FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are you located, and how far do you travel?
I am located in Dix Hills/Huntington, NY on Long Island. My event/portrait photography fee covers travel within 30 miles of Huntington, NY. Travel outside of 30 miles will be billed at $.60/additional mile, round trip. Travel requiring an overnight stay will include an additional fee.
How long does a portrait session take?
Engagement Sessions, Baby Photos, Glamor Portraits, Senior Portraits and Family Portraits (small families), with no outfit changes, typically take one hour. Larger families, Bridal Portraits, and group sessions, or any session with outfit/hair/makeup changes, will typically take two hours.
Can I get holiday greeting cards, and how far in advance should I order them?
Greetings cards of all shapes and sizes are available. I offer both full page photographic cards, and specially designed cards with a photograph incorporated. Here are a few examples: Greeting Cards. Virtually any design can be made for your cards with no extra charge! In order to ensure that your cards are received in time for you to address and mail them, you should schedule your holiday photo session for late September-October. This will give you plenty of time to view your proofs, choose your pose, and approve your card design — and plenty of time for the printer to manufacture your cards!
How many people can I include in my portrait session?
There is no limit to the number of people you can include in your portrait sessions! It is very popular to have a photographer come to a family reunion to conduct a portrait session for the whole family. Typically, when there are more than 8 people, sessions will take longer than small groups, so be sure to allot enough time to photograph everyone. When you book your appointment, I’ll help you figure out how much time is enough!
What should we wear for our portrait session?
There are a lot of factors to consider. For family or engagement portraits, it is usually best to dress in colors that go well together. For example, if Mom is wearing a bright red sweater, and Dad is wearing a bright green and yellow striped shirt, it will create a very distracting photograph! It is certainly not necessary to wear matching outfits, but it IS important that the tone of the clothes be consistent– it won’t look quite right if one person is in an evening gown and one is in shorts! Decide ahead of time whether you will be dressing casually, casual dressy, or formally for your photos!
Be sure not to wear anything too tight that might cause lines on your skin. To avoid red lines, ladies who are wearing strapless gowns for bridal portraits shouldn’t wear anything with straps (like a bra or tank top) for at least two hours prior to shooting.
It is also very popular to dress in all black for photographs on the black background.
What type of makeup should I wear?
It is very important to be yourself in your portraits– if you normally don’t wear a lot of makeup, you may not want to wear a lot during your session – makeup can come across as exaggerated in photographs, and you want the attention drawn to your beautiful face, not your eyeliner! A simple sweep of translucent powder to keep shine at bay is a great tool, and I bring some to every photo session, along with blotting papers. Use your makeup to emphasize your features, and be sure to blend your foundation very carefully under the jaw and around the hairline. Shimmery makeup and glitter can cause glare that looks very similar to facial shine, so it is generally best to skip it.
If picking the right makeup is intimidating, or you just want to try out a new look, I know several amazing hair and makeup artists with very reasonable prices who can set you up to look incredible and natural for your portraits! There are also great resources on the web for makeup application. This is one of my favorites: Makeup Tips and Tricks.
Little girls always want to be beautiful, just like mom! Sometimes it can be tempting to let her wear a little lipstick or blush. However, with children’s portraits, makeup tends to become very noticeable, and can really distract from her gorgeous face. Kids have naturally amazing skin and coloring, so its best to avoid makeup on the little ones!
How far in advance should I book a session?
To ensure I’m available on your desired date, it is always wise to book as far in advance as possible. I am often booked 6-8 weeks in advance for portrait sessions, and weddings may be booked up to a year in advance. However, I sometimes have spots open, so don’t hesitate to call and ask about a last-minute session!
How many different poses and outfits can we have during our portrait session?
There is no limit to the number of poses that we will take during your session. Depending on the number of people, and ages of the children, you can expect 20-30 final poses to choose from (and often there are more than that). You may change your outfit as many times as you would like during your one-hour portrait session. If you do decide to change clothes, it is a great idea to have the outfit ready ahead of time, so that you can change quickly and get back to posing!
When are payments due for sitting fees and prints?
