Calgary Wedding Photographer – Page 2

Jun

FAQ FRIDAY #2

Location Location Location

‘Where are we getting our portraits done?’

It’s almost time for your session and we’re trying to decide on a location. Below are some things you’ll want to think about.

Keep in mind the décor of your home. My personal photography style is more modern minimalistic or brighter and softer. My home is also more modern minimalist. I would never have us dressed in bright colors on a canvas in my wall because it doesn’t go with my minimalistic style. Make sure you coordinate your outfits and locations to match the décor style of your home. You also will need to coordinate the colors with the walls of your house so they don’t clash.

If you have a modern minimalistic space like mine, studio portraits look gorgeous and outdoor pastels will go with all modern minimal decor.

The above being said however, if you have a more modern home, studio photos will more than likely be your best option.

You can also choose to have a lifestyle session done inside your home. We will come to your house and take photos of your family in your own natural environment. These are beautiful and will look great in your house because they match perfectly.

Xo,

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

Jun

ALP SANTA EXPERIENCE

He’s back!

Yes! You read that correctly, we’re talking the ULTIMATE Annual ALP Santa Experience!

This one of a kind experience is an absolute dream come true for the littlest imaginations and truest believers! The magic never dies with the big guy around and we are honoured to host his presence in the studio again this year.

We know you have questions so we’re going to try and make sure we can answer most if not all right here.

All the details are provided below including a pre-release booking link with a discount code!

Dates & Times

Santa will be in the studio on November 1, 2020 for the first round of the Ultimate Santa Experience. As we book the date we’ll open up more dates. I only have room for 5 sessions per day. Sessions start at 10 am and will run until 4 pm. (Please note we are booking on the hour time slots and will not have time to accommodate late arrivals. If you arrive late your time will be shortened to the remaining allotted time. ALP Studios will not be held liable for potentially missed portrait captures. Please make sure you arrive 5 -10 minutes early).

How long is my session and how many people can I have join?

Each session is 1 hr in length. It can include up to 6 individuals. $25 per additional individual.

What happens during my session?

During your session we will prompt you and the big guy to interact and get some fun and memorable moments together. Picture it as if you’re creating your very own Christmas Story!

(Studio props available for use, backdrop colour to be determined)

Where is the Santa Experience taking place?

Right here in the ALP Studio!

How much will this cost me and where can I reserve my session?

We know this is really the question you’re looking for an answer on so here it is!

Session investment and what’s included:

$149 + gst

This fee covers your 1 hr session with Santa and the photographer! Now I know you want some product as well, so rather than charge you our regular session fee ($249 + gst) we wanted to offer you a special rate for these sessions this year. Yes our digital and print packages are sold separately. However, when you purchase a minimum of $250 on your print or digital package we’ll throw in a set of 10 ALP designed and printed Christmas cards to send to family and friends. One stop shop!

Reserve your session below

We can’t wait to see you!

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

Jun

TIP TUESDAY #12

7 Tips for Preparing for Your Summer Session

You know we’re ready for a hot summer, but are you? Here are seven ways you can make sure your summer portrait session goes off without a hitch.

Dress appropriately. Summer means hot and humid weather, which can lead to sticky bodies. Choose breathable, lightweight fabrics that don’t weigh you down. As for shoes, sweet flats or loafers are a great option. (Ahem, can we just put in here how in love we are with linen & cotton blends…#swoon!)

Think about your hair. If you or a family member’s hair reacts to humidity in a negative way, opt for a hairstyle that won’t leave you feeling insecure. For example, a pretty braid or an updo is a good choice. Or you can wear a headscarf, or use a little extra product to keep frizz at bay. If you’re still unsure might we suggest utilizing our professional HAMU services included for one in our session fee!

Pack necessities. When packing your photo shoot necessities, we recommend bringing the following items: Lots of water for all, a snack for sustenance, sunscreen, umbrella for shade, water mister, makeup touchup.

Get creative with session ideas. Summer offers a host of activities that lend themselves to amazing photo sessions. For example, there’s the Stampede (well usually), perhaps a circus, festivals, and plenty more. I’d be more than happy to shoot a really creative session with you. Not to worry if you haven’t any idea what to get creative with, this is discussed in our pre-session consult, we’ve got your back!

Think about head to toe details. For example, if you’re wearing flip-flops or open toed shoes, you may want to have manicured feet. If it’s really breezy, a hat or scarf can keep things under control.

