I am Jenn, the photographer behind the lens!
My jam is photographing family’s that are looking for a causal, connective & laughter filled session!
Clients mention how much they LOVE looking through their images after their gallery is delivered!! They remember the joy, laughter & connective moments from their session with their family all over again! Hearing those comments make my heart sing!!
As a mother myself, I completely understand the craziness that comes with having children, some days you barely remember to brush your teeth never mind remembering to print out family memories! That is where I step in…as a full service photographer the experience is about you & making sure you receive printed products find a place in your home where they can be enjoyed everyday!
You have booked your session,
I know for most people, the prospect of a maternity session is daunting!!! My maternity sessions are casual, natural & are full of connection! I do my best to choose poses & lighting that are flattering to your changing body. My goal is to make you feel & look radiant & as beautiful as possible!! Maternity sessions are ideally scheduled between 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy, during this time you are still comfortable during the session but your baby bump is beautifully prominent!!
From the moment you book your session, you will be guided through the whole process!! This guide will give you some helpful tips on what to wear, how to prepare for the session, location ideas & guidance on choosing the best way for you to display these images on the walls of your home! After all…seeing your images everyday is the best way for you & your family to enjoy them!!
The first question I get for sessions is “what should we wear?!”…it’s such a big answer that there is a whole guide just focused on clothing!! Make sure to look through this guide first & move onto the “What to Wear” guide next!!
Before we get started into clothing tips, I like to start on tips for choosing your location for the session! It’s the perfect place to start, as your location determines what clothing options to consider. I encourage clients to choose a location that the whole family can be relaxed in, especially if you have young children!
Is there something the whole family enjoys doing together ?! Nature lovers?? A walk along your favourite hiking trail might be a great idea! Or love time at the beach? Plan a beach location, bring along a change of clothes just in case! Proud of the nursery you created? In home sessions are awesome for super casual images inside your home! Campfire enthusiasts? Get cozy beside the fire with smore’s & snack…thinking of an activity you enjoy together will help you to chose a location & gives you something to do during our session!
Session locations can be just about anywhere, your local park, own backyard, riverside property, neighbours field, hiking trail, your family cottage or even inside your own home! Don’t worry too much about the background, as I can photograph a session near a sand hill, garbage cans or even at a parking lot…the most important is the light!!
Speaking of light, if you have dreams of images with a field lit with a glowing light…that is sunset & your images will look completely different with harsh light at 2pm! Keep in mind the ages of your children, youngsters are generally in better spirits before 11am…try not to schedule your session during nap or snack time!! Generally, if clients would like outdoor images we schedule the session for either early morning or before sunset! Depending on the season, that can range anywhere from 7am-10am or 4pm-7pm.
Last tip for locations, if you are totally stumped on ideas…my husband’s family owns a dairy farm & there are TONS of location options available at our home property! Many clients chose this options, as they love the resulting images from previous sessions! Like to know what that looks like?? Let me know & I will direct you to some blog features for you to check out!
I am often asked by clients, if they are able to incorporate their furry family members into their session…the answer is always a resounding YES!!! By nature, I am a animal lover…expect for snakes…nope, don’t bring one of those to your session!!! But otherwise, it’s always a yes!!
Prior to being a photographer, I attended college for Equine Studies & I have plenty of experience with large animals!! Even during childhood, we always had dogs & even smaller pets such as hamsters…I would venture to say I am comfortable with any size of pet!
When including your pets, whether it’s your dog or larger animals there are a few things to keep in mind or to prepare for:
make sure the location you chose suits them, if your animal tends to get nervous in new spaces keep your session in an area they are comfortable in.
keep your pet on a leash or lead line, even the most well behaved pet can become distracted or startled
clean any tack, leash or collar
dark coloured items work best, bright coloured items can be a distraction in your images
have a cute bandana to use? make sure it coordinates with your family’s clothing
animals have a short attention span & their involvement will be brief
plan to have either a helper that can take care of your pet, know your dog will be fine sitting in your vehicle or can be safely put away
ensure to bring water for them, being a model is hard work
What happens if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate on the day of our session?? Rescheduling our session is completely up to the client, but being a wedding photographer I am used to handling & adjusting plans due to weather. We just may need to change our location, going from outside in the field to in your home or seeking shelter inside your garage, barn or under a veranda. The weather can change SO quickly & we may luck out with the rain changing into sunshine half way through our session!
