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What can I say here that you can't read on a million other photography websites?
Well, for starters, how about "I'm a big goofball"? Aha- I got you! You thought I was about to go on and on about how marvelous I am as a photographer, didn't you? Ok, I'll do that soon enough. But for now I would like to emphasize that children like me... I mean they REALLY like me, simply because I am a goofball. I love making funny noises and rolling around on the ground and trying anything to get kids to smile. My favorite children are the ones who try sooo hard to ignore me and are determined to be in a bad mood; but I get them all in the end! Now adults, hmmm... they probably find me to be a bit funny and I have to admit I have yet to have a problem "family" that I couldn't get to smile! (I hope you appreciated how deftly I substituted the gender neutral "family" as opposed to the far more correct term... come on, you "guys" know who you are! And I mean that in the most P.C., non-gender-esque way possible!). Oh yeah, I guess now would be a good time to mention I like to make up words... like a gazillion of them! And if you haven't figured out yet that I have a weird sense of humor and that I try to bring this sense of humor into all of my sessions, well, then I guess it's a good thing I decided to be a photographer and not a stand-up comic! But suffice to say that I think you will have a great time with me. I am not stuffy. I am fun. I'm not a pedantic know-it-all (though I can be just a regular know-it-all at times). I love what I do and I love that I bring smiles to children and usually a tear or two to mom and dad when they are viewing the proofs. I want all my clients to have a great time with me. This, in fact, is almost my top priority. It's only beaten out by the necessity of producing wonderful pictures as well. But the single most flattering thing anyone has ever said to me after a session was "Well, that wasn't so bad after all!" (followed closely by " wooohooo- let's do it again!) ummm... now back to your regularly scheduled (boring) programming... ahem... policies, procedures, and general information (aka "It's time to get serious about this whole business thing!). Children Our time together should be relaxed and fun so I try to keep things simple. In general, I don't like to use props, yet I do love to use your child's favorite toys because they make pictures unique, personal and memorable. To help younger children become comfortable with me, I'll arrive a bit early and play and talk with them before pulling out my camera. If we are shooting at your home I will also look around for good locations and ideas for unique portraits. Real people do not live in glossy magazine ads, so I may need to rearrange the furniture, remove knick-knacks from tables, and move anything obstructing your windows (and therefore, the light). But I will always help return everything to its place before I leave. To begin, dress your child in something simple and comfortable; we can make additional outfit choices as we go along. If we are at your home, I'd love to help put together some fun outfits in addition to the more traditional looks you may have already picked out. I personally love fun, bright clothing that embodies the whimsical imaginations of young children! For this reason, I am thrilled when children help pick out an outfit. Even if it is worn for only a few quick snaps, it can really help children get in the mood for taking pictures; and these will probably end up being the pictures you treasure the most in years to come. Several outfit changes are allowed for in-home shoots so don't worry about which outfit is best, we can use them all as long as your child is willing! Please do not force them to wear something they hate, it will only lead to tears and frustration for all of us. Though I don't advocate the use of props, I do have many accessories that can help spice up an outfit. For boys I mainly have hats; for girls I have a wide selection of Petticoats (the pretty, fluffy skirts which you can see in my children's gallery) and custom made hair accessories, as well as fun scarves and hats. I try to bring these to all shoots, but if interested in using some, please ask about them in advance so I can help you plan outfits ahead of time. I will never ask your child to "say cheese". I want to capture them just as they are; thinking, giggling, playing, moping, laughing, being funny or serious . My goal is to capture a glimpse of your child's inner spirit. If you have a serious, introspective child, I will not force them to smile for the camera. Instead, I will try to capture a true representation of who they are. But no worries, I also have a few tricks up my sleeve that can usually entice even the most hardened kids into smiling. I am sure you will be pleased with the resulting portraits. For more on my photography style, please see my about page. Family Sessions These sessions are for up to six family members and include one location. If needed, you may add more people or locations at the time of booking. I love shooting at your home but prefer outdoor locations for sessions with over four people. We have many picturesque areas around town; Pensacola Beach/Perdido Key, your local park, downtown, even your own backyard- they can all provide wonderful, natural backdrops for your family. Of course, if you have a spacious area in your home, I would be happy to shoot there no matter how many people are involved, especially in the cold winter months. But please be realistic about the amount of people who can easily be photographed together in your home, if it is too squashed or uncomfortable it will be reflected in the final prints. Newborn Babies *I have not done as many maternity or infant shoots as I would wish; for a limited time I will be extending a special offer to expectant parents to help me expand my skills and portfolio in this wonderful area of photography. If interested, please contact me at gypsyisledesigns@yahoo.com. Please put "infant special" in the subject line. Thank you!* Newborns are best photographed before they are 2 weeks old while they still maintain their sweet infant looks and sleeping positions. If you are interested in a newborn session we can tentatively book your due date & I will keep myself available for up to 3 weeks after the actual delivery. For newborn shoots I prefer to shoot most of the pictures with one of the parents holding their child. This helps keep the baby calm, and I love capturing the bond between new parents and their child. Some shots will only fetaure the parent's hands; others will have both the parent and the child. If you have more than one child I will shoot several sibling portraits for no extra charge. I feel this is such an important time in a family's life and I want to help document it the best I can. If you aren't interested in being featured in your newborn's pictures please let me know ahead of time so I can plan additional shots accordingly. But note, I personally missed out on these types of pictures with both my children because I didn't like how I looked after delivery; I now deeply regret this decision. My goal now is to make certain all of my clients have these treasured moments documented beautifully. You certainly don't need to buy any prints featuring yourself, but if you don't have them taken in the first place you may never realize how beautiful you look wth your baby, or how tender these moments can be. Deposit/Cancellations At the time of booking, 50% of the session fee is required as a non-refundable deposit to hold your date. The deposit will not be refunded due to cancellations, bad weather, or no-shows. But I will happily reschedule a shoot for any of the following reasons:
Please visit my Pricing/Packages page for more information on print prices. Or Contact me if you have more questions or are ready to schedule a session. |