Start with the end in mind
The LD Welcome Guide
Preparing for your Photo & Film Session
We want to avoid the chaos of running out the door with changes of clothes in hand, kids crying, mom upset, and everyone generally not looking forward to smiling for photos and videos. Preparing ahead of time can set yourself up for success, so I’ve gathered some helpful tips, tricks, and hacks to make things run smoothly.
I am so looking forward to our time together. These last few pieces of information should help you prepare for your session.
Relax. This is going to be easier than you expect.
When you book, you’ll fill out a questionnaire that helps me get to know your family. I'll review it and then give you a call before our session. Bring your questions to that phone call and we will come up with a loose plan for the shoot that day and customize it to be authentic to your family.
A typical session will start off with me “just hanging out” and not shooting. This allows your kids to get used to me and get rid of a little pent-up energy.
Once we have gotten acquainted, I’ll start capturing your family playing together, based on our loose plan we've created together on the phone before the shoot.
For films, we will generally be together between 2-3 hours. For photo-only sessions, it will be about one hour. The time of our shoot will depend largely on the season and type of session you choose.
Meet your photographer
If we haven’t met yet, I’m Lindsey - a 90s girl and your personal third wheel. We’ll work together to curate a session that fits your family best and that’s where I want to be. I’m a mama to three boys and married to my youth group sweetheart capturing your magical, everyday moments.
Why me?
Why hire me when you could capture your family in video and photos on your phone? Because you deserve to be in the frame, too. I'm giving you space to connect as a family. Permission to unplug and reset. To slow down and enjoy each other. And when this happens, a special kind of magic is created from the collaboration of your vulnerability and my ability to meet you in that place. I’ll show you the moments that you didn’t even know you needed to see.
Why now?
Looking through boxes of old photos and watching home movies is my idea of a good time. The worn photos and the camcorder clips aren’t of special occasions. They are pictures of normal life and they have the power to bring me back to a specific moment. The mundane moments in my photo box or on my screen become magic. Creating this kind of experience for you is what I love to do. Using both photography and videography, I specialize in preserving a specific moment in time for your family to recall and enjoy years in the future. It’s a long-term investment on my end. I know you won’t realize the full value of what you’re purchasing until many years have passed, and I’m okay with that. I know you’ll be so glad you did it.
Why film?
Film sessions are a moment frozen in time... except…it’s not frozen. It's moving, smiling, hugging, crying, speaking. Make the mundane magical. Family films allow you to go back in time and re-watch your own history. Two hours of your life can become a time capsule of nostalgia.
The Details
I love to include actual products in my photo collections because beautiful photos of your family are not meant to live on hard drives or thumb drives in dusty desk drawers. They are meant to be printed, hung, flipped through, and enjoyed every single day. I'll show you my favorite products, hand-selected from the very best companies I could find when I bring your finished photos to you for your ordering session.
01:
The Full LD Experience
Moving films and candid photos to document your family’s real life…
What’s Included
All pre-session planning, including location and wardrobe advice and feedback with a customized consultation call
2-3 hour session in your home or on location
3-5 minute film set to hand-selected licensed music
All post-production video editing and grading
BONUS set of 20-30 high-resolution still images with print release
Delivery within 4 weeks of session date
$1650 ($550 due at booking, $550 due 1 month before session date, $550 due 1 week before session date)
02: The Portrait Experience
Posed sessions to capture your family in this moment in time…
What’s Included
All pre-session planning, including location and wardrobe advice and feedback with a customized consultation call
One-hour session at your home or on location
Deliverables based on package selection
$150 due to book, collections purchased separately
Portrait Session Collections
Everything you need to leave a legacy of your family’s everyday moments. You don’t need to make this decision now, but once you see your photos, you’ll choose the option works best for your needs.
collection 01 | $300
One hour session at your home or on location
Gallery of at least 40 high-resolution digital images for selection
7 digital images with print release
$25 print credit
collection 02 | $600
One hour session at your home or on location
Gallery of at least 40 high-resolution digital images for selection
15 digital images with print release
$150 print credit
collection 03 | $1175
One hour session at your home or on location
Gallery of all (50-60) high-resolution digital images with print release
$500 print credit
Includes bonus downloadable slideshow
*expect to see your photos within two weeks of your session,product production times are about four weeks after ordering
What to expect
That feeling that you love in my films and photos comes from following a few guidelines:
Don’t focus so much on actions and activity, but rather on connecting with your family. Unplugging (yes, you too, mom and dad! Shut those phones off!) and enjoying each other is the only secret. Those special moments you see in the films I shoot happen because clients generally forget I’m hanging around.
Children are completely thrilled that they have mom and dad’s undivided attention for several hours in a row. In our busy world, that is truly a gift for them. And for you. So to repeat, don’t worry about activities, just connect with your kids the way you’ve always wanted to, without interruption and with complete surrender!
Unplug for the session. If your kids are used to having a lot of access to TV, iPads, and video games, prepare them that they won’t be enjoying screen time while I’m there. Kids are usually so thrilled to have their parents’ undivided attention that they rarely even notice.
