NK SESSION PREP GUIDE
Congratulations on investing in your memories!
I am so excited that you've chosen to book with me. It truly means the world to me that you picked NK Creative Studios to capture your memories! I cannot wait for your upcoming session!
I created this guide to help you prepare for your session, and also to help ease any stress you may feel regarding your session. Please take some time to look through this guide in advance of your session. It should answer some of the questions you may have. If you still have questions afterwards, please reach out via email or fill out the form at the bottom of this page! I'm more than happy to help in any way.
xo Nicole
I am in my early 30's, married to my best friend, mom to one human baby and two fur babies.
I have been doing photography professionally since 2010. I studied photography in College and absolutely loved every minute of it. After graduating Algonquin with a 4.0 GPA (woo!) I went on to complete my Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours in Photography through an online school in the UK.
I love simplicity when it comes to photography. My camera bag typically has 2 camera bodies + 2-3 lenses. I use mainly natural light when I shoot… and my favourite time of day to shoot is sunset (love me some crazy beautiful sun flares).
I cannot wait to work with you!
hello friend!
i'M NICOLE
aka your photographer
FAMILY
What to Expect
Click on your session type to learn more
(A POP UP WITH MORE INFORMATION WILL SHOW)
MATERNITY
NEWBORN
MILESTONE
BRANDING | HEADSHOTS
MINI SESSIONS
- NEON COLOURS
- LARGE LOGOS OR WORDING
- TOO MANY PATTERNS
- MATCHY-MATCHY OUTFITS
- CLOTHING THAT DOESN'T FIT
THINGS TO AVOID:
This is my favourite way to find a cohesive look for a family...
- YOUR COMFORT
- ADDING SOME ACCESSORIES
- PATTERNS (MAX. 1-2 THAT COORDINATE)
- LAYERING IS GOOD
- THE SEASON (EACH SEASON HAS IT'S OWN "TONE")
- tHE WEATHER (DRESS APPROPRIATELY)
- tHE LOCATION YOU CHOSE
- FOOTWEAR
THINGS TO Consider:
- OLD NAVY / GAP
- AMERICAN EAGLE / AERIE
- H&M / ZARA
- bALTIC bORN
- NEUFLORA
- ... or any spot you love!
places to shop:
What to Wear
You can wear whatever you want to your session, this is just advice from a photographers perspective!
Pick out one outfit. It can be your outfit or someone else's. It doesn't really matter whose outfit it is, but try to narrow down one to start. This outfit will serve as your guide to determine what everyone else should wear.
step one:
Using the "guide outfit", pick out colours that would look nice with it, and start looking around for pieces that would coordinate.
Example: Say your guide outfit is an ivory dress with chocolate brown flowers on it. I would be looking for some neutrals that would look nice with this. You could put your partner in jeans and a brown button up.
step two:
CLICK HERE TO SEE MY CLIENT CLOSET
+ WEEKEND DATE (FRI-SUN $100)
+ TRAVEL FEES ($1.50/KM OVER 40KM FROM STUDIO)
ADD-ONS:
~ A 60-MINUTE SESSION WITH NICOLE
~ A CURATED GALLERY WITH ALL EDITED IMAGES
~ BLACK & WHITE EDITED COPIES OF EACH IMAGE
~ ACCESS TO NK SESSION PREP GUIDE
~ LIST OF BEAUTIFUL LOCATIONS TO PICK FROM
~ IMMEDIATE FAMILY only (PARENTS + KIDS)
INCLUDES:
INVESTMENT: $500+TAX
maternity sessions
02.