If you really would like to reschedule your session, that’s no problem!! I will send a link for you to choose your date, but let’s try to get your new date on the calendar ASAP!!
Often clients ask if they are able to bring any older children to the maternity session, yes of course you can!! Take into consideration these tips to make this experience enjoyable for any siblings…
Don’t stress - easier said than done but the more we push toddlers/young children to be photographed the more they will probably rebel!
Give them a minute - we will give them a few minutes to adjust to their new surroundings before we start photographing them.
Have the session at home - Sometimes it’s easier to have the session at home in a familiar location for sibling. They will be so much happier at home following their regular routine!
Clothing - keep them in solid coloured clothing, something that complimentary with your clothing. Stay away from clothing that has logo’s or characters as possible, they may be a fan of Paw Patrol but having characters on their clothing takes the focus away from the faces in the image.
Can we bring props? When thinking of props, stay away from the over done Micheal’s props that you don’t have any connection to you as a couple. A favourite pair of booties given to you, a personalized onesie, ultrasound photo, gender reveal ideas or balloons!! Whatever you would love to incorporate into your session, go ahead & bring it along!! Stumped on what type of props reflect your personalities?? No worries, it’s NOT a requirement…again just a suggestion!!
Many clients ask before their maternity session, if they are able to have some images with them showing some skin! Not everyone asks this question, all of my maternity sessions are customized & tailored to suit the needs of each client! Some prefer to have some clean, simple but artistic boudoir style images as an addition to their session, while others prefer to wear less revealing outfits. If they ask for it, I am all for it!!
Thinking that interests you? There are some ideas for clothing choices for you, such as a matching bra & underwear sets, silk robe, lace gown, long cardigan or even lace tank tops! Best colour to choose for your underwear sets is black, it matches everything & flatters everyone! These images can be photographed indoors or outdoors…again, depends on the comfort level of clients!
Once our session is finished, everyone is always eager to see a sneak peek from their session & I am super thrilled to send you one, clients can expect to see their sneak peek within 48 hours after our session & will be sent privately through email!
Your full gallery of images will be ready within 2 to 3 weeks & I highly recommend you set aside time to really ENJOY your images with your family! Whether it’s on the couch with your children, after everyone is tucked in at night or over Sunday morning breakfast…the whole family will be eager to view your images by a slideshow plus through an online gallery!
You will have access to view your full gallery for ONE WEEK after you receive your viewing links, this is the time to download your images & use your print credit for items work best for your family!!
Need some extra help?! No problem, just reach out & I can help you to narrow down you choices to work within your home!!
Let’s chat a moment about digital images…USB’s are not designed for long term storage, neither are CD’s or DVD’s. Technology advances at an alarming rate, where once we used to have floppy disks & now there are flash drives! You would be hard pressed to find a gadget that uses floppy disks now! In 5 to 10 years time, USB’s may be obsolete & heaven forbid you aren’t able to access your images…what then?
Printing out your images is truly the only way to ensure these memories aren’t forgotten in a drawer somewhere or stored on your computer. Print them, hang them, make or purchase an album & give yourself the ability to enjoy them everyday!!
Studies have proven that when children look at their family’s printed images they have feelings of a stronger connection to members of their family, have a stronger sense of their identity, increases their self esteem, enhances their imagination & give them the feeling of being a valued member of their family!!
While looking through a photo album together you can’t help but share stories of the moment in the photo, help children to talk about their emotions & create a better connection to the people or events in their life! I must admit, my own children prefer to look at printed photos rather than digital images!! There is just something about holding the print in your hands, being grateful that you have these memories documented…it just warms your heart!!
