#yycfamilyphotography – AdaLilly Photography

Jan

PROS FOR HIRING A PRO

Our favourite major 5 points for hiring a professional photographer.

Experience
The right gear
Its about more than just the photos
We know what works
We have a trained eye

Some pictures just can’t be redone, so using a professional photographer is more than just a great way to preserve important memories, its about the experience.

Thanks for stopping by!

ALP Studio

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

Jan

REGULAR VS MINI SESSIONS

Mini Sessions, what are they and why are they different from a regular session?

These Sessions are NOT:

my regular photo session offered at a discount.
insanely good deals offered to anyone who wants them at any time.
customizable like a full session

They ARE:

Exactly as they sound, a mini session.
They consist of a shorter time frame (15 mins vs 1-2hrs)
They consist of a lower number of images than a regular session
While less expensive than a regular session they are a ‘pop-up’ flash like seasonal sale.
They are only offered on specific dates & times of the year
They are planned a year in advance
They are specific
They are a little taste of my style and service for those who’ve never worked with me before

Regardless of what session you choose, I can’t wait to meet and work with you!

AdaLilly Photography

Thank you for supporting our little local business!

Jul

WHY FIT IN WHEN YOU WERE BORN TO STANDOUT!

We absolutely believe we have the best job providing a one of a kind experience!

We love making sure its easy! There shouldn’t be a question of what to wear so we not only provide our ALP Style Guide for our clients but we also provide a client wardrobe! I mean why not provide something a little more unique to your experience working with ALP Studios.

CLICK IMAGE TO BE LINKED TO OUR CLIENT WARDROBE ALBUM

Below we are sharing some of our favourite local shops that are part of our client wardrobe…

FRANCES BLACK DESIGNS

KARTAY PHOTOGRAPHY PROPS

RAE’S CLOSET

What makes us swoon?

We’re into knits, linen cotton blends, vintage threads and those oh so swoon worthy creamy whites! Tried and true to our ‘less is more’ modern minimalist approach.

Thank you for supporting our small locally owned business!

AdaLilly Photography

Jul

7 TIPS TO TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF PICTURE DAY

When it comes to family picture day, a lot of stress is typically associated with days leading up to the session. We’re here to help you relax and be prepared all at the same time. Here are some tips:

Find the outfits you want everyone to wear a month in advance and set them aside somewhere safe. Then try them on a week ahead of time to ensure everything still fits comfortably and that you didn’t miss any stains or holes that you couldn’t see until they were being worn.

As soon as your family changes out of their photo attire, make sure it is clean and pressed to be ready for the big day. Set the clothes together (sorted by person) and place them somewhere free from harm and dirt. Be sure to tell everyone that these are picture clothes and not to be worn until picture day. This will help to be sure that no articles of clothing go missing. Don’t forget about shoes, jewelry, belts, and other accessories.

About three to four days prior to the session, start talking with your husband and kids about the session and what will happen and how they should behave. If you plan to use a bribe, now is a good time to set that in place. Continue to talk to your children daily to prepare them for the session.

Two days prior to the session, pack a bag of everything you will need on picture day – snacks, props, bribery, etc. and put it somewhere you can grab it and go. Be sure to include wipes in case things get messy, an extra hairbrush, and other “emergency” items, such as bobby pins and a backup lipstick.

On the day of the session, make sure everyone is well fed, but not overfed. We don’t want sick little tummies from overeating, but we don’t want anyone getting “hangry” (angry because they are so hungry) either. Do not get your family dressed in their photo clothes until after they have eaten and brushed their teeth. This will prevent spills and other messy accidents.

If you have young children, avoid any colored drinks the day of the session until after we are finished. Also, get them to wear a bib or drop cloth if they drink anything on the way to the session to save their shirts from wet spots or stains.

Once you get to the session, try to relax. If you have set a bribe, please let me know so I can use that throughout the session if the children get restless. Trust your photographers – know that I will take care of things and will deliver amazing photos of your family.

Thank you for following and supporting our small business!

AdaLilly Photography

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

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!

May

FAQ FRIDAY #1

‘I have so many clothes and nothing that matches my family’s wardrobe, how are we going to look good if we have nothing that compliments each other?’