Rest assured knowing I won’t let you overheat. Sometimes it’s hard just to walk outside when it’s scorching outside, but know that we’re going to have an amazing shoot. We’ll spend lots of time in the shade, dive into the cool A/C when we can, and I will never push your family into staying longer than they can or want.

Incorporate props. Outdoor summer shoots are loaded with imagery as is, but we can always incorporate a few props into the mix. Vintage step stools in a field look gorgeous, as do blankets, balloons, and even visually striking treats (lollipops, ice cream, etc.).

We can’t wait to work with you and your family!

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our local small business!

Jun

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL – CASSANDRA

We love our clients, they often turn into friends after working with them!

Friend, Client, Family, but what I love so much and am forever grateful for is that she trusted me with so many intimate moments in her life. She is an absolutely gorgeous person, and I mean slaying your maternity session the way she did…#queen!

Thank you Cass for letting me be a part of all the major moments!

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our local small business!

Jun

IN LOVE WITH GOLDEN HOUR

Why we prefer to schedule sessions around sunset

So you want to learn about golden hour, eh? It’s a pretty popular time of day for photographers to shoot. We’ll tell you what it is and why we prefer this time of day to others.

You may or may not have noticed that all of our open availability for sessions is in the evening before sunset. We do have some daytime sessions available, but we prefer to shoot in the hours leading up to sunset. This is called the ‘Golden Hour.’ During this time, the lighting is absolutely perfect.

The perks:

You get yummy light flares and beautiful soft light.
There are no soft shadows or squinty eyes from the blinding sun at high noon.
In the summer, the weather isn’t too hot, so you’re able to relax a little better knowing there isn’t sweat running down your face or making stains on your shirt.
During Golden Hour, everything is warm and pretty and gives off a magical feeling.

We can also get some sweet silhouette shots as the sun is going down on the horizon.

Reserve your Essential Summer Family Golden Hour session today!

As these sessions are seasonal we’re only accepting evening bookings between July 1st – September 1st.

We’ve Included the Following in these sessions:
* Pre-consult and customization of your portrait session (this is usually done in person but we’ve migrated to zoom meetings, FaceTime, and telephone or even email)
* Wardrobe consult (I help you take the guess work out of what to wear)
*Complimentary Hair & Make-up for one individual
* 1 hr outdoor session (location will be determined as per our consult and customization meeting)
* During the session I will be sure to prompt and pose and direct you in order to capture those flattering angles.

We look forward to seeing you and your family and can’t wait to create some amazing memories together!

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our local small business!

Jun

WHY WE LOVE CANVAS

This is why we love our Professional Canvas’

ALP canvas prints are one of a kind! They are hand wrap premium fine art canvas on metal to create a streamlined piece with classic natural texture. Our cotton-poly canvas is acid- and OBA-free, and archival-certified. The opaque, matte finish has excellent D-max tones for spectacular highlights and an extended color gamut with our professional pigment-based inks. Canvas is water, scratch, and crack resistant, and finished with an additional protective coating for an heirloom product.

Talk about a statement piece!

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

Jun

CHOOSING THE BEST WAY TO DISPLAY PHOTOS IN YOUR HOME

You may not be aware but part of the experience of working with AdaLilly Photography is we can help design your at home wall display with our virtual design assistant!

Talking about prints and sizes, and where to hang and what to hang etc can be a tough and confusing decision. I mean talking about different kinds of paper and why we print on one vs another is something everyone should know right? No, we don’t expect you to know it all and part of the experience of working with ALP is that we love pampering our clients and being the experts in this area. After all it is what we do being a full service photography studio. We wanted to take the guess work out of choosing what to print and where to hang it, again taking you through a seamless transition through the entire experience. After all you’ll want your portraits to look their best in your home.

How does it work:

* Most of this is planned in the pre-session consult believe it or not. It’s partly how we decide on the backdrop to shoot your portrait on.

* Decide on a space in your home that you’d like to use as your ‘feature wall’ or space to showcase our work we just created together.

* Next, lets decide on print size(s)

* Then let me virtually design the look showcasing colours already in your home or more specifically the area these pieces of art are going to be enjoyed.

* Lastly we place your order together and await its arrival to share in your home with family and friends.

Some things to think about that we will discuss in detail at your ordering appointment.

Is the space large enough for 1 feature image or a collage of multiple images?

Pick your favourite images that you might like to see on your wall(s)

Still have questions?

Its okay, we understand that you may have questions. We also understand that you may want to see more than one option. No problem! Let us know we are happy to answer any questions you have and if its a concern about whether or not its the perfect image for the space, lets chat more and create a couple digital design options for you to choose from. Regardless, no need to stress, we have your back!