Natural light is best. Leave lights off and curtains open. Avoid the urge to turn on lights because window light and light bulbs don’t mix well on camera. If I need to adjust something, I’ll ask. If we spend time indoors and out, we will likely do our indoor activity first.
For film sessions: Especially, try not to build this up as a photo session. I ask that you don’t look right at my camera unless asked. When the kids hear it’s not a picture session, they look at me less and look at you more. That’s what I’m after. I think a good way to prepare them is to say that your family gets to "spend a lot of play time together and Lindsey is coming over to take some photos and videos of it. We will get to watch the videos later.” That’s really enough most of the time.
Getting dirty, wet, or upset. I don’t mind when kids get dirty and wet as long as you don’t! It’s a lot of fun. Tantrums won’t phase me. I have three kids. If kids are having trouble calming down, I’ll likely excuse myself to get some “extra” shots around the house or to change my batteries. Usually, suggesting a new activity (snack, reading a book, etc.) or location (outside, kitchen, etc.) works like a charm. It’s usually a couple minutes of our several hours together. No prob, Bob.
Do what you love. The best sessions are the slowest ones. Play. Explore. Make time to slow down. Snuggle up together in the sunlight. Get them talking. Tell them stories about themselves or how proud you are of them. Prepare a snack together. Run the sprinkler or blow some bubbles. Remember, it’s not about the activity. It’s the fact that you’re doing something together.
Go beyond the digitals
Now is the time to start deciding what you'll do with these photos. After you share the digitals on social media, what is your goal?
Do you prefer seeing your family up on the walls? Do you want a large framed print for the mantel or in a gallery in the hallway? Or maybe you love to display photos in a coffee table album?
The physical photos matter. When my dad died, the pictures were all I wanted. And you better believe I was looking through every last home video to get a glimpse of him. To hear his voice and see him healthy and happy.
In the present, they will show your children how much they are valued and loved every time they see the photo on the wall. Photos and videos matter. They will matter to your children one day more than you will ever know.
About the session day: During family films, I shoot in a documentary style (think fly-on-the-wall), finding all the ways to show you how beautiful your life is. These sessions are about 2-3 hours.
During traditional family photo sessions, I shoot in a relaxed, lifestyle manner. I may adjust your body and hands but it’s only so you look your best. I won’t ask for smiles the whole time, but I’ll ask you to do silly things and the result is a photo I hope you will treasure forever. These sessions are about one hour. Some families are ready right away and burn out quickly, while others take some warming up and need a little longer. By the time we are done, we will have captured the essence of your family the way they are right now.
About the ordering day: You don't pass down hard drives or USB drives. CDs are getting hard to play. Remember floppy disks? Good thing your family pictures aren’t stored on one of those. The USB in the dusty desk drawer is not where pictures are meant to live. The reason I offer collections and payment plans is to ensure you receive tangible products that you can display immediately after you receive them.
People enjoy and pass down actual pictures. I strongly urge my clients to consider this when making their purchases. Ordering something you can hold in your hands, enjoy daily on the wall, and eventually pass down to your loved ones is why we get photos taken and go through all of this in the first place. Don't lose sight of that.
Confidence shows on camera, let’s make sure you and your family show up confident and ready!
The big question: what do we wear?
Mom, choose your outfit first.
If you don't like what you look like, you will not like what I deliver. Think comfort. If you're fixing bra straps, tugging down undershirts, or stepping on your dress the whole time, your discomfort will show. Wear something you get compliments on and love! Try pieces on together.
Carry similar elements throughout the family’s wardrobe.
Once Mom looks great, dress the rest of the family. Carry similar elements throughout the family's wardrobe. Lay it all out on the bed to see if it's working together.
Earth tones + Neutrals + Textures = Perfection!
Texture reads beautifully on camera. Knits, linens, or gauzy materials are always nice. I love something with some flow. A dress, tunic, or lightweight sweater will work really well.
What should I look out for?
-Neon never reads well on camera.
-Green is tricky if your location is a field. You kind of blend in. However, people have made it work, so if you’re really set on green, it’ll still be a beautiful shoot!
-Graphic t-shirts can work if they are layered correctly and not distracting. Send me a picture!
-Check socks. I'd rather film bare feet than white gym socks. Even if your pants hide them in standing, they will peak out when you sit.
-Oops! Hair ties on wrists, FitBits, and cell phones sticking out of a pocket can really wreck a shot.Need more help?
Always feel free to text me a picture of your outfit, and check out Style & Select on Instagram for lots of inspiration.
Penny for your thoughts
I know there’s a lot to prepare for your session, but don’t stress. Let me know how I can help and run through a few more tricks of the trade below!
tips, tricks, hacks
Eat beforehand or have a few snacks on hand to hold off the hangry
Bring a blanket, heirloom, or element you’d like worked into the shoot
I can’t wait for your session, it’ll be great!
