Hi there! First of all, thank you so much for choosing me as your photographer! I am absolutely thrilled to document your family and this is something I do not take for granted. I hope this page will help you feel prepared for your session.

Session Prep overview

1. Client portal

2. Session prep

3. What to wear

4. Location, light, and weather

5. Visiting the studio

6. After your session

The client portal

Your contracts, invoices, and other forms and information can be located inside your client portal. Save your initial e-mail with your password. Take a moment to fill in any contact info not already filled in.

client portal

2. Session prep:

I love seeing people as they are and capturing the real beauty of the families I work with. Let’s get you as comfortable and relaxed at your session as possible. I like to encourage everyone to wear something that fits well, and they are comfortable in. It is understandable to want your portraits to be as beautiful as possible. So, I’ve compiled the lists below to help you prepare for your session. Most of these things need to be done prior to arriving at your session, and while planning for your session.

I want you to love your images as much as I do. I may point out little things if I see them, like hair ties on wrists. Ultimately it is up to you to come prepared to your session and how you want to be photographed. Some of these things are editable, not all. However, they will require an additional fee if a digital fix is requested, as opposed to correcting it prior to shooting. Minutes of prep could easily prevent hours of extensive editing, extra fees, and a delayed delivery time. Please see your contract for what is included in standard editing.

WHAT IS INCLUDED? MINOR BLEMISH REMOVAL IF THERE IS SMOOTH SKIN FOR CLONING. SMALL SCRATCHES/BRUISES.

All said and done, I do spend countless hours of additional editing to ensure well rounded galleries, including head swaps, minor adjustments, and more. I do not typically invoice for every minor thing, but I do have a limit to hours that can be spent on each gallery. The more of the examples below that you can correct, the more time I’ll have to fix unexpected issues, construct a great family portrait with everyone’s best faces, and include more images.

CHECK THESE BEFORE LEAVING THE HOUSE

THESE THINGS (IF EDITABLE) ARE AN ADDITIONAL FEE TO FIX IN POST PROCESSING.

SKIN AND NAILS-Remove stick on tattoos/stickers. Remove chipping nail polish.

LASHES-Avoid the falsies if they tend to peel up.

CLOTHING WRINKLES-Come wrinkle free. Patterned materials, if even possible, take much longer to edit.

DRESSES-Wear them long enough to pose in without seeing diapers/underwear. Make sure the lengths of clothing are where you want for all family members, even when moving.

CLINGY FABRIC-Avoid really clingy materials. They hug everything. Unless that is the look intended.

THIN FABRIC-Avoid fabrics that are see through and visible under garments unless intended.

NEON COLORS-Avoid these. They act as a neon reflector creating colorful skin tones, unless that is the look intended.

FEET-Clarify which socks and shoes everyone should wear. Barefoot is optional.

JEWELRY-Avoid the pieces that endlessly flip backwards or spin around.

GLASSES-While some posing can be done to minimize glare on glasses, not all age groups can follow these suggestions, like chin down (not towards the light), and it does minimize posing available. Editing glare is not included. Correcting transition lenses may not be possible, or look natural, and is not included. Color correcting lenses is also not included in standard editing.

HAIR-If it’s notorious for covering an eye and you don’t want it to, try pinning it back. Tame flyaway hair if you don’t love them. Hair naturally moves, and adds life and movement to images, flyaway hairs are not included in standard editing.

LIPS-Apply chap stick if chapped.

Make it fun!

The car ride

So here we are, it is photo day, and the bribes by now are in full force. You’ve broke a sweat a few times, and just managed to get your entire family and yourself ready. Which, well, feels like a miracle.

I need you to do something for me though… that car ride to the photo session? Have a snack, and drink (without color), and put on some good music. More smiles than threats really helps to set the mood for the photo session.

Sometimes just the stress of getting ready will do it, but kids that feel like they might be in trouble on the way, tend to be over it by time they even get to me.

My best tip is to say hey kiddos we are going to go sing, dance, cuddle and kisses and I have Casi there to capture how sweet and cool our family is! It’s going to be SO FUN!!

