There are THREE options for Holiday Photos with Sara McConnell Photography this year. BOOKING BEGINS VIA THE VIP LIST ON OCTOBER 1st
(1) Studio Sessions – Home Sweet Home
November 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 9th
(all sessions take place in the morning)
The theme of this year’s Holiday Studio Sessions is “Home Sweet Home”. I have created a sweet set for babies & children and a timeless ‘home for the holidays’ inspired set for family photos.
One Baby/Child Session
-10 minute long session for one baby or one child (no siblings, no family photos)
-These sessions are for one baby or child only. If you have more than 1 child or want family photos, please book a Memories Session.
Memories Session
-15 minute long session for children and their parents
Family Set ~ Home Set
Baby & Child Set ~ Sweet Set
(2) Studio Sessions – The Original Holiday Lights Sessions
November 15th & 16th
(Friday (a PD day) & Saturday morning)
The Original Holiday Lights Sessions are back for the 8th year in a row. Your children’s faces will light up with the sparkle and magic of the holiday season when they come into my studio for their holiday photographs.
These special sessions take place in a dark studio. If your child is afraid of the dark or is sensitive to new and different environments, this session may not be the best choice for them.
Moment Session
-10 minute long session for children and babies (siblings only, no family photos)
-These sessions are for one baby or child OR for 2 siblings who are both over the age of 3. If you have more than 2 children, please book a Memories Session.
Memories Session
-15 minute long session for children and babies (siblings only, no family photos).
-These sessions are for siblings who are under the age of 3 (1 or both children) or for shy little ones who may need more time to warm up.
You can see photos from the 2018 Holiday Lights set here, here, and here.
(3) Outdoor Sessions – Festive Families
October 19th (Saturday afternoon)
This holiday season come join me outdoors for beautiful and festive photographs of your family that you will love to share this holiday season.
-10 minute long Moment Sessions at an Outdoor East end location.
-Sessions are available for children, teens, & families (immediate family members only). We suggest these sessions for families with children all over the age of 2 as the temperatures can be cold in late October and little ones have a hard time smiling and having fun when they are chilly.
Because sessions take place outdoors in October, the weather is often unpredictable. These sessions are best suited to children and families who love being outside no matter what the temperature. If it’s important to you to have a particular hairstyle or holiday outfit for your photos, we recommend that you book an indoor studio session. It’s often chilly for these sessions, necessitating coats, boots, and hats for photos.
-The inclement weather date for these sessions is October 20th. You must be available for both dates.
A Different Kind of Holiday Session Experience
I understand how important your memories are as much as I understand how sometimes booking a photography session becomes “one more thing” to do rather than something to look forward to and enjoy. I am as passionate about the photographs I create as I am about making my photography sessions fun, stress-free, and an experience you look forward to.
This year for your holiday session let me worry about all of the details and planning so that you don’t have to!
No surprises: My 2019 sets have been designed, photographed, and you can book your session knowing exactly what to expect.
Online booking: I know you’re busy, which is why my sessions are booked through my boutique. You don’t have to wait to see if you got the date and time you wanted and there is no back and forth emails and delays.
Prompt and on time: My sessions run on time and without delays or last minute changes. I understand that busy families have a lot of commitments and my priority is to ensure that your time is respected.
No uncertainty: We will let you know every step of the way what to expect and how to prepare for your session: when to arrive at the studio, what to bring, and what to wear. My session coordinator is happy to help you choose your outfits and answer any questions you have about your upcoming session.
First name basis: Because of my detailed client preparation process when you arrive at the studio I know all of your family’s names, your kids’ ages, and what they like and don’t like (yes, I know the Paw Patrol theme song off by heart). We don’t waste time at the start of the session figuring out what poses you want because I already have all the details about what’s most important to you.
Backstage: When you arrive for your session there is a quiet waiting area with a change table, a washroom, and chairs where you can sit and wait. There are books for you to read to your kids and you have time to get everyone dressed and prepared for your time in the studio.
Three Dimensional Sets: My one-of-a-kind sets are designed with different props, furniture, and beautiful textures, which means I can photograph you and your family from different angles and perspectives.
Choice: You know when your family looks their best, which is why I have you select the final images you would like to have edited and retouched. Not only do I photograph all of my sessions I am also responsible for editing your beautiful memories. My attention to detail doesn’t end when you leave the studio, it continues until your final gallery is delivered to you.
Customer service: I book a limited number of sessions to ensure that my first client of the day receives the same wonderful service as my last client of the day.
No delays: Another reason I book a limited number of sessions is to ensure your final images are edited, to your specifications, in a timely manner. Your gallery is prepared immediately following the session (3-5 business days). The gallery will be available for 3 days and once your selections have been made you will receive the final digital images, via digital download, in 3-5 business days. I know how important it is to have your photos ready to send out to family and friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I book my session?
Sessions are booked online in the boutique.
How much do sessions cost and what is included?
Please see the boutique for all the details.
I’m not available on the date for the type of session I want. Can I book the same session on a weekday or another date?