When hanging photos on your wall (framed or canvas) you can choose to hang a single photo, or a group of photos in a collage to change it up.

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

Jun

BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL HAIR & MAKEUP FOR YOUR SESSION

You may be questioning whether the cost of a professional hair and makeup artist is worth it. While we highly recommend splurging on these two things, and here’s why

(Complimentary HAMU is included for one individual during each portrait session)

You’re going to feel amazing with that fabulous hair and flawless face. Trust us! You better believe that feeling of confidence will totally show in your photos.

It’s less that you have to worry about. You’re already going to be tasked with getting the family or yourself ready for your session that day, why not have one less thing on your mind. Grab a glass of bubbly and get yourself pampered, knowing you’ll look amazing after your hair/makeup sesh.

These people are professionals. They know exactly what kind of tools, colors and products to use to bring out your best features and make you look stunning. I mean, isn’t that exactly how you want to look on your portrait session day?AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

Feb

WEDNESDAY WEIGH IN #4

Today we’re back to talk about Comparing Packages & Asking about Your Rights…

Grab a cup of coffee and lets sit down and review those packages!!!

STEP 7: COMPARE THOSE PACKAGES

Knowing the exact dollar amount? You won’t know what the number will be until you decide what type of coverage you want for your day, how many albums you need and where your photographer is from. Packages can range well between $500 – $15,000 + on the higher more experienced end of the spectrum. When you meet with your photographer(s) ask for a general idea of what the investment will be based on the photographer’s standard rate/shooting feee and package. Additionally ask about the rates for their albums you think you’ll want and the amount of coverage you’re hoping to book them for. Do you require their services for the day? or possibly the entire weekend? Are you getting hitched at a destination location? All these factors can greatly effect your investment. Keep in mind the value you seek. Do you care about experience in the art? Is it important to you to have more than one photographer? If so you need to ask how much it is for the additional coverage. Do you want an engagement session or a newlyweds session? Are these additional to the packages or included? Is a second shooter part of the contract? If not ask about the possibility. While it’s nice to have a second shooter they’re not always available, be prepared for the possibility that they may not be if this decision is made later on in the discussions. Depending on the size of your wedding a third shooter may even be beneficial. Enabling all angles to be captured from your event.

STEP 8: WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS? WHAT ARE THE PHOTOGRAPHERS?

READ THOSE CONTRACTS!!!! Most photographers stipulate in their contracts that they own the rights to all the images taken at the wedding. Yes! That includes the ones of you! What does this mean? This means that the photographer has the right to use all images promotionally where they choose. (website, blog, publication submissions, and ads). Knowing this leads us to the next part…digital proofs. Most photographers have a policy that you can only share watermarked images or images with their credit on them. If you want to print the images yourself or order an album from another source, you’ll likely have to buy the rights to the images.

Thank you for coming back! We’ll be wrapping up this section of WWI next week and then head into some more details of wedding photography and planning!!

AdaLilly Photography

Jan

WEDNESDAY WEIGH IN #3

Hello! You’re back!

STEP 5: THE ANALYTICAL EYE

The analytical eye…nows the time to be a bit more critical in choosing your photographer. When assessing a photographer’s album, it is important to remember to note those pivotal moments you want captured. For example, did the photographer capture that first look as the bride enters the room or aisle? Is there a certain clarity in the images you’re looking at for example do they appear crisp and clean or are they sharp with a delicate softness. Is there considerate composition of the images? Were there any emotional images captured that speak to you? Do the subjects in images look relaxed even if posed? You two are the most important piece of the day’s puzzle but you want to see happy images of your friends and family too!

STEP 6: ‘CLICKING’ PERSONALITIES

Probably the most important part of the process. To love a photographers work is one thing, but to love and get along with the photographer is another. The client/photographer bond is absolutely the most important aspect when choosing your photographer. A few things to note as you discuss your vision and day: Does the photographer get overjoyed with your vision as you describe it to him/her? Do they present their recommendations clearly and respectfully? Are they shy? What are their mannerisms and are they uninviting? In order to get the best gallery of images we suggest that you choose a professional that has an unyielding hold of ettiquet but is brave enough to chase those epic images, but more than that, they should help alleviate some stress of the day.

You’re photographer will be your shadow, therefore the more comfortable you are with each other the better your images will turn out. They should ask lots of questions and be a good listener.

Join us again next week for another continuation to finding your perfect photographer!

AdaLilly Photography

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