Sitting fees are due the day of the session, by cash or check. You may also pay ahead of time with a credit card. Weddings and other large events require a 50% retainer on booking, and the additional 50% is due no later than two weeks before the event. Prints are purchased online after you review proofs, and payment is due at the time of ordering. All prints are delivered directly to your door at no additional cost!
What kind of payment options do I have?
For sitting fees, I accept cash, major credit cards, checks and money orders. You will always receive a receipt for your transaction. Checks are subject to a $25 fee if returned. Prints may be purchased online with a credit card, or you can pay me directly with a check, money order, or cash.
Can I get birth announcements?
Absolutely! You can see the different styles on the Card Pricing page. I also offer the very popular Baby’s First Year Platinum Package which includes 100 custom-designed 4×8 birth announcements with envelopes!
Do you offer packages that include prints, or do I purchase all my prints separately?
See my Packages page for discounted prints+session packages. I add new packages all the time, so check back often!
What happens if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
You may cancel or reschedule your portrait session if you contact me within 48-hours before the appointment time. I understand that emergencies do happen, and I’ll always work with you to reschedule to my next available time-slot. Weddings and other large events have a different policy, which is discussed at the time of booking.
How long should I wait before scheduling a session for my newborn?
There are many different styles of photographs for new babies. Many parents like to have a short photo session at two weeks, in order to have a professional picture for the birth announcements. At two weeks, it is very common for your baby to be asleep for the session, and for these photos we will do a very cute sleepy pose. For wide awake pictures, plan on a session between 6 and 12 weeks. At this point, baby is likely to be smiling, and she will start to get the chubby cheeks that are so cute in photographs! Every baby develops differently, and some babies they will be ready at 4 weeks, while others won’t be ready until 10 or even 14. You know your baby best, and if you have any questions, you can always call me for a free consultation!
At what ages should I have my baby professionally photographed?
Babies grow so much that first year! I recommend four photo sessions over the first 12 months: newborn (within 14-21 days of birth), 2-3 months, 6-7 months and 11-12 months. Spaced out in this way, you can have a wide variety of adorable baby photos to cherish forever: the tiny, sleepy baby in daddy’s hands; the big smiles with chubby cheeks; baby sitting up in a basket, or holding her blanket or teddy bear. I have a package designed to document this beautiful first year: Baby’s First Year Platinum Package.
This package includes all four sessions, gorgeous photo albums, birth announcements, and a large 12×36 wall collage! This package makes an amazing baby shower gift!
Does the photographer provide props, or should I bring my own?
I do not bring any “studio props”, since everyone wants unique photographs! However, your own props can make a photograph amazing and memorable, so here are some suggestions to consider:
For Babies: Bath toys, baby shampoo, wicker basket, toilet paper, cute hats, flowers (silk or real), heirloom blankets, soft toys, baby-sized Halloween costumes
For Young Children: bubbles, books, favorite toys (trucks, dolls, tea party set), cute hats, large stuffed animals, balls, flowers, dress-up clothes, fairy wings & wand/tutu, Thing to avoid: candy, chocolate, juice!
For Older Children: Favorite book, musical instrument, sports uniform and equipment/balls, items related to hobby, dance or gymnastics outfits
What should I bring to a portrait session/how should I prepare my home?
Before I arrive, pick a few spots in and outside your home that you would like to use for your photo session. Be sure to remove any clutter or distractions. If you’re not sure about an area, let me know and we can decide together if it will lend itself to a great photograph! If taking photos in the backyard, and you have dogs, be sure the grass is safe for walking!
If you are having a shoot on a location away from your home, like the beach or a park, consider bringing the following: bottled water/non-messy snacks, change of clothes for everyone (in case someone spills on their clothes), beach toys for the kids, a hairbrush/comb and a small mirror, extra makeup for touch ups, & sunscreen.
For babies and young children, it is recommended to bring at least two changes of clothes, to ensure against double accidents.
Do you have a referral program?
Yes! You can earn free prints by participating in my referral program. Click here to find out how: View my Referral Program!