A FEW GENTLE SUGGESTIONS:

a healthy, well rested and well fed child are the elements necessary for a successful creative play session - and that is my most important not-so-subtle "suggestion" to you!

 

if you have scheduled a creative play session we will set a time in the morning, after breakfast and before lunch, when the light and the children are at their best!

 

if you have scheduled an every-day love session for your child we will make arrangements for my arrival before they wake up to begin their day and i will stay with you until they have closed their eyes to go to sleep for the night.  if the every-day love session is for a family member we will discuss the event and schedule the session time accordingly.

 

please present the idea of the creative play session to your child often and in a fun and exciting way! for example, in the weeks and days leading up to the session you could say things like: "i'm so excited about the photo session with Joanne! ...what do you think / how do you feel about it?!" (that will help you gauge any apprehensions and comfort levels) ...or... "we are going to have so much fun with Joanne...let's look at what you'll wear / play with!" ...etc.

 

please don't bribe or threaten your child in any way prior to our session in an attempt to coerce them into behaving before or during the session - that would surely backfire on both of us!  if the idea of the session is for me to capture the children as they are and if it is presented in a really fun way to them, it should work out well for all of us. we can always adjust accordingly!

 

CREATIVE PLAY SESSION STYLE:

the "style" of a creative play session depends on your child and all the little things that make them unique and special to you.  it will probably involve the toys, pets and people they love, the daily routines they are familiar with or a dressing-up occasion.  our session will be relaxed and casual; not formal in any way.

 

my goal during the session is to be as care-free and creative as possible with your child so they will have fun during the time we spend together. i'm not interested in forcing a smile from them. in fact, perplexed or indifferent "looks" are all okay with me as i go about capturing and creating from all the splendor, moods and honesty of childhood as your child reveals their true, natural selves to me.

 

if you would like more traditional portraits taken of your child, i'll be happy to refer you to another photographer who might better accommodate your needs.  so, please take the time to be certain my style matches with your expectations by browsing my galleries.

 

once you've decided to reserve my services and you've submitted your date reservation retainer, we will arrange a personal consultation to discuss ideas, wardrobes, "themes" and locations and commit to a date for our creative play photo session.  additional information on services and creative fees follow on the next page.

 

EVERY-DAY LOVE SESSION STYLE:

should you reserve my services for an every-day love session, it will likely be imaginative as well, and very relaxed, so please leave any pre-conceived notions for formal portraits behind!  we will arrange for a personal consultation where we will discuss who and what is important to you, some ideas for the session and then confirm a date with everyone involved.

 

i look forward to creating timeless art of your family for you to cherish for a lifetime!

F A Q s [ frequently asked questions ]:

- i live outside of pennsylvania.  how can i secure your services?

...although i am based in pennsylvania, i travel world-wide to photograph love! i have traveled all over the country and as far as puerto rico and europe to photograph family vacations, so would be happy to plan for and accompany or meet you for a session where ever life and our imaginations will take us, be it to your vacation retreat or your own backyard!

 

- when should i schedule a childhood session with you?

...hopefully i've photographed you during your pregnancy, but if we haven't met yet please schedule your child's newborn session before they are born, or just afterwards.  then i recommend that a session occur every three months following their birth through the first year.  after the first year, it is recommended that sessions are scheduled at least every six months, but definitely annually up until age five. after age five, it is recommended that annual sessions occur.

 

- how will my child know what to do/not to do during a session?

...young children are typically uninhibited and have few issues with being photographed. however, we will arrange a time when i will come to your home for a personal consultation with your family, so your child will be a part of the planning process and become familiar with me.  it is my goal to make the session a fun experience for your child, for myself and for you!  so, you can expect a lot of conversations about all the fun things we will be doing during the session!

 

- how do i secure your services?

...you will need to submit a non-refundable date reservation retainer of $150 within five days after communicating with me that you'd like to reserve my services.  we will then arrange for a personal consultation where your child will become familiar with me.  we will also discuss what the session entails and sign a formal agreement.  if i do not receive your date reservation retainer within five days your date becomes open to another family.

 

- how long will a session last?

...depending on your child's comfort level and cooperation, a session typically lasts thirty minutes to one+one-half hour.

 

- what happens if my child doesn't cooperate during a session?

...typically, this does not happen after our initial personal consultation, however if it does we will simply reschedule the shoot, allowing for a time when we can meet again to talk more about what the next session will entail. * i need to stress here that if we do need to reschedule, it is paramount that your child not be punished for, what to them may be a struggle with a situation and someone unfamiliar to them.

 

- if we have to reschedule the first session due to my child not cooperating, will i be charged twice?

...you will not incur additional charges for a second session if cancellation occurs during our initial session, however if we would need to reschedule for a third time, there would be additional fees involved.

 

- what if i need to cancel the session before you arrive?

...it is permissible to cancel once without forfeiting your date reservation retainer; i realize that things do come up from time to time, but if you have to cancel, i do require a minimum of a twenty-four hour notice.  if cancellation occurs more than once your date reservation retainer is forfeited and you will need to submit another $150 date reservation retainer and the booking process begins as it did when you first reserved my services.

 

- will i need to be present for the session?...at least one parent will need to be present for the session, and more are always welcome!  however, your involvement will be limited to smiling, laughing, watching and encouraging with minimal "participation."  reprimanding or directing gets a big mr. yuck face from me! >:-( please keep in mind that our sessions are about imagination, fun, creativity and play and not about  pre-conceived notions of how your child "should" act.