CONVINCE THEM IT WILL BE FUN BY SHOWING THEM HOW EXCITED YOU ARE!

Casi Ann Photography, Photographer, Illinois, IL, Studio, On Location, Family, pictures, portraits, Photography, Ingleside, Lake County, McHenry County, Northern Illinois, Crystal Lake, Round Lake, Volo, Fox Lake, Long Lake, Grayslake, Mundelein, Johnsburg, Lakemoor, Antioch, Gurnee

Check on arrival to your session – prior to starting

THESE THINGS (IF EDITABLE) ARE AN ADDITIONAL FEE TO FIX IN POST PROCESSING.

FACES-Wipe them free of food.

EYES/NOSES-Clear and clean them.

TEETH-Food or lipstick?

HATS-Remove your hat if it’s not a part of the outfit. Discuss this with partners prior to the session.

GLASSES-There may be glare! Posing to prevent glare may not be possible with littles.

WRISTS-Remove the hair ties and wrist bands. Also watches if they are not wanted in portraits.

SHIRTS-Are buttons lining up? Little ones tucked in from the last potty trip? Is everyone stain free?

FEET-Did everyone make it out of the house in the correct shoes? If not, consider barefoot.

SOCKS-Are there mismatched socks poking out?

POCKETS-Phones, wallets, and other items cause bulges.

Tips for mini sessions, or any session, when we’re running short on time:

  • If your child has a toy or lovey and you don’t want it in the photo. Don’t bring it to the session. When kids are in unfamiliar situations they will cling to things that are comfortable.
  • Bringing out snacks during a session in hopes it’ll bribe your kiddo to smile isn’t a good idea to start with in a mini session. They will just want to eat the snack during the session, will not give it up, and I know you are not looking for goldfish filled cheek photos. We won’t have time in shorter sessions for snack breaks like we do in longer sessions. We will bring it out the last few minutes if we have no other options. Make sure the kids are fed prior so they aren’t starving or thirsty. I do recommend back up snacks for longer sessions and for cake smash session (to hide in the back of the cake for uninterested smashers). We can absolutely pull them out when needed.
  • Again, absolutely make sure kids have had a snack, bottle, drink before the session. No one likes photos when hangry.
  • If you have a shy child and you are looking for this to be just a kiddo session, having mom and or dad dressed and ready to be in photos has been such a lifesaver, especially for kids 2 and younger. We may need you to sit with them and jump out quickly…repeatedly.
  • Arriving a few minutes minutes early and getting your child out of the car to shake off any nerves is helpful. Please be aware of other vehicles when parking for a mini session, as there may be a client leaving.
  • During the session, if I am photographing just the kids, be sure to stick close by me if you’re helping to get their attention. If you are up high or way off camera, we will have less photos of your child looking eye level with the camera but instead up or off to the side.
  • With an older child, avoid yelling their name over and over. Allow me to connect and talk with them. If they are repeatedly reminded their parents are there, or being distracted, it’s less likely we will get candid/natural expressions. Some older kids and teens actually loosen up and do better without being watched by parents. If they’re stiffening up, try acting like you’re not paying attention. I’ve had parents choose to step out for this reason, because they know this, but I’d rather have a guardian on site if possible.
  • Usually bringing along an extra person (like grandma) to get your child to smile ends up being more of a distraction. Again kids will cling to what is familiar and comfortable. We won’t get many pictures of them looking in the camera’s direction. This depends on the age.
  • If your child seems sick the day of photos, please don’t ever hesitate to reach out and reschedule. As a mom of 3, I understand it happens and I will always work with you. I may also need to do the same if we’re possibly contagious. It happens.

newborn Prep guide

what to bring:

Pacifier

Bottles with pumped milk/formula if they use them

Hairbrush for baby

Anything you would like to incorporate. Prior to your arrival, setups are arranged in order of workflow, and base on colors, themes, and props discussed. Upon arrival, take out anything you have planned to incorporate so it can be placed with what it fits best with. Be sure to mention the most important things so we can be sure to use those. Also, be sure to send a message at least 1 day prior to your session to help me coordinate the props with setups. There may be a limited number of outfit changes baby will allow before becoming unsettled. Rings can be incorporated any time fingers or toes are exposed, or simply laid on a wrapped baby. Small trinkets can also be placed around baby.

