Preparation for your perfect family session
{Your Family & Child Session Guide}
Session Guides & Information > Your Session Guides > Your Family & Child Session
Celebrating your family and the love you have for one another
Out in the countrsyside there is beauty, space, interest and gorgeous natural light to give unique results at any time of year.
We never shoot in rain, in the event of a rainy day we will move your session to a new date as soon as possible.
Out in the countrsyside there is beauty, space, interest and gorgeous natural light to give unique results at any time of year.
We never shoot in rain, in the event of a rainy day we will move your session to a new date as soon as possible.
Outfit Recommendations For Little Ones
For Boys:
Spring/Summer - Dungarees, with either no top or a plain, neutral coloured vest or t-shirt underneath. A cardi or jumper. Bare feet or sandals.
Autumn/Winter - Layers; dress your little one for the weather in appropriate clothing, warmth is paramount! Stylish little coats, boots and scarfs are great.
I have some items for your Little Men if you would like to use them for your session - check out Boys Outfits & Accessories.
For Girls:
Spring/Summer - Pretty lace or vintage style dresses. Flower girl dresses. Dungarees with pretty T's. A pretty or plain knit cardi. Bare feet, sandals or boots.
Autumn/Winter - Layers; dress your little one for the weather in appropriate clothing, warmth is paramount! Little stylish coats over dresses with leggings and boots looks wonderful.
I have beautiful gowns available for use for your Little Ladies! Check out Girls Gowns & Outfits.
As a general rule, the most appealing styles of clothing for sessions are vintage, timeless items in neutral or earthy toned colours.
As for all sessions, I recommend avoiding very bright, clashing or neon colours, and character clothing. Shoes, boots, sandals and bare feet are always preferable to trainers. I also recommend avoiding socks without shoes as this looks quite unfinished. Even if your baby is not yet walking or wearing shoes, a simple, stylish pair of baby shoes will be ideal to cover little one's socks in the cooler months.
Warmth is paramount for babies & children in the cooler seasons. On cold / frosty winter days it is imperative that your children have on lots of layers, a coat, gloves and a hat if necessary. These can be removed during the session if the children are comfortable to do so.
For Boys:
Spring/Summer - Dungarees, with either no top or a plain, neutral coloured vest or t-shirt underneath. A cardi or jumper. Bare feet or sandals.
Autumn/Winter - Layers; dress your little one for the weather in appropriate clothing, warmth is paramount! Stylish little coats, boots and scarfs are great.
I have some items for your Little Men if you would like to use them for your session - check out Boys Outfits & Accessories.
For Girls:
Spring/Summer - Pretty lace or vintage style dresses. Flower girl dresses. Dungarees with pretty T's. A pretty or plain knit cardi. Bare feet, sandals or boots.
Autumn/Winter - Layers; dress your little one for the weather in appropriate clothing, warmth is paramount! Little stylish coats over dresses with leggings and boots looks wonderful.
I have beautiful gowns available for use for your Little Ladies! Check out Girls Gowns & Outfits.
As a general rule, the most appealing styles of clothing for sessions are vintage, timeless items in neutral or earthy toned colours.
As for all sessions, I recommend avoiding very bright, clashing or neon colours, and character clothing. Shoes, boots, sandals and bare feet are always preferable to trainers. I also recommend avoiding socks without shoes as this looks quite unfinished. Even if your baby is not yet walking or wearing shoes, a simple, stylish pair of baby shoes will be ideal to cover little one's socks in the cooler months.
Warmth is paramount for babies & children in the cooler seasons. On cold / frosty winter days it is imperative that your children have on lots of layers, a coat, gloves and a hat if necessary. These can be removed during the session if the children are comfortable to do so.
Outfit Recommendations for Mum & Dad
As a general rule, the most appealing styles of clothing for sessions are vintage, timeless items in neutral or earthy toned colours.
Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in - if you are worried about lumps and bumps, I am able to help with this during editing. As for all sessions, I recommend avoiding very bright, clashing or neon colours.
Please remove keys, phones and other items from your pockets as these will show in the photographs.
In the warmer months, you are welcome to bring an outfit change to add more variety to your session.
Things to bring
♥ All of your usual baby essentials, if you have a baby
♥ Any special teddies, toys, musical instruments or any other meaningful items that you would like to include (please cut the fabric tags off teddies)
♥ A couple of outfits for your children if you would like outfit changes (although just the one they are wearing is ideal for Winter)
♥ Your pram or pushchair for toddlers
♥ Snacks and drinks for your children
♥ All of your usual baby essentials, if you have a baby
♥ Any special teddies, toys, musical instruments or any other meaningful items that you would like to include (please cut the fabric tags off teddies)
♥ A couple of outfits for your children if you would like outfit changes (although just the one they are wearing is ideal for Winter)
♥ Your pram or pushchair for toddlers
♥ Snacks and drinks for your children
Expectations
Children will be children, please don't feel awkward or worried about any tantrums or upsets, it does not mean your session has been a disaster, even if it feels like it at the time! There is no rush.
A Note About Toddlers and Pre-schoolers with Dummies
If your toddler is unhappy without a dummy, this can make for a very difficult situation on session day. I can't Photoshop dummies out of mouths, and I have no magic way of taking the dummy away without causing upset to your child. If you don't want images with a dummy (or images with a little one who is constantly upset about not having a dummy), I strongly recommend weaning your little one off in time for your session.
Children will be children, please don't feel awkward or worried about any tantrums or upsets, it does not mean your session has been a disaster, even if it feels like it at the time! There is no rush.