+ IN-HOME SESSION FEE ($75)
+ WEEKEND DATE (FRI-SUN $100)
+ TRAVEL FEES ($1.50/KM OVER 40KM FROM STUDIO)
ADD-ONS:
~ A 60-MINUTE SESSION WITH NICOLE IN STUDIO
~ A CURATED GALLERY WITH ALL EDITED IMAGES
~ BLACK & WHITE EDITED COPIES OF EACH IMAGE
~ ACCESS TO NK SESSION PREP GUIDE
~ LIST OF BEAUTIFUL LOCATIONS TO PICK FROM
~ IMMEDIATE FAMILY only (PARENTS + KIDS)
INCLUDES:
INVESTMENT: $600+TAX
newborn sessions
03.
+ IN-HOME SESSION FEE ($75)
+ WEEKEND DATE (FRI-SUN $100)
+ TRAVEL FEES ($1.50/KM OVER 40KM FROM STUDIO)
ADD-ONS:
~ a 60-MINUTE maternity SESSION WITH NICOLE
~ a 1+ hour newborn session in studio
~ two CURATED GALLERies WITH ALL EDITED IMAGES
~ BLACK & WHITE EDITED COPIES OF EACH IMAGE
~ ACCESS TO NK SESSION PREP GUIDE
~ IMMEDIATE FAMILY only (PARENTS + KIDS)
INCLUDES:
INVESTMENT: $1,000+TAX
maternity + newborn
04.
+ IN-HOME SESSION FEE ($75)
+ WEEKEND DATE (FRI-SUN $100)
+ TRAVEL FEES ($1.50/KM OVER 40KM FROM STUDIO)
ADD-ONS:
~ 4 full sessions (maternity, studio newborn, 6 months + 1 year cake smash)
~ two CURATED GALLERies WITH ALL EDITED IMAGES
~ BLACK & WHITE EDITED COPIES OF EACH IMAGE
~ ACCESS TO NK SESSION PREP GUIDE
~ IMMEDIATE FAMILY only (PARENTS + KIDS)
INCLUDES:
INVESTMENT: $1,900+TAX
baby's first year
05.
+ option to purchase additional images
$30 each or $150 full gallery
ADD-ONS:
~ 15 minute session with nicole
~ private online gallery of proofs
~ 5 digital images of your choice
~ immediate family only (parents + kids)
** held on set dates/locations
INCLUDES:
INVESTMENT: $200+TAX
mini sessions
06.
If you have booked an in-home newborn session with me, here are some things to know before I come over.
1. Clean / Tidy up your home. The camera will capture dirt and messes. This is a great time to hire a cleaner so you can enjoy a nice clean home while having a newborn!
2. Aim to have your baby fed and changed for the time I arrive.
3. Have outfits picked out in advance. I highly recommend a neutral onesie where we can see babies feet.
4. Open all blinds, curtains, drapes etc and turn off all indoor lighting.
*** IF your house is dark and does not get a lot of natural light, please let me know ASAP. I use natural light so your photos will not turn out the best if you don't have any. ***
newborn sessions
As parents, you may feel stress about your upcoming session. You're probably hoping your kids behave and show real smiles... and then also feeling anxious about your partner being a good sport.
All I can say is just breathe. Relax and enjoy yourself. Let me do the work. Put your trust in me and things will be great!!
parents
About 1-2 weeks before your session, start telling your kids about me. You can refer to me as Nicole or Photographer-Lady. Feel free to show them a picture of me so they aren't so nervous when they meet me for the first time. Tell your kids that we're going to have a fun little adventure together.
ALSO, bribery is 100% OK and does not make you a bad parent. I'm not above bribery. It seems to work best... honestly. A fun ice cream date after our session is always a big hit too!
children
How to Prepare
If you are bringing a dog:
TREATS
TOYS
LEASH
COLLAR
POOP BAGS
BLANKET (to sit on)
WATER
SNACKS
A SMALL MIRROR
TOUCH UP MAKEUP
HAIR BRUSH
What to Bring
In the contract you signed, it states the turnaround time is 2-3 weeks. I do my best to get galleries out as quickly as I can while still providing my best possible quality!
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO RECEIVE OUR GALLERY?
