How would you describe your style as a photographer?
Colorful, emotional, creative, and candid. My favorite pictures are bursts of pure joy and laughter. I tend to prefer "up close" shots that capture facial expressions vs. landscape shots where family members are in the distance. Each session, I come with some pre-planned suggestions for poses but also allow family members to interact and play together in ways that are most natural for them. I can be either hands on or off pending what works best for your family. Since I only take 40-45 sessions a year, I come to each session with a genuine excitement and plenty of creative reserve! I prefer capturing all the imperfect and spontaneous moments more than flawless moments of composure.
Why should I hire you or what do you think is important in choosing a photographer?
In addition to loving my colorful portfolio, I want you to pick me because you feel we're a good fit. I work best with families who are relaxed, flexible, appreciate a more authentic style, communicate well, and who understand that I do photography as a side passion job and not as my bread and butter work. As a person, I like to think of myself as a conscientious, reliable, and empathic (I'm also a psychologist, so these traits are a heavy part of my day job and my values). I strive to make every family feel comfortable and accepted during a session, no matter what mood your kids or newborn are in (or you for that matter). Families who hire me time and time again do so because they trust me to capture their family in their true form, appreciate my speedy turn around, and because we genuinely like and care for each other!
How would you describe your newborn style and approach?
If you're choosing me for a newborn session, rest assured that I've been there (twice) and understand what it's like to be a new parent or to navigate a newborn with an older child, particularly a toddler! One thing to know about me is that I truly love babies - the newborn weeks and general first year of life with each of my daughters is a time I recall with A LOT of nostalgia. I get genuinely giddy when I get newborn inquiries as I get to relive some my own memories when my house was cluttered with diapers, swaddles, rockers, and countless bottles. But back to my work...I would say my style is a bit more on the "dark and moody" side as I tend to use natural light, shadows, and edit to amplify contrasting colors in my images. What I also love about in home newborn sessions is the opportunity to stretch my creative side and figure out what corners of a space are best to use with available light. As with my outdoor lifestyle work, I prefer to capture natural moments that are semi-posed. If you live in a home that doesn't get a lot of natural light, no problem! I have a flash system I can use to lighten up a space :)
My kids are likely not going to cooperate...how do you handle these moments (outdoors sessions)?
Almost every family with young kids worries their children will not cooperate the day of or will be in a bad mood or have a tantrum! This is NORMAL and might happen! One thing I often tell parents during these hard moments is "it's okay, let them sit on the side, run around, or look at the grass for a bit." I expect for some portion of the time (or even the majority), your kids will not want to try out a suggested pose or look into the camera with their most natural smiles. I recommend parents avoid trying to repeatedly cajole or stress themselves out when kids choose to do their own thing - strive to keep the mood calm and fun! As an experienced photographer who has done many sessions with animated and willful children, I can confidently say taking their lead and indulging their natural curiosity will help us in taking advantage of key moments where they are just where they need to be and I can snap away! To date, I have yet to not get a handful of amazing pictures per session, even if a child is not in the mood to get their picture taken that day!
Do you only do sessions around sunrise and sunset? What about on overcast days (outdoor sessions)?
Yes! For outdoor sessions, light makes the world of a difference in image quality and I only work 90-30 minutes before sunset in order to ensure you get the most vibrant pictures! Also, unless it is raining, I do not cancel sessions just because the sun is not out. Overcast and cloudy days produce a nice even light, which is sometimes more ideal for family sessions as we do not need to worry about the angle of the sun, shadows, or overexposure!
How do I book you and how does payment work?
I *usually* book outdoor family sessions 4-6 months in advance! I also reserve some weekday blocks for the last minute mini outdoor session, Fresh 48 or newborn session. Email me to check available dates! It's always useful to get info about your availability first in terms of weekday or weekend preferences, best dates for you, and also if you already have a specific location in mind (suggested locations can be found through the investment page). After we secure a date, I'll ask for a $100 deposit to secure the date and send you a contract. If you book within two weeks of your session date, you are expected to pay the full fee. Within one week of your session, I'll email you a brief questionnaire so I can get to know more about you, your family, and what is most important for me to capture during the session. The balance for sessions will be due two days before the scheduled date.
I take payments via venmo or zelle, with the option of paying via credit card with a 5% convenience fee added onto the final balance. I have a contract in place to document the agreement, including how I give refunds in the event of cancellations or other unexpected changes, and I will also send a receipt of payment.
How do I book a mini session?
If you are able to travel to Cambridge or live here, I can book these within a few weeks of the inquiry as it's no sweat off my back to travel a few minutes to one of the locations suggested in the investment tab! I actually love doing these on weekdays as it gives me a 30 minute break from my kids during golden hour (haha). But, it's best to schedule these in advance when you can as it's not guaranteed I'll have a date open if you contact me closer to the date you want the session done. For the fall of 2023, I will be scheduling these on Wednesdays or Fridays.
How soon can I see the pictures?
I LOVE editing just as much as enjoy taking pictures. I'm always really excited to see images from a session immediately after so I usually make sure my evening is empty so I can jump straight into editing! About 90% of the time, I deliver fully edited galleries 1-4 days after a session and because I do not have separate packages, you get every image that I think is good (so often, I deliver 100+ for full family sessions). About 75% of my images are edited in color and 25% are in black and white.
So we don't choose our images or pay an extra fee for digitals?
Many other photographers require a session fee just to book the session (for their time and preparation) and then allow clients to purchase a separate package of their choice after edited photographs are previewed. Given I keep my business model simple and edit and deliver every image I think is good, you are essentially paying for what would be my most expensive package if I had a model where clients only chose 10, 30, or all images. This way, no valuable memories are left undelivered and I can avoid managing a more nuanced business model that takes me away from just shooting and editing. Though my fees do increase year by year due to inflation and demand, I am in a very privileged position where photography is not the primary source of my income. Hence, I charge what I need to sustain my business and extra expenses and no more than that. I also value equity and giving families the opportunity to have a professional set of images for a lower rate.
Do you only include digital images in your packages? What if I want to order prints or other print products?
When you receive your private online gallery of images, you'll have the option to directly buy all sorts of prints, canvases, and other products through various labs, including but not limited to Mpix and fotoflot (both labs I personally use for my family photos)!