+ How do I decide whether to go for At Home or Outdoor Session?

In order to decide between the two, please think about

1) Your children’s age

Younger especially children who are not walking yet, are more comfortable at home. You will not have to carry them if outdoors. They can be in an environment they know and trust and will be happy in.

On the other hand, if you have a very active toddler on your hands, then staying at home can prove to be difficult. So outdoors might be the better option then.

2) The time of year

We are lucky to have gorgeous colours and seasons most of the year. Staying outside for a couple hours for the shoot is ok for most of the year.

However, if you are looking to book for the colder months like December and January then it might be comfortable for the littlest members to stay cosy indoors for at least part of the shoot.

3) Where you enjoy spending time together as a family

Do you enjoy spending time at home as a family? Thats the first question I ask my families.

There are some really special moments that can only be captured indoors like jumping on the bed, cuddling together and reading a book, baking together, playing a musical instrument, painting. Are these special to you? Would you like to remember these? If yes, then home it is.

If not, then is there a special park or woodlands where you spend a lot of time? If there is a special outdoor go-to place for you as a family then outdoors is your answer.

And please remember, we can always break up and do part of the shoot indoors and the other half outdoors in your garden or a nearby park (typically not more than 10 mins walk from your home).

+ Oh My! You will be photographing my home! How should I prepare?

:) This is a very common concern for most of my families.

But please do not worry. There is no deep clean required of your home. All I need is one good window in any home and I work around that window. In case anything needs to be removed from the scene, I can do that on the day.

If you can tidy up a little the previous night, thats all that is required. Just putting the clutter away a little or as simple as clearing the sink if we are going to be capturing an activity that requires us to be in the kitchen.

We will discuss the activities we will cover in advance and these will be tailored to what your family likes doing already.

+ What should I Wear?

Ahead of your session, I will send you an Inspiration board.

As a rule of thumb, I ask my Mums to go with outfits they feel nice in as well as comfortable in. And then everyone else's outfits can be finalised based on Mum's outfits and what colours would look nice with that.

I recommend that Mums think about accessories they are going to wear. This can be a favourite pair of earrings or a cute scarf. Anything that will go well with your outfit really.

The only thing I ask to avoid is big bold logos or cartoon characters.

+ What if it rains on the day?

From the time you book your outdoor session, I keep a hawk-eye on the weather of the day :)

If there is light rain forecast, then we tend to continue. In my experience, most times either the forecast moves up or down by few hours or it is too light to bother us or the children.

However, if there is a forecast for torrential rain then I wait till the previous evening or the morning of the shoot in some cases. If the forecast still does not change then we will reschedule.

+ How Many Family Members can be part of the shoot?

Parents, Siblings and Grandparents are all welcome to be part of the shoot upto 7 people. Additional persons are charged @ £25 per person.

+ When will I get my images?

Your gallery is usually ready within 2 weeks of your session. Viewing your images is one of the most exciting parts of the experience and I work hard to make sure the experience is an amazing one for each of my families.

You will be able to view your gallery in the comfort of your own home. I also carry all my samples on this day so that you can touch and feel everything before purchasing any physical frames or albums.

+ What should I bring to the photo session?

Wet wipes! I do carry a pack myself but with children, we can never have too many of these! :)

If you have a baby or young toddler then a couple of spare sets of clothes are always good insurance. Extra snacks are always good to fall back upon.

Any bribes that might work with them - but hopefully we wont need to use these!!

I typically don't tend to work with too many props but feel free to carry any toys if you think they will help us get a smile. If your child has a favourite blankie, teddy or any other soothers that they are really attached to, please feel free to bring them along and I will try my best to incorporate them in the session.

+ How long is the photo session?

An outdoor session typically lasts for 45-60 minutes. In my experience, thats just the right amount of time to hold the attention of little people.

At Home session typically tend to last longer. They last usually for 60-120 minutes. Little ones are in familliar territory and we are doing activities that they like doing. So they generally are happier carrying on.

+ What time does the photo session take place?

Outdoor sessions are scheduled according to natural light. Based on the weather and available light, we can schedule a morning or an evening session. The most popular time for these is 90 minutes before sunset.

At Home sessions are typically scheduled in the morning starting from 10am.

+ Do you take any traditional posed shots?

Yes I Do :) I understand that a traditional picture of everyone looking at the camera and smiling is an important record for a lot of grandparents and parents too. So Yes, I spend some time in the beginning capturing a relaxed portrait of your family.

Once that is successfully done, I will set up some games or activities for you to do as a family and we will let the action unfold from there :)