Pre-Shoot Guide

Thank you for booking a portrait session! Please take the few minutes to read through this guide. When you’re finished you’ll know how to get the most out of your photography session, exactly what to expect, and what to avoid. Know that I am committed to creating beautiful work that you and your family will cherish for generations. My focus is to capture the personalities and emotions that your family shares. I’m honored to guide you through every step of the way.

Ashley DuChene

Photographer & Founder, Ashley DuChene Photography, Established in 2004

8 Steps for a Successful Shoot:

1. Have Realistic Expectations:

Your child’s natural behavior when being shy or silly actually does enhance the shoot. It allows the photos to tell the story of your child’s nature. It’s natural for children to test limits. Usually once a child realizes that I’m a “fun grown-up” it’s fairly easy for me to get their cooperation. That said, if I feel that they’re getting carried away I may request your assistance. Otherwise it’s my preference that you do not reprimand your child. I’d like you to just roll with it because after all, kids will be kids! Lastly, please avoid having your child practice smiling before the shoot.

2. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

The more relaxed you are about the experience the better the pictures. Laughter and playfulness is expected and perfection is not what we are trying to achieve. It’s not interesting. If you’re worried that you’ll be tense feel free to have a beer or a glass of wine with you at or before the shoot. Sometimes it makes smiling just that much easier. Remember to limit it to ONE for best results. Treat this as a wonderful opportunity for teamwork and family-time in a beautiful location. And if you show up feeling a little cranky or awkward, ask me for some of my signature instant cheer-up strategies.

3. Be On Time

This will guarantee that you’ll have many images to choose from. I schedule the shoot so that we have the best light possible. But keep in mind, we do run out of daylight at a certain point.

4. Comfort Matters

Please make sure that everyone’s basic needs are met; food, naps, warm clothing, etc. Be sure to scroll down to read the clothing suggestion portion of this page. There are certain tips on there that are counterintuitive.

5. Communicate with Me

Let me know if there’s a certain shot that would mean a lot to you. Feel free to ask me any questions and please fill out the family questionnaire. It’s helpful for me to have some insight about your family.

6. Communicate with your Family

Let your family know why you’re doing photos and how important they are to you. This helps your family get on board. If you are reading this, you are probably the one who booked the shoot. However, when other participants and kids also have an opportunity to see my website beforehand they get a sense of my photographic style and are much more invested in the process.

7. No Hovering

I know it’s typically a parental instinct however, please avoid hovering behind me waving or calling out to your child to try to get them to look toward me while I’m shooting the pictures. When this happens the child will look right past my camera at you which disrupts their eye contact with the camera. I’d say one of my biggest strengths as a family photographer is engaging the baby or child I’m photographing. This results in great eye contact with my camera that you can trust. I will definitely ask you for assistance with the smile if I feel I need help. Lastly, I do ask that you please relay this to all adults participating in the shoot.

8. Remember the Goal

Wouldn’t you be happy to have just one GREAT shot of your kids or your family? Chances are you’ll have so many that it’ll be hard to narrow it down. Just knowing this should be reason enough to smile for the camera!

On the Day of your Session:

Final Details: Make sure that you are clear about the meeting spot, directions, and time by referencing your “Final Details” email. Double check that you have Ashley’s Cell Number in your phone: 619-246-4212.

One Low-Maintenance Bag or Purse: Optional items: tissue, baby wipes, chapstick/lipstick, face powder, eye drops, simple treats for the kids (no lollipops), snacks, water, keys, one cell phone, flip flops for mom if she’s wearing heels.

Stuff to Leave in the Car: Extra Cell Phones and Sunglasses. Please arrive with empty pockets.

Photo Shoot FAQs

What if I need to postpone or miss my appointment?

I totally understand, life happens! Illness, family emergencies, stress, etc. The more notice that I have the more easily I can fill your spot. Because I have limited space available for bookings, once your spot is reserved, I turn away all other inquiries for that date. Cancellation/reschedules (aside from weather) with less than 48 hours notice require $150 reschedule fee. Please be aware that during the busy Fall season, there is very little room for schedule adjustments.

Uh oh, the weather is bad on my shoot day. Are we still on?

Your shoot will go on whether sunshine or we have a hint of June-gloom. If it’s raining, dark/cloudy and I’m concerned that the images will suffer as a result, I will call you early in the day to discuss. But overcast skies can actually be quite handy for photography because you won’t be squinting and there won’t be any harsh shadows. Trust that beautiful images are just as much as a priority for me as they are for you and I will make a call accordingly.

What if I’m late to my appointment?

I understand that getting out the door with kids can be an ordeal. Remember, we are timing the shoot for the ideal outdoor light angles and the more time we have together before the sun sets the more images you’ll have to choose from. It can be hard to smile at a camera when you’re flooded with the stressful feelings of running late. If you find yourself running late to the session (traffic happens), give me a call on my cell phone so that we can plan accordingly. I won’t be upset, I’ll just use it as an opportunity to come up with Plan B for getting the most important images before the sun sets. Understand that late starts result in less images overall.