To do:

Keep baby awake as much as possible prior to their session time. We do make newborn session times in late mornings, starting around 10 or 11, and this helps as this is when a lot of newborns are calmest and heading back to sleep. Some newborns are very fussy in the evenings.

If baby still has not lost their umbilical cord, and you must sponge bathe, do take care to wash their hair as clean newborn hair photographs best. This is completely up to you, so if you would like it photographed as is, that is perfectly fine. Hair is not edited.

Most families that are taking family portraits bring baby in a coordinating outfit or have me wrap baby in a swaddle. If you’re bringing baby in an outfit that is for pictures, please be sure it is easy to get baby out of so we don’t upset them too much prior to their individual pictures. I can also usually wrap baby in the outfit if we’re doing wrapped portraits.

Give baby an extra feeding prior to their session. This is especially important for shorter session lengths (1 hour) as we may not have time for a feeding during the session, as that process can take 20 or more minutes. If baby is cluster feeding it is best to book or switch to a longer session to be sure we can capture most of what we have planned.

The studio will be kept warm to keep your little one comfortable. I rarely do portraits of babies unclothed or unwrapped these days, unless it is requested in advance, so I no longer need to keep the studio at 80 degrees and sweat everyone out. But it is still cozy. So, wear layers you can remove to remain comfortable. If you’ve requested naked newborn poses, do bring an extra outfit for yourself in case baby soils your clothing. This happens.

Family/sibling portraits are done first. If you choose to make arrangements for siblings to leave, that can be done 30-60 minutes after the start of the session, depending on the session booked, and what we’re capturing.

Cake Smash Prep guide

What to bring:

Cake

Cheerios or their favorite snacks. We can hide these behind the cake if your little one isn’t into it.

Bottle or sippy cup. Something to wash that cake down that isn’t colored.

Hairbrush for baby

Favorite toys. This is optional, but these can be dangled above the camera to get their attention. Please only bring toys you don’t mind having in the portraits. Avoid toys they won’t let go of or comfort items and aim for things that will make them laugh. I do have some in studio as well.

To do:

Do a practice run with a cupcake prior to the session to familiarize baby with cake. This can make them more comfortable with smashing.

Make sure they are well rested and have a full enough tummy to get through formal pictures without being hungry and upset.

When we’re getting the cake out and capturing it alone, that is a good time to do an outfit change, if cake isn’t wanted on the original outfit. I can have an outfit prepared for baby to use, but no studio outfits may be used with colored frosting as they stain.

Be prepared to return baby to the set. A lot. They move quickly and I’ll need to stay in place to capture them. Bring changes of clothes for the way home. If baby is a runner you may have cake on you as well. Select white or light icing when ordering your cake, if possible. It photographs nicely and doesn’t stain as much. Avoid certain frosting colors like red and brown, as they may appear in pictures like blood or feces. Unless, of course, you’re doing a theme that fits one of these colors.

You will be provided a towel and may use the bathroom sink if you’d like to wash baby up. That can be done after the cake smash or after the bath splash if we’re doing that. The bath splash is optional, and it is a cute little bathtub that is filled a little bit up with warm water, and photographed on the cake smash background.

Prior to the tub being placed, I will wipe up the cake mess on the floor, while you wipe cake off of baby. This is to contain the mess a little and so they have a clean face for their pictures in the tub. Bath splashing is usually baby’s favorite part. I recommend a swimsuit or diaper cover for this part, just in case baby stands up. I do keep little white ones in studio if you’d like to borrow one. Once we place them into the small tub, they tend to relax and might give up some smiles.

Session Timelines

These are all based on typical sessions. You will need to let me know if you’re looking for something weighted differently.

There is a lot of information listed in each newborn session under the newborn pricing/portfolio page tabs. Basically, they all start with family and then move to baby alone. If you are only interested in one or the other, that will need to be specified while planning.

