted a couple of weeks earlier. If we're meeting at your home, I'll give you some direction and start clicking while your family plays, cooks, or reads together, depending on the responses from your questionnaire. (See? It’s relevant.) No matter the location, don't worry - I won't let you stand there while you try to remember what to do with your arms.
After the Session
About 24 hours after our session, I'll send you an email thanking you for our session, and I’ll include one of my favorite images (so far). Be sure to open that email!
About two weeks after our session, I'll send you a slideshow set to music that you can watch with your family. Then you can choose the collection that makes the most sense to you, based on your needs and how many digital images you need. Each collection (there are three) also comes with a print credit, so you can get your photos off your computer and onto your walls. That’s where the good mental health boost comes from.
I’ll take care of any prints, albums, canvases, etc that you order and make sure they’re of excellent quality before I deliver them to your front porch.
I hope this little rundown helps make things a bit clearer as you consider having family photos made. Don't forget to download my 5 tips for finding a pro photographer as you begin your search!
