BARBARA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

 

WHEN SHOULD I BOOK A SESSION WITH YOU?

We are a small specialized studio and take a very limited number of sessions each month.  Because of this, we suggest you call as soon as you know you would like to book a session with us as our schedule can fill up quickly. You can also easily start the booking process online and we will follow up with you to finalize any details and answer further questions. Click here to book your session online.

 

We try to accommodate everyone but during our busy seasons (spring and fall), your best bet it to call as early in advance as possible.  For maternity clients, the best time to book is around 30 weeks to allow for a good sized belly but before you get really uncomfortable. For newborn clients, the ideal time is to book 5-10 days after your due date or scheduled C-section.  If you deliver late or early, we will move your appointment time if necessary. For all other ages, there isn’t a specific ‘date’ and it just depends on your goals and schedule.

 

WHAT AGES SHOULD WE GET PROFESSIONAL PORTRAITS DONE?

Many new parents ask this question and our answer is to focus on the stages rather than the actual ages.  After many years of working with children, we have found the following ages to be a perfect time for professional portraits: 5-10 days for a newborn as this is when they are the sleepiest and we are able mold and fold them into all those adorable positions. 7 months for the sitting up stage where they can sit solidly on their own and they are all about personality and expression. For the walking stage and for the 1 year portrait, we recommend coming around 14 months.  After they turn one, you will find the rate at which they look different (a good indicator of when it is time to come in) slows down dramatically. After their 1st birthday, many of our clients come once to twice a year and time it around the spring, birthdays and/or the holiday season (Aug-Dec).  These are all just suggestions and we happily work with all ages and stages. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us and we will help you come up with a perfect plan for your family.

 

DO YOU SHOOT IN THE STUDIO OR OUTDOORS?

Barbara shoots both outdoors and in the studio.  As a guideline, typically shoots with newborns and babies under 1 year are best in the studio.  This provides a safe and comfortable environment for your baby.  All other shoots can be done either outdoors or in the studio.

 

HOW DO I GET TO YOUR STUDIO?

I am located in Morgan City, La. I will send you my address at the time of booking. 

 

WHAT IF IT RAINS ON THE DAY OF MY SESSION?

We don’t cancel a shoot unless it is actually raining during your session time.  Often times, the lighting during weather that isn’t perfect is better for photography.  A cloudy day is actually a good thing for a lot of the work we do. So unless it is really bad, plan on still having your shoot.  We will be watching the weather and will call you as soon as we know if we are going to have to cancel. Do not worry… we will take care of you and find a new session time for you if this happens.

Mother Nature sometimes has a mind of her own!

 

WHAT IF I NEED TO RESCHEDULE MY SESSION?

We understand that unexpected items come up especially when you have children.  If you need to reschedule, please call us as soon as possible (at least 48-72 hours in advance).   If your child is unusually cranky or sick, it is better to go ahead and reschedule your session. If your child has a bump, scratch or bruise, we can easily remove them at no additional charge.  If your child has a black eye or anything else that changes their actual appearance, it is best to reschedule until after they have healed. The sitting fee is good as long as you rebook within 3 months from your original appointment time.

 

HOW LONG WILL MY SESSION TAKE?

Outdoor portrait sessions last approximately 30 min to an hour.  Studio sessions last approximately an hour except newborn session which sometimes can last longer.  These times vary depending on how many people are included in the photographs and the age of your children.   However, if needed, we will take extra time as your happiness is our ultimate goal.

 

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

Unless there is anything specific that is significant to you, do not feel as though you need to bring anything to the shoot. The majority of your shoot will focus on capturing the personality of your child and family however, we welcome any personal additions that you may want to bring.  Some favorites are a sentimental blanket for a newborn shoot, a favorite toy for a toddler, or hats, scarves and accessories for any age.

 

WHAT CLOTHING SHOULD I WEAR?

We cover clothing and hair and makeup many places on this site because it is so important to prepare for your session ahead of time. There are 3 ways we are prepared to help you

with looking your best and your clothing choices.

1). We have created an extensive list of things to think about when considering what to wear .

Please print this out and use it as a checklist to prepare for your session.
2). We will send you a pdf of fashion styles that are current but that will also stand the test of time.  This is a great resource to use in coming up with how to layer your clothing for the best looks.
3). We are here for you as well if you have any questions.  You can email us pictures of what you are thinking and we will happily help you and give you our feedback.

