Now for the fun part
Yay! You've made the decision to book and I'm so glad you did. For years I would see these heirloom portraits in a client's home and they stopped me in my tracks. I knew immediately that I wanted them for my own little one. Now, I'm offering them to you!
Something about these little portraits with their classic wardrobe, sweet authentic expressions, and timeless, almost old fashioned feel; they just really tug at my heart.
I've put this prep guide together based on the 14 years of experience I have working with families and young children and I'm always fine tuning it. It contains everything you need to know to make the most of our time together and help me create the photos you're dreaming of that capture the essence of your child. It also answers most of my clients' questions about what happens next: selecting an outfit, what to know for the day of your session, after your session, etc. If you have a question that isn't covered in this guide, please email me. I'm happy to answer anything. I promise, NOTHING will surprise me and there likely won't be a scenario that I haven't come across already.
Let's get into it...
Setting the scene
Wardrobe plays an important role in these traditional childhood portraits, especially the collar! When you're choosing the clothing for your child's heirloom portrait, you always want to look for styles that are classic and timeless. European styles, french hand sewn heirloom clothing, hand smocked bishop dresses or rompers, and christening gowns. A few of my favorite children's clothing recommendations for Heirloom Portraits:
Local shops that carry excellent options
Tallahassee:
Polka Dot Press - newborn - 9 month sizes
Thomasville:
First and foremost, start with the end in mind. Where will you hang your photos? Most likely these will be on the walls of your home. If you have a certain color with which you love to decorate, be sure to select clothing that will compliment that color and style. If you have your heart set on black and white images of your child, be sure to let me know.
Our location:
Old Bradfordville Schoolhouse, 6808 Beech Ridge Trail, Tallahassee, FL 32312
notable:
- please arrive 10 minutes before your session time to allow for dressing and changing if necessary (you won't want wrinkled or stained collars).
- when you arrive, please go to the entrance on the left side of the schoolhouse building. You may enter there to access the air conditioned hallway and bathroom for changing if needed.
- Please wait in the hallway until my assistant of I come get you. we want to limit distractions to the child i'm photographing in the main room of the schoolhouse.
- I'll have a table with sample products for you to see and touch to help you start thinking about how you'll want to display your heirloom portrait in your home. these are meant to be enjoyed for generations and properly displaying them is key to that enjoyment.
A BIG NOTE:
Please don't worry if your young children are not on their best behavior. Keeping things light and playful is the best way to turn that around. In 13 years of business I've never seen threats of discipline turn an upset child into one that gives us the genuine happiness that you'll want for your photos. Instead, I suggest bringing some snacks (that won't stain) to use throughout the session to encourage good behavior. Remember, I've scheduled these sessions in the morning time when most children are at their best, so we've set the stage for their success, however; we all have our days. If we're patient, they will usually warm up and things will turn around. I have 4 children of my own. I PROMISE that your children won't do anything to surprise me. Also, I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve.
The exciting part!
Two to three weeks after your session, you'll receive an email letting you know that your photos are ready to view via a link to your child's gallery of images. You'll have 24 hours to preview the gallery, see all the images and decide which tier collection you'll want to purchase.
Each collection comes with digital files and a print credit! The best of everything. This print credit is like a gift card that you can then use toward your purchase of any print products in your gallery store. You'll have one week to select the specific digital files and print items you want to use to fill that collection.
$50 print credit
toward your choice of anything in the store.SILVER03.
$100 print credit
toward your choice of anything in the store: prints, frames, albums, digital files, etc.GOLD03.
$200 print credit
toward your choice of anything in the storePLATINUM03.
Products
How to use that print credit! It works just like a gift card in the online gallery store. You'll enter the code you'll be sent when you purchase your collection and that credit amount will be deducted from the total price of your cart.
Each of these products are available to you with the print credit from your collection. Some fan favorites are the deckled edge prints, framed prints, and the mattd prints. The products in the store have been carefully selected. All are archival printed on Fuji or Hahnemühle professional stock papers, guaranteed to withstand ageing and UV light damage for up to 100 years. Below are some of our favorites.
Matted Prints
A beautiful and artful piece that can be displayed on its own, the Matted Print showcases your photo with superior quality and accurate color reproduction.
This product features a heavyweight 100% cotton fine art print with an elegant, smooth surface.
Set inside a white mat and secured with a backing card, you can be sure this artwork will be enjoyed for many years to come.
5x7" print in an 8x10" mat / $75
5x7" or 6x8" print in an 11x14" mat / $105
8x8" print in an 12x12" mat / $105
Deckeled Edge Prints
Hand-torn prints that are truly unique with a rich and textured finish. Each print is carefully torn to reveal a soft feathered edge that adds a beautiful softness to each image. These archival prints are 100% cotton and acid-free. Perfect for mounting in a matted frame.
5x7 / $80
8x10 / $140
11x14 / $240
Float Frames
For an elevated piece with timeless appeal, the Float Frame is sure to be an artful addition to your walls.
Featuring a 100% cotton fine art print with wide-ranging color reproduction, your photo will be showcased with beautiful, natural-looking contrast and sharpness.
This elegant piece features a deckled edge fine art print delicately suspended inside a wooden frame, creating a floating effect.
Lightweight acrylic aids in protecting and preserving the surface of the print.
8x10" (final measurement) / $350
10x10" (final measurement) / $375
11x14" (final measurement) / $425
Framed Prints
Made for living room and nursery walls. These frames are stunning and a simple, elegant way to display your beautiful images to enjoy for a lifetime. Custom made frames and 8-ply archival matte carefully hold your photos printed on Kodak Matte paper and mounted with premium white mat board for a beautiful bevel appearance. Finished with acrylic face and black paper backing. Ready to install from the moment you receive it.
8x10” (external measurement) / $240
10x10" (external measurement) / $260
11x14" (external measurement) / $300
16x24" (external measurement, as in sample here) / $580
