At the time of booking your session, a $200 retainer will be required to secure your appointment date. This is non-refundable. Your retainer and signed contract must be received with 7 days of selecting a session date, or your date will be released to other clients. The balance of the session fee is due one week before the scheduled shoot date.  If your shoot is date is within a week of contacting me, Payment will be due in full at time of booking.

Prior to your session, you will receive an email consultation with me.  The purpose of which is to determine the best location, time of shoot, discuss clothing choices, and to answer any questions you may have.

My photo sessions can take place in the comfort of your own home, at an outdoor location which I recommend, or at a special location of your choice.  Families who request a location which exceed 25 miles of Crystal Lake will be charged at $50 travel fee and any locations which require a special permit or entrance fee will also be paid by the family.

All session times are determined by me and I base the timing on sun rise or sun set.  In the summer months, this may mean a shoot time which is past your little one's bed time. While I know most parents like to keep their kiddos on a pretty tight napping schedule, your session time may mean you simply need to make an adjustment to the day and nap your child earlier.  Trust me on this--- when you see the yummy evening light at sunset, you will be happy you did!!

After your session, I will edit my favorite images from the shoot and then post them to a private, password protected gallery.  I generally ask that you allow two weeks for delivery of your gallery.  You will then have 7 days to download your images. Please be aware that not all images shot at your session will be edited and delivered.  As your photographer, I will delete any images which may be duplicates, show someone in a less than flattering way (with accidental closed eyes, etc), or may not be technically sound. At no time will you have access to all images shot during your session.

**If you are pregnant and are interested in booking a newborn session, please contact me in advance, so your due date can be penciled in on the calendar. I will leave room around that date to accommodate your session and will make the date firm once the baby is born and you phone or email to notify me. If you have not booked your newborn session in advance, please still contact me and I will do my very best to fit you in.

According to Wikipedia, Lifestyle photography "is a kind of photography which mainly aims to capture portrait/people in situations, real-life events or milestones in an artistic manner and the art of the everyday. The primary goal is to tell stories about people's life or to inspire people in different times. Thus, it covers multidisciplinary types of photography together. A lifestyle photographer is not only a portrait or people photographer and loves/enjoys photography as art in everyday life but is believed to be talented in photography that can also do well in other many disciplines of photography at a time such as landscape, street photography, fashion, wedding and even wildlife with one's unique vision to inspire people's life."

Though this genre of photography has been around for a while and I have always considered myself a lifestyle photographer.  Lifestyle photography is really only now catching on in the family portrait photography industry and has become "all the rage."  While I have offered studio sessions in the past, my heart is with lifestyle photography, so starting in 2017, studio sessions will no longer be offered unless in a promotional situation.  

So start thinking of things you like to do with your family-- locations don't have to only be your home or a "pretty outdoor scene".  Let's think outside of the box! Maybe we need to head to a bookstore for a shoot, or out for cupcakes or ice cream.  Do you like taking walks together in the neighborhood, or do you like baking cookies together or making home made pizzas?  How about cutting open some feather pillows and jumping on the mater bedroom bed and having a pillow fight? Do you have a pool and want to do your shoot there or everyone playing and swimming at the lake?  Let's have some fun together and capture those memories, because as soon as they happen, that's all they will be.