FAQ's
I no longer guarantee any sneak peeks from sessions. Some sessions will get sneak peeks posted on social media while others may not. There are no specific reasons behind which sessions go on social media and which don't. If your session is not posted, please do not take it personally!
DO YOU POST OR SEND US SNEAK PEEK PHOTOS?
Absolutely! I love printing my clients photos for them. If you print through me, I use a professional print shop and guarantee the quality to be excellent. If you choose to print somewhere else, I cannot guarantee the quality or outcome of the printed images.
CAN WE ORDER PRINTS or other products THROUGH YOU?
I promise to do my very best to capture beautiful images of you and your loved ones. I typically do not stop the session until I feel confident that I have enough stunning images for your full gallery (for full sessions). Let me worry about making sure we have lots of beautiful images... you just focus on your loved ones and having a good time!
Photo sessions don't have to be stressful. They are what you make them.
Try to relax and just trust me! :) I know what I'm doing!
one last thing
We will meet at the pre-determined location a few minutes prior to the start time of your session. I always recommend clients arriving 5-10 minutes early for their session to make sure they're ready to go for the session start time. This will give you a few minutes to get organized and get your kids/pets ready. If you have really young kids, it's often best to change them into their outfits once you arrive.
Once we have both arrived and are all ready to go, we will start your session. My main focus during a family session is to capture the bond between you and your family members. I will guide you with your posing (ie, how to stand in the most flattering way) while also avoiding the images looking overly posed/static (think Millennial prom pictures). To sum things up, I will pose you without "posing" you (guiding you without making you look like I posed you).
Regardless of the type of family session you've book (Classic or Petite), I promise that we will capture beautiful images of you and your loved ones. I pride myself in being able to create beautiful images regardless of how you feel the session went. So many times I've been told by clients that they were worried no images would have turned out because of how their kids were behaving, and then they're shocked at the amount of beautiful images in their gallery.
I have two pieces of advice for you... 1: Trust me. I have been doing this for a very long time and I'm confident I will provide you with beautiful images. And 2: Kids will be kids. Don't stress - let them be kids.
What to Expect: Family Sessions
We will meet at the pre-determined location a few minutes prior to the start time of your session. I always recommend clients arriving 5-10 minutes early for their session to make sure they're ready to go for the session start time. This will give you a few minutes to get organized and get your kids/pets ready. If you have really young kids, sometimes it's best to change them into their outfits once you arrive at the location.
Once we have both arrived and are all ready to go, we will start your session. My main focus during a maternity session is to capture the bond between you and your family members AND you and your baby bump. I will guide you with your posing (ie, how to stand in the most flattering way) while also avoiding the images looking overly posed/static (think Millennial prom pictures). To sum things up, I will pose you without "posing" you (guiding you without making you look like I posed you).
Regardless of the type of maternity session you've book, I promise that we will capture beautiful images of you and your loved ones. I pride myself in being able to create beautiful images regardless of how you feel the session went. We will focus lots on your growing baby bump. If there are any poses you'd like to try, please let me know during your session!
I have two pieces of advice for you... 1: Trust me. I have been doing this for a very long time and I'm confident I will provide you with beautiful images. And 2: If you are bringing kids to your maternity session... don't stress - let them be kids. They may not "behave" the way you want them to and that's okay. Make this a fun experience!
What to Expect: Maternity Sessions
STUDIO SESSIONS: If you are coming to my studio, you are welcome to come inside and feed your baby in my home prior to your session. I have diapers, wipes, and other things you may need. Just let me know if you plan to come a few minutes early to feed your baby so I can ensure I'm ready. If you are bringing other kids, I'd recommend bringing some toys or an iPad for them to watch shows during the parts where they aren't in photos..
IN-HOME SESSIONS: I will arrive at your home at the start time of your session. If you can, try to feed your baby right before I arrive. Usually babies like to snooze after feeds so this will be perfect for the session. Typically for in-home sessions, we will do photos in the following spaces: nursery, primary bedroom and living room. We want to do photos in the rooms with the best natural light.
