Frequently Asked Questions
You are not expected to be an expert in all things photography, even if you have hired one before. Below are the most frequently asked questions and their answers to help guide you through hiring a photographer, and make sure you are making an educated decision when choosing Pure Natural Newborn Photography for your portrait experience. If there is anything missing, I am only a phone call or an email away.
When is the best time to book my newborn photos? maternity photos? fresh 48 photos?
The best time to book for your newborn photos is before baby arrives, while you are still pregnant to ensure you can take advantage of our guaranteed availability policy, and make sure we can schedule your session for within the first 5-10 days after birth, but it can absolutely take place in the first several weeks of baby’s life.
Maternity sesssion typically take place between 27-37 weeks along, to ensure you have a gorgeous baby bump and are still flexible and comfortable moving around in & out of poses. It is recommended to book your maternity and newborn sessions together about 1-2 months before you want your maternity portraits captured. This ensures we have enough time for our consultation process, to order any wardrobe options, and sufficient availability in our schedule.
Due to the pandemic, I am not currently booking offsite fresh 48 sessions, but do reach out to schedule an in-studio session as soon as possible to ensure availability (date will be scheduled once baby has arrived).
Are parent shots included in my session? What about siblings and family photos?
Absolutely! I love to capture the sweet bond between parents and their newborn baby, and there is the option to include parents and/or siblings for each of the standard sessions (maternity, newborn, baby) at no additional cost. There are also petite sessions available that are shorter and for baby-only, so this is something we discuss during the initial consultation and confirm specifics in the session planning questionnaire. Parent images are typically done near the end of the session, unless there are siblings, in which case they would be ideally captured at the beginning so that they can leave early with the second parent. As we know, technically newborns run the show so we play it by ear (every session is different).
Do you have props & accessories or do I have to provide them?
The portrait studio is fully stocked with a plethora of different background options & props such as buckets, crates, bowls, etc. & baby accessories like dainty headbands, perfectly fitting diaper covers & rompers, and a large selection of hats and bonnets. Each and every item in studio has been carefully researched and selected because it matches the studio’s style and aesthetic that you’ve hired me to create for you, and conforms to stringent safety standards (cleaned after every use). The goal is to make sure your newborn baby is the star of the image, and all of the props and accessories compliment the setup and highlight your baby.
There are several items for womxn and baby’s first year (0-18M) available for use during the session (in-studio or outdoors). If you don’t find something that you love, you may choose to take advantage of the prop-to-print service and have something custom ordered for you or baby.
You are also more than welcome to bring in family heirlooms to be incorporated, but this should be mentioned in your pre-session consultation so I can incorporate it into the planned setups.
What types of products do you offer?
With a full-service studio, you get to choose from a wide selection of high quality and luxury print products to display in your home, or gift to friends and family. The available print products include heirloom portrait albums, luxury folio image boxes, barnwood frame or canvas wall art, and many other smaller add-on items such as greeting cards, gift prints, photo cubes, accordion brag-books, digital files, etc.
Where will the photos be taken? Do you travel?
The portrait studio is located in Barrhaven, Ottawa, just off of Woodroffe, only a short 10-minute drive from the highway (both 416 & 417), and outdoor sessions can take place throughout the Ottawa area.
Outdoor newborn sessions are available upon request during the warmer months when certain weather conditions are met (safety first!).
How do I schedule a newborn photo session when I don’t know when my baby will be born?
When you book your session in advance, I take note of your due date and guarantee availability on the client roster for your newborn session in that timeframe. Babies have a mind of their own, and they tend to arrive whenever they feel like it, so whether your newborn arrives before, on, or after your estimated due date, we will make room for you and your newborn in our studio schedule.
In order to be able to offer this custom service, I only accept a limited number of bookings as to be flexible to babies’ schedules, and make room for all of my clients. It is always best to book for a newborn session while you are still pregnant so that we may plan accordingly for your session to be within the recommended first 5-10 days after birth. Once baby arrives, you contact me and we schedule your portrait session. Last-minute bookings are always accepted if we have room, but it is highly encouraged to book early to ensure we save a spot for you.
Can I book a session if my newborn has already arrived? What if they are older than the recommended 10 days?
