Session Preparation & FAQs
Studio address
28 Union Street
Newton, MA 02459
The door to my studio, which is on the second floor, is in between Tartufo restaurant and Newton Pediatrics. You can come right in and up the stairs.
parking
To find the closest parking spots, I recommend driving to the studio to check if the spots right in front of the building are open and so you know where the studio is if you end up parking somewhere else. If you are coming with your partner, it is easiest to drop off one parent and the baby while the other looks for parking. I am available to help carry things up the stairs.
If the spots right in front of the building full, make a hard left at the stop sign, onto Beacon St. If those are full too, you can either make a left at the light onto Langley Road to find close street parking or continue through the light and go to the big parking lot in the center, which is just past the traffic light. I’d stick a stroller in your car just in case you end up in the parking lot. It’s not a far walk, but would be easier if you’re bringing stuff.
It is metered street parking – you can either pay with the Passport App (used in Boston), with coins, or a credit card.
I don’t typically have an issue finding a space really close. Call or text me at 413-530-8967 if you have any trouble.
I’m including a map with the route I take when I look for street parking. It’s actually really easy once you’ve been here!
FAQ
Do need to bring clothes for the baby?
01.
Newborn
Clothes are not necessary – I typically use the studio's wraps and blankets during the shoot and try to keep the baby as natural as possible. If you’d like to bring something for the baby to wear, I suggest a white, natural, or pastel colored onesie.
Baby
I have a collection of classic baby clothes that work well in photos. Follow the link below to check out my studio wardrobe. You are welcome to bring outfits, just remember that white and neutral pieces will work best in my photos.
STUDIO WARDROBE
What should parents and siblings wear?
02.
White and neutral colors (beige, oatmeal, gray) work best. I suggest picking simple, timeless pieces.
For dads and brothers, a plain short or long-sleeved t-shirt work well for casual photos. Linen button downs are also one of my favorites.
For moms and sisters, white or neutral tops or dresses with texture always look lovely. I have a few dresses at the studio moms are welcome to use.
What should I bring?
03.
Extra diapers, wipes, and formula if you’re bottle feeding.
There are a number of restaurants within walking distance of the studio if adults get hungry, but I recommend packing snacks for yourself too.
What's the session like? How long will it take?
04.
When you first arrive, we'll take a few minutes to settle in. I'll show you where we'll be taking photos, the restroom, and coffee station!
Newborn
I'll have you undress the baby and then I'll wrap baby in a snuggly wrap. If the baby is settled at that point, I will start with photos of the baby alone on the beanbag. If the baby is still settling, we'll start with parent photos.
I will take care of posing and adjusting the baby and directing you for parent photos, so you can sit back and relax! I keep the studio warm for the baby’s comfort (I recommend adults dress in layers). Sessions typically last two hours.
Baby
If you'd like to use the studio wardrobe, I will show you my collection when you arrive. We'll pick 2-3 outfits for baby. If baby is settled at that point, we'll start photos. If you need to feed baby before we start, that's okay too! Sessions typically last one hour.
Can I bring the baby's siblings and dog to the studio?
05.
Baby's siblings are welcome to come along for the photoshoot. Sometimes parents decide it's best for siblings to leave right after their photos are done, so take two cars. I recommend bringing along their favorite distractions (for example, an iPad) to keep them entertained.
If one parent would like to take the kids out for a bit, the Newton Center playground (81 Tyler Terrace, Newton) is about a 5-minute drive away and has easy street parking. If you would like to reward older brothers and sisters with a sweet treat, Blackbird Doughnuts, JP Licks, and Learning Express toy store are within walking distance of the studio.
I recommend saving the photos with the family dog until the baby is older and we can do an outdoor session.
06.
How many photos will be in the gallery?
There are typically about 40 finished photos to choose from.
07.
Do you retouch the photos?
Light blemish removal is included. Additional retouching starts at $15 per photo.
08.
Can I include grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. in photos?
Session fee pricing is for immediate family (parents and siblings only). If you wish to include extended family, please contact me for pricing.
THE PORTRAIT PROCESS
From shoot to print
3+ weeks after your session
About three weeks after your session, you will get an email with a link to a slideshow of your photos. Once your click the link, you will have 24 hours to purchase a package. After you select and pay for your package, the gallery and store will open up and you will have 30 days to choose and download your digital files and use your print credit.
01
Within 30 days of selecting a package
Your gallery and store are open! I encourage you to spend time in the store. I offer beautiful products and gifts for you and your whole family! I often gift my parents a calendar of my boys and they love it. Albums are also a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite photos for years to come. Don't forget to display photos on your walls. My kids love seeing themselves throughout our home!
02
2-6 weeks after your order
All products ordered from the store ship directly from my print labs and album binderies. Estimated turnaround time for each product can be found in the product description in the store. Prints and holiday cards will come within a couple weeks while albums and larger wall art take about 4-6 weeks. Please note turnaround times are approximate and can vary during busy times of year.
03
DIGITAL IMAGE CARE
Downloading your files
Once you’ve decided which images you’d like to use for your download credit (no need to choose if you go with Collection C), I’d encourage you to do that immediately. That process is simple: select the images and use the down arrow in the upper right corner of your gallery - click on that and the system will walk you through the download process. The images will download as a zip file, which you can double-click to expand. I suggest you make a second copy of the expanded files, then save the two copies to two different locations - I generally recommend thatone copy be saved to an easily accessible drive (either your computer or an external hard drive), and that the other get saved to the cloud (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)
Copyrights (and wrongs)
Once you’ve got your digital files in hand, you are free to print them when, where, and as often as you wish - you can use them to make holiday cards, share on your social media or personal blog, etc. The only thing you can’t do are related to the resale of your photos or use for commercial/business purposes. For instance, if you’ve authored a book, you’d need additional permission to use one of the photos on the dusk jacket, and you wouldn’t be able to enter one of the photos into a contest and win prize money for it. Otherwise,
you’ve got free reign.
Printing your images
While everything that I offer in my store is printed in professional labs and guaranteed to be beautiful, I also recognize that you may want to print your images yourself, and thanks to those digital files, you absolutely can! Be sure to de-select any color correction options, and be sure to upload the original files you downloaded, not copies. The files you receive from me should allow you to print up to 16x20”.