This will depend on what we’ve planned for the session, but typically, we spend the first 15-30 minutes focused on family portraits, and then do maternity only. Or, we pull people in and out throughout as needed. It depends on backgrounds selected, who they fit, and who is participating. If the session is a solo maternity session then it’s mama the whole time. I also have a tendency of having kids jump in for solo pictures while the star of the the show is changing outfits. We try to use our time well here.

Here comes honesty. A rare few family sessions go as planned with small children, toddlers, or babies involved. It can be overwhelming. It happens. I’m good with that. I have kids. Not much surprises me. I’m strangely patient in the midst of the chaos of family sessions, and we just wait it out. Amazingly, we get some great portraits even when it’s not going as smoothly as you’d like. Cooperation of children cannot be promised. I do a lot of head swaps while editing (not in lifestyle sessions), but we get great collection of pictures. Most people know when head swaps happen, because it’s hard to recall one particular moment when everyone was looking and smiling. In family sessions the goal is posed and candid. We get family portraits with the whole crew, siblings if possible, and individuals of any of the family members who wants them. We can also capture mom with kids and dad with kids, boys together, girls together, mom and dad alone, etc. It all depends on the length of the session booked, expectations of variety, number children, ages, and cooperation. I will offer different prompts to get natural reactions out of everyone because 60 straight minutes of yelling cheese is a recipe for stiffness and boredom. The poses mostly happen between the prompts. You will be moving if you have littles, so wear something comfortable. I will hide in the weeds for an uncomfortable amount of time while following a toddler, if needed. I’m dedicated like that. If you are among the few that cannot relate to the above, keep the rest of us in your thoughts as we brave family portraits.

Just think of everything in 15-20 minute increments. Family pictures can take about that long to get a a portrait together, with mom and child, dad and child, and siblings, depending on the number and ages of siblings. Formal portraits of baby alone, while switching out props until we find something they like, can also take about 15-20 minutes. A cake smash takes about the same, as does a bath splash. So if we’re including a cake smash and bath splash in a full session, we keep the time for all of the above to the lesser amount. If we’re doing no cake smash or bath splash and just a milestone session, we split the session time in half. A milestone session without a cake and bath can be booked as a petite session. A cake smash can be done in a petite session if we’re not taking family and sibling portraits. For more variety, book more time. As with any session, what we are able to capture highly depends on cooperation.

With cooperation it looks like this:

Family & sibling 15-20

Baby alone formal 15-20 (around 10 or so on each set, family and child size, or the full amount on one)

Cake smash 15-20 – it is very common for babies not to enjoy this part and to crawl away A LOT

Bath splash 15-20

Yes, some of these can be rushed faster to include more. Depending on the baby, they can also take a lot longer, especially if baby doesn’t like to be put down. They tend to even out by spending a little more on one and then less on another. Sometimes the cake smash is under 10 minutes but the family, sibling, or baby alone, took 30-40 to get what we needed. If you’re looking for a lot of variety, definitely book a longer session. Babies do have limits and may not do well for long periods of time or multiple outfit changes.

clothing

3. What to wear to your photography session

Maternity

Family

Teen/Senior

4. Location, light & weather

When it comes to both location and weather I can be picky. These are such huge factors in the overall look of your session. I do help choose locations, keeping in mind any preferences you may have. I love warmth and light. Most of the time sessions will take place 1-2 hours prior to sunset or early morning. The light during the middle part of the day isn’t ideal. As far as weather, if it is very overcast or bad weather, I may reschedule.

“WHEREVER THERE IS LIGHT, ONE CAN PHOTOGRAPH.” -ALFRED STIEGLITZ

5. Visiting the studio

The Studio is located at: 25876 W IL-134, Ingleside, IL, 60041

The studio door is on the front next to the garage. You can pull right up to the studio door.

what to expect

6. After your session and after you’ve received your gallery

Galleries generally have a 2-4 week turnaround time. They will be delivered online via e-mail, and depending on your package you will be able to purchase more images, print or download all online. I really hope you love them. Of course, I would love a tag on social media. Like all small businesses, I gain more clients with reviews and word of mouth. So, share with friends and consider leaving a review on Google. Until next time…

Casi

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