1. THE RESERVATION

The date is locked in my schedule upon receipt of the signed contract as well as the non-refundable deposit. I will contact you a few days before the date in question to confirm details!

2. THe Location

I offer Mini-sessions only a couple of times of the year, and it is always a date, time, and location of my choosing. The location should have already been chosen if you are reading this, so if you aren’t sure of where we are shooting please contact me ASAP!

3. ARRIVAL TIME

Timing for our sessions is very important, especially when we are working on a tight schedule as with mini-sessions. I will not start a mini session later than 10 minutes past your scheduled session. There are most likely other sessions booked after yours and if I start running behind schedule, it isn’t fair to the others who are at their session on time. But I also have three young children, a dog, cat and a husband so I know what it's like to try and get out of the house on time.. isn't always easy! And things do arise. Please notify me if you know you are going to be late, as soon as you do, and if it will be any later than 10 minutes, we can try to put your session at another time if possible.

4. TAKE THE TIME TO TAKE THE TIME

Mini-sessions are generally 20 minute sessions which doesn’t give us a lot of time to ‘warm up’ to the camera! So I highly recommend getting to our meeting location a little early so you have time to unwind, walk around, let yourself and/or your kids get a little silly and relaxed. The more relaxed and authentic you can be during our short shoot, the more incredible images we will be able to create together!

5. What To Wear?

Good question! If you need a little advice in this department, I can help! This is the BIG question, what do we wear?? Truth is the answers can range, depending on you and your personal style. But I would the say the most important thing is that you are comfortable and that your clothes fit you well. If your shoes hurt or you're afraid your blouse button may pop open during the shoot, you probably won't be very relaxed and it will show in the images! Try and plan your outfit a few days prior, so you aren't scrambling the day of! A few other things to keep in mind;

COLOR VS NEUTRAL TONES -I always say, don’t be afraid of a little color! Find a palette you love and go with it! Bright yellow? YES! Pink or Emerald green? YES YES! A pop of color can do so much for a photograph, but too many bright colors on the same space can sometimes feel very loud and busy. I do also love a soft, light palette as well; beiges, pinks, grays and creams can be so soft and soothing on the eyes. Ultimately you have to go with what reflects you most! What color are YOU??
PATTERNS - patterns are wonderful but try not too get tooooo busy, it can become a lot on the eyes (and on the camera!)
DETAILS - jewelry, watches, embroidered sweaters, TEXTURE! all good stuff.
ACCESSORIES/PROPS - I love a good prop! Blankets, picnic baskets, bubbles.. anything easy to pack up and transport works!
THINGS TO AVOID - Perfectly matching outfits.. you know what I mean... Please just don't do it.

6. WE AREn't photogenic

Just be yourself. It may seem like an obvious response, but I know it's easier said than done. Don't do what you think you should do, but what comes naturally. Try not to look at the camera (unless I ask you to!) Have fun, hold hands, laugh with each other, talk, make jokes, or just cuddle close and close your eyes and be present.. whatever feels right. Tell your children that you love them, kiss your partner, lots of hugs, play, dance, roll in the grass with your little ones and just HAVE FUN! I will of course give you little suggestions here and there when needed, but my goal isn't to stage you in cliché poses, rather to to allow you to be yourselves, to relax, and to enjoy our time together.

7. your CHILDREN

I often see parents stress during photo sessions about their children's behavior. Trust me, there is nothing I have not seen in my own home! Your children are perfect just as they are. They will not be asked to stand like a statue and smile endlessly anyway; we will move, laugh and make faces if it feels right. If I can give you a little extra advice coming not only from a family photographer but a mother of three young children, it is better to avoid raising your voice or threatening to withdraw privileges if their behavior is not up to your expectations. This will often (as I'm sure you know) just cause them unnecessary tears and stress, and trust me that's the last thing you want during our short time together! Of course if a little tantrum does arise, we will work with it. Just try and remind yourself, there is no right or wrong way to behave during these sessions; just relax, smile and laugh a lot.. and be yourselves!

7. HELP, I'M AFRAID OF THE WEATHER / WE'RE SICK!

All of my mini-sessions are rain or shine! (but we will cross our fingers for shine!) But please, don't be afraid of a little rain! Some of my most favorite images have come from rainy, cloudy, cold shoots. Bring a blanket or an umbrella, or even better let's get wet! But if it's really looking bad (thunderstorms, etc) or you are very sick, call me as soon as possible, we will talk about the problem (860-930-8684) and see what we can do. Depending on the situation, it may be possible to postpone to a later date. In this case, the deposit would simply be applicable to the new date that would be chosen based on our common availabilities. In no case will any amount be refunded in the event of cancellation by you.

9. WHEN AND HOW WILL WE RECEIVE OUR PHOTOS?

In the days following your session, a small preview will be sent to you by email or posted on my Facebook/Instagram pages. Please follow along, your support means so much! You can find me on Facebook here and here and on Instagram here and here. The sequel will come in 2-3 weeks later in an online gallery(unless otherwise specified). You will receive 15 fully edited, high resolution images in a folder for download and you will be able to choose one of these images to order in a 8x10 size professional print.

10. WILL OUR PHOTOS BE RETOUCHED?

All the high resolution photos you are given are ready for printing. They are retouched to adjust the exposure, contrast, sharpness and hues.

11. WHAT IF I WANT TO SHARE THEM ON Social Media or my Blog?

OMG please do! A link to my website www.jennifermarcuson.com in the caption for your shared image is the best gift you can give me, as word of mouth is the most effective advertising out there. We photographers get 90% of our new clients from referrals by other clients so you sharing my work is so very appreciated! Thank you <3

WEB files are optimized for sending by email or sharing on various social networks, these files are not dedicated to printing so please always verify your file size before printing. A personal publication on the Internet is authorized, provided that the name of Jennifer Marcuson, Photographer and my website is clearly associated with it and the images are not altered in any way, as stated in our written agreement!

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any other concerns or questions. I can't wait for our session!

PREPARING FOR YOUR mini-SESSION | questions answered

Prepare your | MINI Session