Who do you think you are?
... and what makes me think I can use a camera? A small biography is available over on the site blog. I am a member in good standing of the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International), as well as the PPABC (Professional Photographers Association of B.C.) and I am the area coordinator with Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, a volunteer driven, not-for-profit organization helping bereaved parents. I was brought up on Saltspring, and have lived in the "big city" since mid-2006. I have three children though two are with me (my first son passed away in 2005), and I have a wonderful husband/chef I've been married to since 2002 whom I met in a Star Trek chat room way back in the 90's when chatting was young and newsgroups ruled.When should I book?
If you are booking a maternity session, it's best to book between 32 and 38 weeks.For babies and small children, book ahead and choose a time when they are fresh from a nap and have had their breakfast/lunch/snack to help improve their spirits. If a certain day, time or date is important to you, it is highly recommended to book two weeks in advance. Sessions are booked for 90 minutes, but parents of little ones are given some extra flexibility.
If you are booking a wedding or birth photography you must provide a date (or due date, so I can clear a timeline) at least two months in advance. Deposits for both of those session types are mandatory and non refundable.
What is your style and specialty?
I specialize in little ones and families - but it is no secret that my favourite sessions are my "Belly to Baby" packages. I cherished the photo album full of beautiful, candid photographs through my childhood, and hope to provide others with some of the same.My style of portraiture has a strong lean toward editorial and photojournalism, but individual sessions may vary slightly due to family preference, style and mood. The goal is to give you images that capture you best; sometimes that's loving, intimate, silly, serious or alternative. Don't expect your session to look just like your friend's. If you're unsure, look through the galleries or the blog to get some idea of what kinds of prints you can look forward to. My images are processed with my own actions and filters, resulting in a unique style and look.
Will you shoot my wedding/event/head shots/dog/etc?
In the past I have done events, parties, private sessions, head shots, engagement and more. I have also been asked about everything from birth photography to boudoir - if you're not sure, send me an email.Where will you travel?
Sessions can be booked year round, indoors and out, in almost any local location you wish. Within reason, that is; I won't go bungee jumping or skydiving with you because no good portraits are taken from an unconscious photographer. I am available for sessions locally in the Victoria area, and will travel within the islands, to Vancouver mainland and beyond! I am also available for destination events and weddings with sufficient advance notice. Additional fees for destination shoots would cover your arrangement for flights, hotel and transportation only - there is no "photographer's travel fee"!How should I prepare for a session?
Indoors or outdoors the rules for what to wear are the same: try to avoid busy, patterned clothes with text or large images on them. These things distract from the subject of the photo, plus you never know if Gap logos will be really uncool 50 years from now. For a family, try to dress in complimenting styles - you don't have to wear the same Christmas sweater, but if mom is wearing sandles and cut-offs and dad is in a business suit it may look a little strange in print, (unless that's what you're going for).If you preparing for a nude or semi-nude shoot, do not wear any binding or elastic clothes for at least two hours prior to the shoot to prevent unflattering marks on the skin. Bras and tight underwear are the worst for this.
If you're going to get your hair cut especially for a portrait, get it done two weeks prior so that if it isn't satisfactory you've had a little while to let it grow and get used to styling it.
Can I show my friends my proofs before I've chosen prints?
Yes! My proofing is done online, with low resolution watermarked files. They are perfect for showing off and getting opinions from friends and family about which images you'd like to order for prints, however even you photoshop-savvy folk who remove a watermark will not be able to print a good quality image that is saved for the web and attempting to do so is actually illegal so make sure your friends and/or family know this, too. You can feel free to use proofs (with watermark intact, please! It helps direct curious people back to this site) on your journal, facebook, myspace or invite friends and family to view your online album.How long will you keep my negatives?
Photos used in the galleries or published on the blog are often kept indefinitely, or at least until the gallery images are cycled through. That said, it's not feasible to keep every file forever: I purge and archive sessions immediately after ordering is through and CDs are generally kept archived for 2-3 years. If you or your family wish to buy the digital negatives of your session, they are guaranteed to be available for one year following your session date.
Weddings are kept for two years from the event date, and for one year you are guaranteed availability to purchase the digital negatives, if you have not received them already. You can also choose to purchase your CD with your package, please see your current info package for all the details.
Remember: if you have purchased a CD or DVD of your negatives, please back-up regularly! I cannot be held responsible for damage from leaving your DVD in the sun, hot places like your car, or if they get peanut buttery fingerprints all over them and are otherwise unusable. It is always a good idea to back-up your data right away. I keep three back-ups of everything while I am working and your photos are always kept in the strictest of care, burned to high quality archival media - treat your copies the same!