1. Where should we shoot?
I have lists I have complied for Winter and Summer sessions. I will email you this list so you have an idea of the different locations. For short sessions, I keep those to the Breck/Blue River area. I can go further for a short session, but I price these to keep them close to where I live. So if you'd like to go out of the Breck area (Silverthorne, Dillon, Vail, etc...) I will need to add on a small travel fee based on the location.
2. What time do you do your sessions?
I shoot mostly in the evening. I do not want you looking into the sun, as you will be squinty. Especially in the winter, we have to also consider the reflection off the snow which can be very bright. If its a bluebird day and you want a mountain location with no shade that snow is realllllyyyyy bright!
I can shoot early if you really want to do that, but it has to be really early. Sunrise early! Which can be brutal in the winter. I’d expect 40s or so in the summer.
3. How will you deal with my kids?
I have learned a lot over the years, being a mom myself. This is very age dependent. Sometimes I tell jokes, other times i put a stuffed animal on my head! I have some toys that I bring with me to sessions. These are toys that I feel look good in pictures. Such as a wooden truck. If a kid just isn't having it then we have fun. We will play ring around the rosie, run towards mom and dad, etc...
4. What if it rains?
I always tell people to try and plan for the beginning of your trip in case we have bad weather. Typically rain here is short lived. It may storm at 4pm and the sun is shining at 6pm. I will watch the weather and if it looks bad for our scheduled time, I will contact you and see what our options are. That could be a different day or shooting earlier before the rain hits.
5. What is your style?
My editing style is true to color. My shooting style is a mix of candid and looking at the camera.
6. Do you charge a deposit to reserve a session?
Yes. I do a 25% deposit to reserve the day and time you are requesting.
7. Is the deposit refundable?
The deposits are non refundable. This because I have held this date for your session and may have turned down other sessions. If for some reason your vacation plans change, I will see if I can rebook your date. If I can then I will offer a refund on your deposit. If for some reason I had to cancel (illness, etc...) I will refund your deposit.
8. Do I have to choose which package I want before my session?
No you do not! You can wait until you see your gallery to decide which package you would like to do. If you decide you would just want a few extra images that is fine too. I am pretty flexible.
9. What about mornings? My kids do better in the morning.
I get it! I am a mom. My kids are getting older, but I remember those days of them being young. The problem with mornings, is that you are typically looking into the sun if you want a mountain view. This causes people to get squinty. To avoid this, that usually means shooting super early! Like sunrise early! If you are looking at a winter session, that also means very cold temperatures. I can shoot in the late morning, if you don't want a mountain view. We can stick to pine trees, aspens tress, maybe some water, etc...
10.What about clothes? What should we wear? Do you have any recommendations for outfits for little girls?
I usually tell people to pick a color scheme you like and go with that. For instance maybe you like pink and grays. Do consider the high altitude here. Even though it's summer it can be really cool, especially those higher elevations (like blue lakes). I like to tell people to have a sweater or a jean jacket on hand. Also consider your background at your location. Some places (Rainbow Lakes for instance) have a lot of greenery in the summer. So you may not want to wear a green dress, but something that looks good against green. In the winter, you have a lot of white in your backdrop. So if you dress in a lot of black your pictures may look a bit monochrome. If you prefer something that contrasts the white snow, then go for some colors.
Yes I have some places that I like for outfits for little girls:
Oopsie Daisy https://oopsiedaisy.com
Joyfolie https://www.joyfolie.com
I have more information about the seasons and how to dress on my blog: https://breckenridgecoloradophotographer.com/what-to-wear/
11. How long will it take to get our photos
I like to say 2 weeks, but there are times of year that I get super busy and it take me more like 3-4 weeks. See the next question to know when those busy times are.
12. When are your busy seasons?
Typically I get busy from mid June - through Sept. October starts to get slower as the leaves are gone. Then I will get busy again from Thanksgiving to New Years and the month of March for spring break.
13. Will you shoot at our Airbnb?
I will be brutally honest. I hate shooting at rentals. Why? I cant check out the lighting ahead of time, I don't always have that gorgeous mountain backdrop, the spaces are typically small for the amount of people I am working with, and I don't have the space to be really creative. The amount of times I've shot at rentals I usually walk away feeling like those pictures could have been so much better.
14. We only have 8 people in our extended family can we do a short session?
Honestly I still suggest doing a one hour session. I have found that even with small families, there are plenty of different groupings people want. I don't like to just take one picture of that grouping. I like to take several different ones so you have options to choose from. I have taken on a few smaller extended families in a 30 minute session, and we almost always go over on time. I suggest just doing the one hour and if we haven't used the full time we can move around and get some different backgrounds.
15. How do I receive my images?
Once you have decided on the images you want, I will look at them one last time. At that point I will provide a link to a location where you can download your images. You will also receive a print release.
16. Will you provide the RAW files?
No. Sorry this is not something that I provide.
17. Will you edit in a different style if I ask
No my style is just that. I like a true to color style. If you want more of a Light and Airy or Dark and Moody style, then I am probably not the photographer for you. I also do not add in colorful skies. Please make sure to look through my galleries to see if our styles match.
18. What about dressing for winter, do you have any tips to stay warm?
Yes I do! Please read this if you are booking a winter session. Let's start with shoes....boots to keep those feet warm. If you don't want boots in your pictures then, consider wearing the boots and changing for pictures. But also keep in mind if we've had fresh snow. You may want those boots! I will 100% recommend heated socks. You don't have to buy the $300 pair of hotronics, Amazon sells many different types. I have Snow Deer socks and have loved them. Trust me your toes will thank you. You usually can't find kids sizes in heated socks, but when my daughter was 6 or 7 I bought the smallest adult size I could find.
Hands...bring hand warmers and open them up before you get to your session so they can get nice and warm. Then stick them in a pocket. Snow gloves do not look great in pictures, I do suggest bringing them so you can do some warm up breaks during the session. If you want mittens/gloves on during the pictures then I would suggest those knit gloves you can get a target, etc...They may not be the warmest but they will provide some protection and you can put the hand warmers in there.
Head - consider winter hats/beanies. If it is really cold, a hat will help you stay so much warmer.
Body - I suggest wearing thermals under your clothes. Especially if you are wearing jeans, as jeans as not very warm. Ladies, if you've decided to wear a dress to a snow session, consider some fleece leggings underneath. Just make sure they do not show. Sweaters are always great to provide some extra warmth. Or even fleece pullovers. Do consider the weather when you choose your outfit, especially if you don't want coats on.
I always say to bring your winter coats, even if its just for warm up breaks. If you do choose to wear coats for the pictures, I would suggest having something neutral or earth tones. In other words don't bring the bright yellow ski jacket. Consider bringing a peacoat or something similar.
What else should I add to this list? Email me your questions. michele@micheleschankerphotography.com