When will I get to see the photos?

Within 7-10 days of your session, you will be sent a link to a private image viewing gallery containing 80+ images. From this gallery you will select which photos you'd like to have retouched and also have the opportunity to order prints, products, and canvases.

Coordinating Clothing

What should we all wear?

Everyone in the group can wear tan slacks and white shirts like you’ve seen in your neighbor’s family photo (from 1995) but I’d rather you didn’t. It’s best if I can capture your family’s unique style.

Choose a common theme of color and formality.
Choose 2-3 colors and have everyone wear at least one article of clothing in one or more of those colors.
Choose clothing that makes you feel confident and attractive.
No need to match each other, that’s not really a normal way to cruise around town right?
No bold designs, wording or logos. Think solid colors and subtle patterns.
Think about style. Are we doing an edgy city street shoot, a dreamy walk in a field, an artsy walk through galleries? How would you dress to convey the story?
Baggy clothing add bulk, seriously! Trends can steer us in the wrong direction, beware of shapeless, blousy shirts and dresses. Somewhat form-fitting looks much better in photos even if you have some extra weight around the middle, like me.

Tips for Women

Clothing Selection: Wear a flattering solid color or a not-too-bold pattern in a dress, tank top, cute shirt, skirt or jeans. If you don’t like your arms, consider sleeves. Belts are great to define your figure and it’s best to avoid shirts or dresses that have too much fabric or boxy shapes. Always bring a sweater and/or jacket just in case. We might only have time for one outfit so arrive wearing your favorite but it's ok to bring one or two alternates with you. If you are undecided I can help you choose.

Shoes: Photo shoots can be the perfect time to wear high-heels and boots but please bring a pair of comfy shoes, too, since we’ll probably do a lot of walking from place to place.

Hair & Makeup: Your nails don’t need to look fantastic but a clear nail polish looks nice. I recommend foundation, under-eye concealer, powder, blush, liner, eye shadow, mascara, and lipstick. I love how flowing hair catches light. Did you know that if you purchase fake eye lashes at Sephora they’ll put them on you in the store for free? And you can pre-schedule a makeup application appointment at Sephora and it’s free with a $50 purchase. Appointments can be scheduled on their website.

Tips for Men

Clothing Selection: Jeans, nice pants, button-up shirt, sweater, etc. are always good options. No t-shirts with lettering please. Blues, grays, browns and dark greens always look nice on dads. Pastels are okay on the beach but no white shirts please. Also, avoid light green shirts as they reflect green onto the face making the skin appear green.

Preparation: Eye drops, whitening strips, and a fresh shave are always a plus. Leave the sunglasses in the car as they leave marks on your nose and don’t photograph well.

Tips for Babies and Kids

Kids: Follow the directions above regarding choosing a common theme of color and formality to coordinate with the family. After the more formal family portraits we’ll have play time so feel free to bring some hats, tutus, or favorite toys. And be sure to tell me about these before we get started. It’s ok to bring some little candy treats as a reward for good behavior. Smarties or marshmallows are good, lollipops are bad because they last too long and tend to result in colored tongues and teeth.

Babies: Avoid bulky clothing. If you have your heart set on one outfit put your baby in it and let me know you love it. With babies, I tend to focus more on their face than their clothing. If you can’t decide bring two to four favorite baby outfits for me to choose from. No words, bold patterns or logos. Optional items include baby hats, cute accessories, and tutus.

Tips for Beach Sessions

Clothing: Good beach colors match the environment like browns, blues, tans, purples, deep reds, deep oranges, etc. I recommend that you steer away from bright reds or other bright colors. Rethink white shirts on men the beach, the camera can perceive white as “blown-out” in the bright sun which can end up messy looking as I expose for skin tones not clothing. That said, white dresses tend to work out just fine, it's men's white shirts that are a challenge. Black clothing doesn’t make sense on the beach, it’s too formal. Dresses on females look great in silhouettes on the beach.

Other Tips: For beach shoots, prepare to get your ankles and calves wet. You’ll need to roll up pants or opt for dresses or shorts. At the beach, you will be barefoot. Hair doesn’t always behave on the beach, it’s windy.

Body Concerns?

Many people are concerned about looking heavy or bloated, I totally understand and will do my best to pose you in flattering ways. You can combat bloating by drinking a lot of water and cutting down on sodium for a few days leading up to the shoot. I’d much rather you arrive feeling healthy and not irritable so please skip the strict last-minute dieting. We offer slimming retouching, it’s $10 per photo and it’s typically focused on double chins, arms, and mid-section. We find it easiest to slim people who are wearing form fitting clothing.