Absolutely YES! I only accept a limited number of clients to ensure they all receive the utmost level of care and attention, but last minute bookings for new babies are always welcome. While I may not have guaranteed availability within the recommended time-frame after your baby’s birth, I will do my best to schedule your session as soon as possible. And a BIG HOWEVER, newborn sessions are NOT mandatory to be within the first 10 days. It is often more ideal at that age because babies are still super flexible and we can achieve the adorable curly poses, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be done. After the 10-14 days mark is when babies’ bones start to fuse & fully calcify and become less flexible. Plus, all they want to do is stretch-out, making posing more difficult, and can sometimes cause them discomfort. I will happily schedule a session for an older baby (up to 3 months old) and proceed as a newborn session, BUT it all depends on the individual baby whether we can get certain poses or if we capture great bright-eyes shots (which are super adorable!). I will NEVER refuse an older baby! We will work with their motor skills and sleep schedule to create gorgeous images, no matter what. For any newborn or baby session, our large prop and accessory collection will allow us to get plenty of variety in your gallery, even if baby is limited to certain poses.
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How do I book a session?
I’m glad you asked! You have two options to contact us to book your session: you can CALL 613-371-4594 or use the Contact Us form. We will then proceed with scheduling your consultation to go over the session details, products available, complete the contract and start session planning. To hold your session date or newborn availability, we collect the creation fee, served as a booking deposit, which will be applied to your print collection purchase when booking in advance.[/vc_column_text] [vc_separator type=”normal” up_style=”px” down_style=”px”] [vc_column_text]
What is a consultation, pre-session planning, and an image reveal & ordering appointment?
Through the full-service experience offered, I guide you through the entire process from first contact to picking up your print products after your session.
The no-obligation studio consultation service allows you to meet me before booking, and to find the perfect fit for your family’s needs and desires. At this meeting, I help you become an educated client by going over in detail the process, studio policies, and product prices. I answer your questions, we go through the different samples so you get touch and feel the printing options, and you get to tour the studio and see where the magic happens. All with the comfort of a warm cup of coffee or tea to help you relax.
The pre-session planning is done through a questionnaire on our website followed by a confirmation call, typically once baby is born once we are selecting an exact date. We discuss colour preferences, a recap of the flow for the session, and discuss how to prepare for your upcoming session.
The image reveal and ordering appointment takes place after your session has been photographed and your images are ready for viewing. You and your partner would travel to the studio for your image reaveal, and you will be guided through the design of your wall gallery (print grouping display for you wall(s)), album, keepsake photo box, or help you decide which is best for your needs. You even have the option of having your art personally delivered to your home and helping you get it set up (free with qualifying purchases, within the service area). I would then photograph the final setup in your home so I can show others how beautiful custom art can be. You can see examples on our testimonials page.
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What is a creation fee, and what does it include?
The creation fee covers anything and everything required to create the images to fill your proofing gallery. It accounts for your photographer’s time and talent during the session, pre-planning and communication, post production editing and retouching, and your proofing gallery proofs/slideshow production. Your session’s images, digital or printed, are not included in this fee, and are to be purchased additionally. The create your own collection allows you to build a custom package to suit your needs, and leaves room for personalization.[/vc_column_text] [vc_separator type=”normal” up_style=”px” down_style=”px”] [vc_column_text]
How much are the prints? Do you have any packages? What about digital files?
All collections are customized for each client based on your needs and desires. I guide you through the entire process, and help you design the best ART for your space. All of the art prints (matted/framed/canvas) include the matching printable digital files, starting from $195. Print and digital collections are also available, starting from $995.
There is no minimum order attached to your creation fee, and you do not have to select your items until AFTER you’ve seen your session’s images–putting the responsibility on ME to create a beautiful gallery of images for you.
Itemized pricing will be provided to you during your consultation, and custom packages are always available.[/vc_column_text] [vc_separator type=”normal” up_style=”px” down_style=”px”] [vc_column_text]
How soon will I be able to see my photos?
Often clients will be invited to schedule their ordering session within 5-10 days, and certain sessions have the option of same-day ordering. The type of session you’ve booked and the time of year will affect the timeline, and your personal turnaround time will be outlined in your contract. At the ordering appointment, you will be able to view the slideshow of the images on the big screen in addition to the printed proofs, to help with creating your print collection. The print order takes anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks to complete depending on the item as many are hand-crafted art pieces. For those who are not able to return to the studio, there is an option to purchase the entire gallery in digital format and place your print order online.[/vc_column_text] [vc_separator type=”normal” up_style=”px” down_style=”px”]
Have more questions? I’d love to answer them and go over all of the details about the session types, printed ART products available, and the different processes.
Let’s schedule a consultation & studio tour.