My main focus during a newborn session is to capture the bond between you and your new baby. I will guide you with your posing (and how to hold your baby for each pose) so you can trust that I will do my best to make you look your best! If you have something that your self conscious about, let me know and I'll ensure we avoid poses that accentuate it.
For all newborn sessions, you have access to my newborn client closet, along with my moses basket and swaddles. I promise that we will capture beautiful images of you and your loved ones. I pride myself in being able to create beautiful images regardless of the fussiness of a newborn baby. If there are any poses you'd like to try, please let me know during your session! My biggest piece of advice is to TRUST ME and try not to have too many expectations! We will have fun!
What to Expect: Newborn Sessions
REGULAR MILESTEONE: This session will take place in my studio. You can pick between a solid white background, or my white brick wall + wood flooring set up. Let me know in advance so I can ensure it is set up for you. I have a few outfits options for various ages for kids. Please let me know your childs size and I'll have the outfits set out in case.
CAKE SMASH MILESTONE: For these sessions, you are required to bring your own cake (due to allergies and intolerances, I cannot provide cakes). I recommend vanilla/white cake and non-coloured icing. Think neutral! Mainly because coloured icing can stain faces!
MILK BATH MILESTONE: I provide the milk for the milk bath for theses sessions. Please note that it is powdered skim (cows) milk - if you require something different, you will need to provide it. I ask clients to bring the items they want in the bath (ie, flowers, leaves, strawberries, cereal, cookies, etc). Note: If your child is young (under 1 year old), you will be required to go in the bath with them to hold them.
Milestone sessions are some of my favourite sessions. I love being able to document my clients children as they grow up!
PS, I offer a baby membership which consists of 4 sessions throughout the first year of your babies life (3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months). It can also be added onto a maternity and newborn package for an extra discount. Feel free to reach out for more information on these packages!
What to Expect: Milestone Sessions
Branding Sessions: By default, these sessions are held in my studio, but branding sessions can take place anywhere you'd like. We can discuss together to see what would be the best location to showcase your business!
For branding sessions, I recommend bringing 3-4 outfits. This will get you more variety in your final gallery. If you sell a product, bring it with you. If you provide a service, please bring items with you that showcase your service.
Headshot Sessions are held in my studio. Typically we will use a white backdrop to achieve a professional headshot. If you require something different, please let me know in advance of your session!
For Headshot sessions, I recommend 1-2 outfits. You can change in studio to get more variety in your final gallery.
My main focus during both branding and headshot sessions is to take the most flattering photos of you that I can. I will pose you to ensure you look your best. If you have something that your self conscious about, please let me know and I'll ensure we avoid poses that accentuate it (ie, double chins can be easily hidden with the camera angle and the way your head is tilted).
What to Expect: Branding + Headshots
You will meet at the pre-determined location a few minutes prior to the start time of your session. I always recommend clients arriving 5-10 minutes early for their session to make sure they're ready to go for the session start time. This will give you a few minutes to get organized and get your kids/pets ready. If you have really young kids, sometimes it's best to change them into their outfits once you arrive at the location.
These sessions are scheduled back-to-back with no gaps in between. This is why it's very important to be early!
My main focus during a mini session is to capture the bond between you and your family members. I will guide you with your posing (ie, how to stand in the most flattering way) while also avoiding the images looking overly posed/static (think Millennial prom pictures). To sum things up, I will pose you without "posing" you (guiding you without making you look like I posed you).
I promise that we will capture beautiful images of you and your loved ones. I pride myself in being able to create beautiful images regardless of how you feel the session went. So many times I've been told by clients that they were worried no images would have turned out because of how their kids were behaving, and then they're shocked at the amount of beautiful images in their gallery.
I have two pieces of advice for you... 1: Trust me. I have been doing this for a very long time and I'm confident I will provide you with beautiful images. And 2: Kids will be kids. Don't stress - let them be kids.