Booking Guide

Hello! I know that booking a photoshoot can be confusing, intimidating or sometimes stressful, especially if it’s your first time. So, I have listed Frequently Asked Questions to help you and hopefully this will give you ideas and confidence in booking your photoshoot. I am always here to make sure that you have a wonderful experience in all aspects, from booking your session, all the way to our photo session date! And if you can’t find the answers to your questions, please feel free to send me an email at lightpetalphotography@gmail.com and I will reply ASAP.

How to book a session?

Booking a session with me is easy! First, you need to know what sort of service you require, please go over my services and pricing guide page. Once you have decided or you are undecided, all you have to do is either fill up the contact form or email me at lightpetalphotography@gmail.com in which I will reply as soon as possible.

Do I need to pay first?

Yes, it is ideal to pay your session in full atleast a day before the photoshoot. But when booking, all I need from you is a £50 deposit which will be deducted to the package price. I will issue you a receipt and your session schedule through your email address. You will need to pay in full a day before your session. If you do not wish to pay the deposit, unfortunately, I won’t be able to book your session. In some circumstances, we can still schedule a photoshoot if I am free on a particular date but it isn’t a guarantee as I do get fully booked.

How to book a Newborn Session if I’m still pregnant?

I highly recommend that you book your session in advance to make sure that you have a guaranteed spot on my schedule. Your session date will depend on your due date. Let’s say your due date is 1st May, but we all know that it is rare to give birth on that exact date, so we will estimate this as a week early or a week late. This will tell me that during that time, I may have a newborn photoshoot. All you need to do is contact me as soon as you can when your little one is born and we shall schedule his/her photoshoot when they are atleast a week old to 2 weeks old.

When do I book my Maternity Session?

Maternity photoshoots are done from 32 to 34 weeks of pregnancy. At this stage, your belly is bigger and shaped beautifully! So, your session date will depend as to when you reach 32-34 weeks. Please enquire early and book a session in advance.

Are the props and outfits included?

Yes! For newborn session, all props and outfits for the baby is indeed included, so you do not need to worry about buying some. I strongly advice that you do not purchase any for the session even if they look so cute as in my experience, some items may not fit your baby well and it will not look good in photos. Another reason is that I do have a particular styling, so please have a look at my portfolio. In some cases, if its an item with a sentimental value such as your own personal toy or outfit when you were young and wants to incorporate this on the photos, that is fine.

For maternity, I have a selection of dresses you can choose from, they fit from UK10 to UK16, but if you have a particular taste in colours or want a different style that I don’t have, please book your session atleast 2-3 months in advance so I will have the time to order new items for your shoot, you do not need to pay an extra fee for this.

What should I wear on the photoshoot?

You can definitely wear your own outfit for the session, but there are things to look out for when you do. It can be pretty confusing to explain so I will list what you should NOT wear on a photoshoot:

Plain black colour

Outfits with too much design and patterns - this will be a distracting element on the photos

Outfits with visible logos such as a big NIKE brand on the front - this will look like a brand advertising

Any outfits with visible letters - Some letters may be covered in poses and viewers will focus in reading the text instead of the whole photo itself

Dress according to weather. It’s okay to wear any outfits during cold seasons, just be sure to bring warm clothing such as coats.

Choose colours carefully, we can discuss this in details once you have booked a session

Where is the photoshoot?

Newborn session is done in my Home studio in Ellesmere Port. I have a few guidelines about this and I will email this after the session is booked.
Other sessions are done outdoors in any location. Normally, I go to nature reserves and parks, this will be discussed between us and where it will be easier for you to go.
Fine art portraits and Maternity session can be both studio and outdoor location

What happens after the photoshoot?

After the photoshoot, I will send you an online gallery 2 days later containing the best photos we took during your session in which you will then choose which ones you want for your final gallery, image quantity depends which package you have purchased. These images are unedited and I will only edit the images you choose.
Editing time is 2 weeks, after this, I will send you a new gallery containing all edited images where you will then choose which ones for prints (if included in the package). It will then take another week depending on the courier and holidays for all your items to arrive in your address such as USB and printed products.