** Galhouse Photography will be CLOSED for July and August as we welcome our own new arrival! Book now for September and October - spots are filling fast! **

When should I reserve a session? What is the best age for taking photos?

Sessions take place on weekdays, generally in the morning and early afternoon when natural light is the strongest. Sessions typically book around 4-6 weeks in advance, and as much as 8-10 weeks in advance during the holidays. For maternity sessions, I recommend your session takes place between 34-36 weeks. For newborns, the earlier the better if you like that "scrunched up" look - within the first two weeks is optimal. While these sessions cannot be formally scheduled, please contact me before your baby's birth to make sure I leave space in my calendar! Once newborns pass the two weeks mark, they begin to stretch out, and I generally consider from 3 weeks to 3 months a somewhat awkward age to capture. They don't curl up like newborns anymore, but they also can't sit up on their own and in many cases can't yet lift their heads when on their tummies - this leaves very few options for what we can do with them! Generally speaking, you will get more "value" out of your session if baby can sit up or at the very least lift their heads easily when on their bellies. The best age for babies tends to be around 6-8 months, when they are very smiley, can sit easily, and in some cases pull themselves up to a stand, but usually can't yet run away!

How long does the session last?

Sessions typically take from 1-2 hours. I only schedule 1-2 sessions per day so that we will never feel rushed.

Where should we take photos?

Sessions generally take place at your home or the location of your choice, such as parks or even city streets for an "urban look". In the case that your home does not get sufficient natural light for pictures, I do have a limited "studio setup" at my home that may be used for maternity clients, newborns, or babies up to the age of one. I generally find that older children who are "on the move" do better in their own home or out in a new place where they can explore. I also have found that the best family shots are outdoors as well, where we can capture more natural family interactions. Consider this when deciding where/when to book your session.

What should we wear/bring?

Babies:

Babies will often be captured "au naturel" or with just a diaper, but hats, socks, and any clothing with interesting textures (furry, fuzzy, etc) make for great portraits. Clothing on babies that can't yet sit up can often be distracting in portraits and can bunch around their necks. For older babies, if you'd like to bring clothing then bright, bold, "modern" patterns (think hot pink polka dots or bright turquoise stripes) work best. It's best to avoid "cutesy" patterns, like teddy bears or trucks. Parents of newborns will typically want to wear long-sleeved white and long-sleeved black shirts (usually with jeans) to provide a nice "background" for newborn shots.

Children:

My style is fairly laid back, so I don't usually recommend overly formal clothing for kids. They probably won't be sitting still long! Again, bolder, brighter colors and patterns work best. Go for the unexpected! Bright striped scarves, colorful bouncy skirts, cowboy hats, ballerina outfits, fairy wings - you name it! We can do several changes of clothes, and I can help you pick something out if you are having trouble deciding. I prefer to do most sessions without shoes (weather permitting!) for a less formal, more fun look. For siblings, I generally avoid the "matchy matchy" look but you definitely want to coordinate colors and patterns.

Family:

Coordinating colors is fairly important - stick to maybe 2-3 colors for the family. For example, maybe dad is in chocolate brown sweater w/ beige pants, mom is in hot pink shirt and khakis, and baby is in brown/pink polka dot dress. Let the kids still be the focus, but don't be afraid of color!

Maternity:

The sky is the limit! Anything that shows off the belly is recommended. Some ideas:

• transparent materials (like lace) or light flowy fabrics
• anything that can be "opened" (i.e. button downs)
• jeans (pre-pregnancy jeans that can be unbuttoned look great)
• things that drape such as shawls and wraps
• at least one plain black tank top/black pants or white tank top/pants or both
• lingerie and robe - and some people like to do a few tasteful nudes; we can do that as well

Some people choose to have their significant other in some photos as well, which is a great idea and can provide for some beautiful shots; in those cases, your partner should avoid distracting clothing - a plain long-sleeved shirt and jeans are perfect.

When will we see the pictures?

About two weeks after the session, you will be presented with an online slideshow of 20-30 proofs (or more) from your session. You will be able to see each photo in both black and white and in color, and you can order right through the gallery system. You can take your time, revisit your gallery as often as you like, and make your selections in the privacy of your home (and forward the link on to whomever else you'd like to see it). If you have questions about groupings or collages, we can talk through them and I can create samples for you to view online. Your gallery will remain online for one week. After that time, a $30 fee will be charged to keep the gallery up or put it back up for an additional week. Your photos are guaranteed to be available for ordering for 30 days. After that time, you will need to check with me to see if they are still available. Prints are typically ready within 2 weeks of your ordering. I can rush orders for an additional $30 and can usually have them within 3-4 days.

Can we purchase the digital negatives?

Digital Negatives are available as an "add-on" to the Portrait Collections, and are included with the Serendipity Collection. Pricing varies according to the Collection purchased.

Galhouse Photography retains the right to use any images from portrait sessions on this website. Please let me know if you do not want images from your session to be used in this way.