A Note About Toddlers and Pre-schoolers with Dummies
If your toddler is unhappy without a dummy, this can make for a very difficult situation on session day. I can't Photoshop dummies out of mouths, and I have no magic way of taking the dummy away without causing upset to your child. If you don't want images with a dummy (or images with a little one who is constantly upset about not having a dummy), I strongly recommend weaning your little one off in time for your session.
Balloons
Please do not bring your own balloon to your session to entertain your child - reason being, these inevitably burst on the ground or a prickly bit of grass, resulting in a distraught little one. If you would like a balloon included in your session, just let me know and I'll bring a helium filled one in your preferred colour on a string - these are much less likely to burst as they are floating in the air.
Autumn & Winter Family Sessions with a Newborn
Whereas newborn sessions can only take place in the warmer months, you are able to take a family session in Autumn or Winter with your new baby. Baby will need to be dressed in something nice and cosy, such as a snow suit. If it is mild enough, we may be able to wrap baby in a shawl or blanket. This is a lovely way to make memories with your new addition in the colder months, but it is important to bear in mind that family sessions are not newborn sessions. It will be too cold for baby to wear my newborn outfits, or to do any posing. Your session with you new baby will be family-focussed, with you holding baby for most (or all) of the session. We will work close to the car so that we can return to your car for any feeds or changes.
Your Session
These sessions are roughly 1-2 hours long, although there are no strict limits and you will not be charged any additional fee for longer sessions.
Sessions always take place in the few hours approaching sunset when the light is soft and there are no harsh shadows, the sun is low in the sky which makes the surroundings look rich, golden and vibrant. The time of your session will therefore depend on the time of year.
Location
The ideal location will depend on the time of year. This is often decided nearer your session time, so that I'm able to check out different areas of the countryside nearer the time and see what's happening. Different locations vary year-to-year and it can be impossible to know exactly what will be growing or how a location will look in advance.
Props
If you have any favourite props that you would like me to use, just let me know and I'll bring them along - you can see a list of props here.
These sessions are roughly 1-2 hours long, although there are no strict limits and you will not be charged any additional fee for longer sessions.
Sessions always take place in the few hours approaching sunset when the light is soft and there are no harsh shadows, the sun is low in the sky which makes the surroundings look rich, golden and vibrant. The time of your session will therefore depend on the time of year.
Location
The ideal location will depend on the time of year. This is often decided nearer your session time, so that I'm able to check out different areas of the countryside nearer the time and see what's happening. Different locations vary year-to-year and it can be impossible to know exactly what will be growing or how a location will look in advance.
Props
If you have any favourite props that you would like me to use, just let me know and I'll bring them along - you can see a list of props here.
After your Session
Your private proof gallery will be sent out to you within a week of your session. This gallery contains the best images (around 35) from your session as unedited proofs, with a selection of edited examples, so that you can see how your images look when finished.
The gallery will remain open for 1 week for you to choose your package-inclusive images/products, upgrade your package, or order additional items separately.
Each of your chosen images is lovingly hand-edited; first processed from its Raw file, before skin touch-up, colour cast removal, natural teeth whitening, detail enhancement, natural eye enhancement, shadow & highlight correction, removal of any background or foreground distractions and beautiful, natural colour enhancements. For some sessions, there will be some extra editing such as magic faerie lights, fairy wings, or falling leaves.
Hand editing is the only way to get the very best results for your portraits. I don't batch-edit or cut corners, so it is a time-consuming process; I advise clients to allow a month to receive their orders, although this will often be sooner.
I will let you know when your order is ready, and you can choose to either collect in person or sent via post.
Your private proof gallery will be sent out to you within a week of your session. This gallery contains the best images (around 35) from your session as unedited proofs, with a selection of edited examples, so that you can see how your images look when finished.
The gallery will remain open for 1 week for you to choose your package-inclusive images/products, upgrade your package, or order additional items separately.
Each of your chosen images is lovingly hand-edited; first processed from its Raw file, before skin touch-up, colour cast removal, natural teeth whitening, detail enhancement, natural eye enhancement, shadow & highlight correction, removal of any background or foreground distractions and beautiful, natural colour enhancements. For some sessions, there will be some extra editing such as magic faerie lights, fairy wings, or falling leaves.
Hand editing is the only way to get the very best results for your portraits. I don't batch-edit or cut corners, so it is a time-consuming process; I advise clients to allow a month to receive their orders, although this will often be sooner.
I will let you know when your order is ready, and you can choose to either collect in person or sent via post.
Winter Wonderland
Snow Editing
Snow editing is available for Winter sessions - see Pricing & Packages for snow editing fees.
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© All Content Copyright Claire Conybeare | Chinchilla Photography
Family & Child | Nature Newborns | Maternity | Birthday | Faeries & Magic | Pets & Their People | Breastfeeding
Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter | Bluebells | Lavender
Home | The Season Guide | Galleries | Pricing | Gift Vouchers | Info | My Gear | Bio | Kudos | Blog | T&C's | Contact
For early notification of upcoming session dates before general release, model calls and more, join Chinchilla Photography's Client VIP Group on facebook - exclusively for existing clients.
Family & Child | Nature Newborns | Maternity | Birthday | Faeries & Magic | Pets & Their People | Breastfeeding
Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter | Bluebells | Lavender
Home | The Season Guide | Galleries | Pricing | Gift Vouchers | Info | My Gear | Bio | Kudos | Blog | T&C's | Contact
For early notification of upcoming session dates before general release, model calls and more, join Chinchilla Photography's Client VIP Group on facebook - exclusively for existing clients.