Sessions are only available on the dates listed above.
We also want maternity / newborn / cake smash photos as well as our holiday photo: Can you set up the Holiday set another day so we can do it all at the same time?
The Holiday sets are only available on the dates listed above because they require specific lighting set-ups but also due to the time it takes to set-up the backdrops and props. Because of the space these sets take up, it’s not possible to use other backdrops when the studio is set-up for Holiday sessions.
My studio is spacious and is currently located in my home. In the City of Ottawa businesses are permitted to operate in residential properties but are only legally allowed to use up to 25% of the space. For this reason I have limited my studio space to comply with the bylaws and as such can only set up 1-2 studio sets at one time.
Why aren’t holiday sets available on other dates?
As a full time family photographer I have commitments to my clients for time sensitive sessions during the month of November. In between holiday sessions I am photographing birthday, newborn, and maternity sessions.
Can we bring our dog to the session?
Dogs are not able to participate in Holiday Studio or Outdoor Sessions.
How do I pay for my session?
Payment in full for a Moment Session is required to secure your session spot. Payment of a deposit for a Memories Session is required to secure your session spot with the balance due on October 20th. Payment is processed via Stripe or PayPal. You can pay using your PayPal account or using a credit card.
What are the session options?
There are three options this year for Holiday photos (see the descriptions at the top of the page).
What if my baby isn’t sitting up?
I have a variety of props and furniture that I incorporate into the sets so little ones can be photographed posed and/or propped up.
Why can’t we have our family photo with the holiday lights?
For safety reasons and due to the size of the set, family photos are not possible with the holiday lights.
How can I guarantee that I get a session on the day I want?
My Front of the Lens clients have first access to my booking schedule, which means those sessions are booked first. If you want guaranteed access to my Moment and Memories Sessions, consider becoming a Front of the Lens client. Front of the Lens Packages are available for sale from January to August 15th.
Is 10-15 minutes really enough time?
Absolutely. I have photographed nearly 3000 sessions and work with amazing assistants. 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.
What props do you provide?
I provide the sets but not clothing-related props like hats, headbands etc. To prevent the transmission of lice, clients must bring their own hats and headbands. This also ensures that hats and headbands fit properly and aren’t drooping into your child’s eyes or too tight.
When will we see the images from our session?
You will be provided with a viewing gallery 3-5 business days after your session. The gallery will be available for 3 days and once your selections have been made you will receive the final digital images, via digital download, in 3-5 business days.
What happens if we are running late to our session?
Because sessions are only 10-15 minutes long I cannot extend your session time. Sessions are scheduled back to back, which is why it’s important to arrive at least 10 minutes early for your session.
Can we change outfits during our session?
Holiday lights – Outfits: You are more than welcome to bring Santa hats, reindeer antlers, favourite stuffed toys, or other hair accessories to add during the session. Because of how the set is designed it’s not easy to have children and babies come on and off the set multiple times during the session. Avoiding outfit changes is for both safety reasons and to keep your little ones happy and content throughout the session.
Festive Families – Outfits: You are more than welcome to bring festive hats / mitts, a beautiful blanket, Santa hats or reindeer antlers to add during the session. Because the session takes place outdoors in October it is too cold to change your outfits or outer wear.
Home Sweet Home Sessions – Outfits: If you have booked a session for your entire family (parents and children) there is not time during the session to change your outfits. If you have booked a session for your baby / child or children (2) and the session is 15 minutes long, we may have time to change outfits during the session. This is entirely dependent on how your children are feeling on the day of the session. If they are feeling overwhelmed or nervous, my priority is their comfort and happiness.
Can grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles come to the session?
Holiday Sessions are for immediate family members only (parents and their children).
How do I change my session date and time?
Before booking your session please confirm that your partner and children are available on your preferred date and that the session doesn’t interfere with travel or recreation plans (e.g., swimming lessons, hockey tournament). Please make sure to choose your session date and time carefully as sessions cannot be rescheduled or switched for other session types. If you need to switch your session date and time your session will be re-released and you will be placed on a waiting list for last minute cancellations.
Where will the sessions take place?
Home Sweet Home Sessions and Holiday Lights Sessions take place at my studio in Orleans (Avalon).
Festive Families Sessions take place at an outdoor location in the east end of Ottawa.
What do we wear?
I provide my clients with detailed suggestions on what to wear and how to prepare for their sessions.
What happens if we can’t come on the day of our session due to illness?
Sessions postponed due to illness cannot be guaranteed to be rescheduled with the same theme or set. Themed or location-specific ten and fifteen minute sessions that are rescheduled will be offered an alternate themed session at a later date (if available) or a regular studio session.
What happens if it’s really cold or there’s a snow storm on the day of our outdoor session?
All decisions regarding rescheduling and postponing sessions due to weather or location conditions will be made on the day of the session (1.5-2 hours before the session). Sessions will not be rescheduled due to temperature, overcast skies, or wind, unless a weather warning has been issued.
