Lolly's Lens Photography
What should we wear?
Bright colors and neutral colors tend to photograph well. While it used to be popular for everyone in the family to match exactly (y'all remember those khaki and white days!), many families are now leaning towards choosing a color palette and then letting each family member choose their favorite clothes within those colors. When you book with me I will attach some examples just so you have an idea of what I'm talking about. The color palette can be lighter/neutral/pastel colors, or you can go with brighter tones like red, green, blue, yellow. You might also want to think about a theme-- for example, retro, classic, urban, elegant, bright & sunny, or casual and laid back. The most important thing is to choose clothing that matches your family's style and especially for kids, something that they will be comfortable in and happy to wear. Mom, I believe the wardrobe starts with you! Find something you feel beautiful in and build your family around your outfit!
Aside from choosing a color palette (and a theme if it suits you), the only "rule" I would suggest is to avoid wearing shirts or jackets with big logos or characters. They can be distracting and take the focus away from your family's beautiful faces.
What should we bring?
If your family includes small children, you may want to pack a small backpack with snacks and juice. Children (and adults) are always in a better mood if they have full bellies and are well-rested. You can also feel free to bring along any toys that your child loves and that you don't mind them being photographed with. I am also a fan of dance parties, so you may hear me pump some jams if the moment happens!
What is a typical session like?
A typical session lasts between 1-2 hours at an outdoor location. I try to make it relaxed and fun, and while some of the portraits will be posed, I also try to capture the natural moments in between. You should feel free to let me know if there are certain poses or groupings of family members that you want included. I'm always willing to incorporate your ideas, so don't be shy if you have any suggestions. I do not prefer to shoot with props.
What happens if it rains?
Overcast days are fine, but if it rains, we will either need to move indoors to a location with a lot of natural light, or reschedule the session for a time when it's not raining. Weather in the area often changes quickly, so it's sometimes possible to reschedule for an earlier or later time on the same day.
What happens if I have to cancel?
I understand that life sometimes gets in the way of our plans-- kids get sick, unexpected things happen, and you may have to cancel our session. My policy for portfolio building sessions is as follows-- for cancellations taking place less than one week prior to the shoot, I am willing to reschedule one time, provided that I have another date open. If a session is cancelled twice, I am unable to reschedule again as a portfolio building session. You are welcome to schedule a regular session for which there is a fee. The reason for this is simple-- when you schedule a session with me, I am reserving that date and time just for you. This means that I was unable to offer it to anyone else, and usually that I am unable to fill the slot if it's cancelled less than a week before. There is a lot that goes into a custom photography session-- time spent emailing back and forth beforehand, contracts/paperwork, scouting the location, driving to and from the location, 1-2 hours shooting, 4+ hours uploading images to computer, sorting through and selecting images, custom editing selected images, and uploading images to online gallery; more emails about online gallery, and time spent ordering, packaging, and delivering prints. In all, I spend an average of 10-15 hours per client session from start to finish. I promise to value your time and commitment by putting everything I have into this process and hope that you will do the same for me. I'm sure you can understand why I feel this way and why I have made this my policy. Please let me know if you have any questions about this.