Preparing for Your Session
Forms
Please print and bring the following forms with you on the day of your session.
Why do we ask for a Model Release?
This is a standard procedure most professional photographers use. By law, you own the rights to any likeness of you and your children and Portrait Playtime owns the rights to the actual images.
We ask all of our clients to sign a model release granting us the rights to the likenesses so that we can submit our very best work to publications that are resources to parents (such as Mothering magazine) and so that we can use them in our portfolio for promoting our work. Please know that it is entirely up to you whether or not you sign the Model Release; it won’t affect your session in any way.
Also, we never use children’s names or any other personally identifying information when we use photographs commercially or in portfolios. We are meticulous about protecting your privacy. If you have any questions about how we might use images from your session if you sign the Model Release, we would love to discuss it with you, so please don’t hesitate to ask.
Preparation
The most important thing you can do to prepare is to connect with your children before the shoot. Spend a some time the day of your session or the day before doing things they want to do; don’t rush around dressing them or making them sit still to get their hair just right and then expect them to be happy to sit in front of a camera. Let them run around a little before you come!
Feel free to bring things that will help your child/children feel comfortable such as favorite toys, stuffed animals, hats, scarves, your shoes, your shirts. We may not use it, but it’s always good to have many tricks in the bag just in case.
If you have ideas of what we can do to bring out your children’s personality or anything we shouldn’t do or ask, please tell us. If we know your child’s likes and dislikes in advance, we can work to make sure the session goes especially well.
Clothing
For classic or art photos, wear either plain dark or light color clothing that won’t distract from your faces. If you want something unique, expressive or thematic, you can choose to dress in your favorite clothes instead.
Black and White v. Color Images
Photo sessions will be black and white or color or a combination, but the photo shoot as a whole will not be processed as both black and white and color. Clients can request to see individual photos as black and white or color after the initial proofs have been viewed.
At the Session
We believe that if we reach to connect with children, they lead us to wonderful photos. So relax; even if your children run around, we will get them back in front of the camera. Don’t worry if they are not smiling at first, we will get there. We like to capture all of the expressions a child is willing to share with us.
Usually our clients sit at or on a table, as this gives them a place to lean and keeps them in the sweet spot of the light. During the photo session, we can provide props (hats, beads, other surprises) and encourage you to show how silly, serious, or happy your children and you are.
Most often, we will view your photos immediately after your session, and you may order then. Or, if you choose, we can post a selection of them on our website in a private, password protected gallery and follow-up with you after the session to talk about print and portrait orders. Our Guarantee/”>Our Guarantee
Print Orders
Print orders take fifteen working days to fulfill. We can process prints as a rush job within 48 hours for an additional charge of $100.
