How do I book my session?
Sessions are booked online via my website.
There aren’t any session spots available…now what?
Please add your name to my Fall Session waiting list (I will contact those on the list first for last minute cancellations).
How do I pay for my session?
Payment in full is required to secure your session spot. Payment is processed via PayPal. You can pay using your PayPal account or a credit card.
Why aren’t there more weekend sessions available?
I recently wrote a blog post about my availability and weekend sessions.
What are the session options?
There is one session option: a 15 minute Memories Session.
Why can’t I book a 10 or 20 minute long session?
As my business has evolved over the last eight years so have my sessions and packages to best meet the needs of my clients. The decision to create packages for 10 minute sessions was made after a lot of reflection as well as feedback from the wonderful families I work with. My goal is for my clients to have the best possible experience in terms of a fun and friendly session as well as the most flattering and varied poses. Fifteen to twenty minute sessions allow me to work with families at a slower pace, which means more natural smiles and expressions as well as having the time to pose and re-pose to find the best ‘look’ for each family. It was also important to me to create sessions that allow me to work at a sustainable pace so that my first client of the day and my last client of the day get the very best of me. The changes to my session structure have allowed me to not only better meet my clients’ expectations for their sessions but also to continue to offer the popular 10-minute sessions for those who prefer to book multiple sessions throughout the year. For families who enjoy longer session lengths, I offer 20-30 minute family sessions in Spring and Summer.
Because of the narrow window for light and beautiful leaves during September and October, 20 to 30 minute sessions are offered only during the Spring and Summer months when more daylight hours are available.
I went to your website as soon as I received the newsletter but over half of the sessions were already sold out. How did they book so quickly?
Over half of my Fall sessions were pre-booked by Front of the Lens clients, who purchase packages for several sessions throughout the year. Front of the Lens clients get first access and guaranteed space in my booking calendar for my sessions throughout the year. Packages go on sale again in January.
Is 15 minutes really enough time?
Absolutely. I have photographed over 2500 sessions and families return to me again and again because I work quickly, I make the process fun and enjoyable, and I know how to create beautiful artistic memories in a short period of time. Little ones don’t have long attention spans and my goal is to make the session as fun and stress-free as possible. I also work with an assistant and having an extra set of hands during my sessions is invaluable.
What types of photos do you take during our session?
Posed, candid, both…it’s up to you! My clients fill out a detailed questionnaire before our time together so I know what photos and poses are most important to you and your family.
Can grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles come to the session?
Fall sessions are for immediate family members only (parents and their children). At this time I do not photograph events or offer sessions for large family gatherings.
How do I change my session date and time?
Please make sure to choose your session date and time carefully as sessions cannot be rescheduled.
Where will the sessions take place?
All sessions take place in the east end of Ottawa (in the Orleans area). In 2018 I will be using new session locations for my Fall Sessions. Clients are provided with the specific meeting place the day before the session.
What if I want to pick the location of my session?
I am currently fully booked for outdoor family sessions this Fall. If you’d like your session at a specific location, I would encourage you to contact me in the Spring when my calendar opens up again.
Will you offer sessions in the west end of Ottawa?
While there are many beautiful locations all across the city of Ottawa, Fall is a difficult time for me to expand my session locations due to the time of day the sessions take place at as well as the constantly changing colours. Once the colours change there is a short window that they remain on the trees and a few hours of intense rain or wind are enough to knock all the leaves off of a beautiful tree. If there is a storm the day before (or morning of) my sessions, I always drive out to check the location to ensure the leaves are still there and that our planned meeting place isn’t too muddy. During Fall I spend approximately 2-3 hours every week driving and walking around different locations checking the light as well as the colour of the leaves. Some locations are ideal but have to be ‘put on hold’ so to speak due to construction or environmental factors. For example, the proliferation of giant hogwood two years ago knocked several locations off of my list.
As I go through all the feedback I received from my recent client questionnaire, I wanted to answer two commonly asked questions about west end locations as well as using Mer Bleue for Fall photos. Mer Bleue is a location that I use throughout the year, however I often limit it to times when it’s not crowded. During the Fall, parking is limited and there are few locations for photos because of the crowds that flock there to admire the beautiful leaves.
This year I looked at the feasibility of offering sessions in the west end but when I factored in driving across the city during rush hour 2 days a week to check on locations, I would have to reduce the number of sessions I offered in order to accommodate the travel time. Rather than increasing the cost of my Fall sessions to accommodate west end locations, the cost will remain the same and I will choose new locations in the Orleans / Gloucester area for clients who are returning for Fall photos this year.
Why don’t you ever photograph your weekend sessions in Gatineau Park?
While the leaves in Gatineau park are known for their beauty, the traffic and crowds make it a less than ideal location for weekend sessions when there can be delays getting into the park and limited available parking.
Why are sessions mainly available in the afternoon and evening?
Over the years I’ve learned that the most beautiful leaves are found in areas that are in the sun all day long, which makes them less than ideal for morning sessions. In order to take advantage of the most beautiful colours sessions are scheduled in the afternoon and evening instead of the morning. This also gives us time to make alternative arrangements in the early afternoon for inclement weather rather than scrambling first thing in the morning should there be rain.
After receiving several requests for morning Fall sessions in my recent client questionnaire, I have added a morning of Fall sessions to my schedule at the end of October. Please note there is typically frost on the ground and it’s important to dress warmly for those sessions (e.g., coats, boots) as the temperature in the mornings is often hovering around 0.
What happens if it’s raining on the day of our session?
I make the decision to postpone sessions based on satellite images and whether it will be actively raining at the time of our session. This decision is made 90 minutes before the session. Sessions are not rescheduled due to temperature, wet ground, overcast sky etc.
The following cancellation policy is in effect for Fall sessions. If sessions are postponed due to rain your session will take place at the same time it was originally scheduled on the date listed in your session description. If there is inclement weather anticipated on your rain date / time you will be offered one alternate session date / time. There are no exceptions to this policy. If you cannot be present at the listed rain date and someone cannot be found to take your place your session fee will not be refunded nor can it be applied to a future session.
Why can’t we know where the location will be further in advance?
The leaves change quickly and I choose my locations the day before the session to ensure we have low lying colour for our session. Safety, parking, accessibility, and light are also important factors. If you’d like to know more about how I choose my locations, please feel free to check out this post I wrote about location scouting.
What do we wear?
I provide my clients with detailed suggestions on what to wear and how to prepare for their sessions.