Fear not my friend! We have the answer (and no it doesn’t always involve going out and spending more money right away). Sometimes what you think may not compliment each other we see something different. That is why part of the service of hiring us as your family portrait photographer means we help style you! YES! We will take all the guess work out of styling your family portrait session right from the start. Thats right you leave it to us! We will make sure the props (if any), location, and wardrobe all come together seamlessly to create that one of a kind experience!

(Check out our favourite spring and summer colour pallets here for inspiration)

How does it work?

Its easy! During our pre-session styling consult you take us on a virtual like tour of your wardrobe via FaceTime or Zoom and we help tailor your family’s wardrobe precisely to fit your personalized portrait session.

One more thing…

Ladies, I have one more thing to pamper you with! Take the guess work out of your hair and makeup! Why? Because we’re including Hair & Makeup in all our sessions for one individual going forward! (Its the least we can do to show how much we love our clients and we personally believe we work with the best HAMU Artists in the city!)

COVID-19 Policies on HAMU
Until we get the confirmation to go ahead to proceed with this additional complimentary service we are also happy to put this value towards your print package.

Thank you for supporting our small local business!

AdaLilly Photography

Feb

ALP EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION – 2020 EASTER MINIS

RESERVE NOW before you miss out!

Two backdrops to choose from this year. Keeping it true to our minimalistic approach we can’t wait to work with your little ones this year.

Session Fee: $99 + gst (regularly $149 + gst)
Dates: March 15th & 21st, 2020 10 am – 4 pm
30 Minute Session
Use of ALP High Quality props & wardrobe (optional)
Included: 2 complimentary digital images (option to purchase more)
Turnaround: In time for Easter 2020

BACKDROP OPTION 1 – HOPPY FRIENDS

BACKDROP OPTION 2 – HOPPY TREATS

All backdrops & set designs are copyright AdaLilly Photography

RESERVE TODAY

AdaLilly Photography

Jan

THE SENTIMENTS PORTRAIT COLLECTION

We know its only January and its still fresh with the new year just beginning, but its time to start planning to get in with us to capture those moments that will captivate your heart forever!

INTRODUCING OUR SENTIMENTS COLLECTION

We thought about calling these just another ‘Mommy & Me Session’ but it didn’t speak to us, we felt we wanted to touch on those incredible memorable moments, the ones that have meaning and will remain with your heart forever. Therefore we thought how sentimental it would be to share these moments with mom, grandma, auntie, etc. After all there are many women in our lives that have likely had an impact on who we are today, why not celebrate with them all!

These are limited and won’t be back until the following year. As these sessions tend to book incredibly fast and due to the unique nature of their design we’ve chosen to book a select few spaces and dates.

Come see us on any of the following dates to capture some unforgettable moments:

April 4th, 5th, 18th or 19th, 2020

Reserve your date today!

AdaLilly Photography

Jan

TIP TUESDAY #3

TIPS FOR EMOTIONALLY PREPARING YOUR HUSBAND FOR YOUR FAMILY SESSION

For some of us, preparing our husbands for the family photo session is as exhausting as preparing the kids. If your husband is happy-go-lucky about photo day, that’s excellent. If you’re dealing with someone who’s reluctant, however, then here are some things you can do to help:

Especially if this is your first session together with the family now that the kids are mobile, let him know how the session will go and discuss your expectations. Also, if you have to bribe the kids, communicate this with him so he can help remind them of the bribery.
Warn him that the kids will probably be crazy or freak out and that he should prepare himself for that. Let him know that it will still be fine and to try not to get overwhelmed or worried.
Let him know that the more helpful he is in getting himself and the kids ready, the less stressed you will be and the less chance of an argument between you arising.
Remind him that the session is a max of only one hour and then it will all be over. This way, he sees a light at the end of the tunnel and can stick it out. Even if it’s a newborn session it can take up to 3 hrs, his portion will likely only consist of an hour or less even.
Give him the stress relieving tips.
If your husband is being difficult, bribe him to cooperate during the session as well. If it works for the kiddos, it may very well work for him!
And most importantly – remind him that you love him (and that he loves you, and that’s why he’s cooperating with this). Tell him how much you appreciate his support and cooperation in this, and how pleased you are going to be with the finished photos.

AdaLilly Photography