welcome guide

I cannot begin to describe how excited I am to have the opportunity to work with you and your family!

Capturing beautiful photos is a very exciting part of my job, but getting to meet new people and being part of special moments in your lives is seriously the best part.

Here is a quick guide for you to get the most out of your session with me. Please have a read and reach out if you have any questions at all!

elise xx

what to expect…

All of my sessions, wether it is a newborn, family, extended family or maternity, are all relaxed, yet fun!

I don't like to say that I "pose" people, rather I say that I "direct" people. I will guide you on which way is best to stand according to the lighting, or where to put your hands so they don't look limp by your sides.

Once your session is over, you will receive 2-4 sneak peeks within 48 hours of your session. The remainder of your gallery will be sent to you via email within 2-3 weeks after your session.

how to prepare for your session…

If bub can be fed before I arrive, great, if not, that's okay too! I always offer feeding photos as a part of the session as well so if you would like to include some we can definitely do that.

If in home, ensure the house is nice and warm. We will do a few outfit changes and wrapping bub up which can be unsettling if it is cold.

If we are going outdoors, only put bub in one layer (onesie) that way we can make outfit/nappy changes nice and quick.

Always bring your nappy bag nice and stocked. Don't forget extra nappies, wipes, dummy, burp clothes and extra clothes... just in case.

Leave your watch and any other bulky jewellery at home. We want the focus to be on baby, not a glowing Apple watch.

Have any sentimental items you would like to include nearby. These can include special blankets, jewellery, beanies, etc.

newborn session

family session

Always bring :

extra clothes, especially in Winter or at the beach
another layer, eg. cardigan or jumper in case it is chilly
your child's favourite toy for them to show me
mess free snacks and water
the nappy bag with extra wipes and nappies
towels, if at the beach

I like to encourage parents to tell the children that we are going to go on an adventure with your friend, Elise. They will automatically become a little nervous or intrigued when I get my camera out of the bag, so please don't tell them to stand and smile. That will happen anyway :)

maternity session

If you intend on having an outfit change or two, I recommend bringing a towel or blanket to shield yourself in the event there are people around.

If you'd like to include a hat, scarf, cardigan as part of your outfit, be sure to bring those as well. You are also more than welcome to bring any props such as milestones cards, ultrasound photos or baby items to include in some photos as well.

Leave your watch and any bulky jewellery at home.

If you have any little ones joining in the session, please refer to the family session info page as well for any suggestions for the kids.

styling

outfits
The always daunting question... what do we wear?
Here are my tips:
- Ensure you are comfortable so be mindful of straps and appropriate footwear.
- Incorporate elements like texture, layers and complementary colours.
- Consider clothes that are flowy and lightweight to allow for movement in your photos.
- Patterns are okay, but be mindful of them being too busy as they can become a distraction if they are too bright. Be sure only one person in the session is wearing pattern so the photo doesn't become too busy.
colour palette

The colours you choose to wear are (as you could imagine) very important. My suggestion is to use neutral, warm, earthy tones. This is purely because they look great in all locations, and they are easy to match with each other. They balance each other nicely, and don't take over the photo.
Be mindful of the colours that you choose and that they compliment each other. That’s not saying that everyone must be wearing the same colour, I just mean, don’t have everyone in a different colour causing colour clashes.
You are more than welcome to message/email me with your outfit ideas leading up to the day and I can make any suggestions and let you know if it works.
client wardrobe

I have a number of dresses available for mums to wear during their session. These dresses are available for all sessions wether it be newborn, maternity or family, and are inclusive of your package price if you choose to wear one.
All of my client wardrobe dresses are bump and breastfeeding friendly and are suited to a range of sizes as they are super stretchy. Some have the option to have bump/skin showing if you would like to be able to show off the bump during your maternity session, completely up to you!
You can see the options below, but please check with me as sometimes there may be new ones coming, or I may have it booked for another session.

client wardrobe

These are some dresses I have available in my client wardrobe for mums to wear during any session. You may like to use on during a maternity, newborn or family session.

All of the dresses are suited to a range of sizing and are bump and breastfeeding friendly.

If you would like to wear one, please let me know which one so that I can make sure it is ready to go for your session!