 

Generally speaking, here are a few tips:
For the Classic Session, it is all about timeless and simplicity.
For the Exquisite Session, it is all about layers, texture and colors.

What you will wear will be dependent on what type of shoot you decide upon (outdoors v/s studio and classic v/s exquisite).  When you set up your session, we can discuss in greater detail which clothing for the type of shoot will enhance your portrait and produce the best looking images.

 

WHAT IS A WALL COLLECTION?

These are our absolute favorite! They are collections of images that are hung together to make a unique statement.  These are one of our signature specialties and are so popular because they help turn a house into a home…artfully.  We offer a variety of collections. We will make collection suggestions to help tell your own personal story based on your home and the priorities of your shoot.

 

DO YOU OFFER CUSTOM FRAMING?

Yes!!! We offer quality custom framing at competitive prices to help our families have an all-inclusive experience.  This not only will save you time and research, but will also provide you with our assistance and knowledge of what works best with our photography.  We have a large variety of beautiful frames that allow you to pick up your images ready to be hung in your home or wrapped for a perfect gift for a loved one.  We work with each client to ensure you choose a frame perfect for your image and the style of your home.

 

DO YOU SELL DIGITAL FILES?

We do sell a disk of images or high resolution digital files from your session but we also have our most popular Brag Files perfect for sharing on Facebook, Twitter and the other social media sites.  Most people we work with come to us for our artistic creativity, professionalism, expertise, service, and the overall experience.  They are not wanting full sized files, but more something that they can share with their friends and family.  Our Brag Files are the perfect solution for this and the best part is that we don’t even charge you for them!  Please note Brag Files are only available for purchased images.  So for example, if you order an album, you will get a Brag file for each of the images included in the album. 

 

HOW MUCH DOES THIS COST?

There is a huge range of what people will spend on artwork of their family.  Because we believe each family has unique needs, we offer preset packages that you can choose from.  We offer al la carte pricing to fit a variety of needs.  The main reason why the majority of our clients choose us as their photographer is because of our specialty in creating custom wall art and heirloom albums for their home.  We take pride and extra creativity in creating products that make a statement while telling your story.  We have a variety of presentation options that will take our imagery and compliment it with artful framing and display options. We are not the least expensive studio nor the most expensive studio in town but we are one of the most artistic and service oriented studios who gets how important all the little details are to you for this special time in your life.

 

WHAT PAYMENT METHODS DO YOU ACCEPT?

Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard and PayPal. We also happily will set up a payment plan for you if desired.

 

HOW AND WHEN DO I GET TO SEE MY IMAGES AND PLACE MY ORDER?

The most important decisions in the portrait process occur during your ordering appointment.  We take great pride in providing our clients with a personalized, interactive and fun way to place your order.  We will schedule your ordering appointment approximately 21 days after your portrait session and 6-8 weeks after a wedding to help you in this decision process.  It is very important that all decision makers are present during this time and that you come prepared with any measurements of wall spaces you are interested in working with.  At this appointment, we will present your images in a gorgeous slideshow and then will help you select the products suitable for your home, office and for gifts for friends and family.  We feel this process is the most helpful and a treasured service we can offer our clients.

 

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET MY ORDER?

Your order will be completed approximately 6-8 weeks after we receive your payment. You may pick your order up from the studio or we can schedule a delivery service for you. If you need it sooner for any reason, please communicate this with us and we will see what we can do. 

Depending on our vendors, there may be a small rush fee.

 

HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP MY FILES?

Non-ordered images will be held for an additional 60 days after your session date.  After 60 days, non-ordered images will be discarded and all ordered images will be archived in multiple locations for 3 years at no additional fees.

 

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH WHAT IS GOING ON AT BMP?

Email, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are our favorite ways to share with you.  We will be constantly updating with new images, fun tidbits and promotions every now and then.  So… like us on our Facebook page and follow on our Twitter page.  Please feel free to visit out Group on Facebook, Barbara Marie Photography Group. Feel free to also tag yourself in any of your pictures and to share and brag away to all your friends.  Please also make sure we have your current email address so we can send you our quarterly newsletter and periodic emails.

 

 

 

© 2016 Barbara Marie Photography - 985.384.3881 - Morgan City, La 70380