Frequently asked questions about
It’s a time where you get to have fun or unleash some creative idea you’ve been dying to try out! We aim for natural portraits that are fun, relaxed and casual. Lifestyle portrait sessions usually last for an hour, but you can add on extra hours if you love our company so much!
Ultimately, we want you to look at these images and remember the connection and love you have for the most important people in your life.
Where do we go for these sessions?
You could opt to do the shoot in our natural light studio based in Oval Damansara TTDI, at your home, or outdoors at any location you prefer.
Do you prefer a natural setting like a public park, or would you rather we photograph you at your home? For newborn portraits, we usually travel to your home location. Since we utilise a lot of natural light for our photos, it is preferable that you opt for locations that are well lit (with large windows or doors).
You could also suggest locations that are meaningful to you, for example, your ancestral family home. Some public locations are free, and there are those that charge a fee. It is the client’s responsibility to book and pay the fee for the chosen location. We can take this discussion further via email if you are uncertain of where to shoot.
When is a good time for outdoor portraits?
Time of Day – Some locations look better in the morning than in the evening. We’ve been to the same location in the morning and evening and produced completely different images. The direction of the sun illuminates a location differently throughout the day. The best time to do outdoor portraits would be between 7am – 9am and 5pm – 7pm (based on Malaysian sunrise and sunset times). That is the time when the lighting is most flattering on a person. If our shoot location is indoors, we can shoot at any time of the day.
Timing for Newborn and Children portraits – For newborns, it’s best that the shoot is done in the morning before lunch time as babies tend to be less fussy in the morning. Please ensure that your newborn has had a full feed and is well rested before the shoot. As for your baby/toddler, try and find a time that he/she is usually happiest and most energetic. From experience, children tend to fare better after they are well fed and had a good rest! Please also avoid scheduling shoots during or too near your child’s nap time as that would most definitely result in cranky kids/babies!
Punctuality – We’d appreciate it if you could arrive 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled shoot start time so that we can start and end on time as we may have other appointments or shoots after. If the shoot start time is delayed by half an hour, an extra hour charge is incurred. Please refer to your booking form for extra hour rates.
Can we do a photo session with 20 of my relatives?
We do prefer intimate family sessions, but we understand that there are times when you will need a session with your extended family members. With such a large group, there is more room for temper tantrums (imagine 8 kids in 1 photo!) so expectations need to be set. Everyone may not be in the ‘perfect’ mood and so we cannot control all of that simultaneously. There is less room for more intimate, creative images, and we will focus on larger group shots.
Also, if we are photographing a family of 3 vs an extended family of 20 within the same time frame, the type of photos that you get will be different. The family of 3 will definitely get more creative, varied types of shots as we have more time to experiment with angles!
Any suggestions on what to wear as a family?
Some families prefer to colour coordinate clothing, whereas other families like to use complementary colours. While you don’t have to all wear white, it is advisable to think about how the colours match each other (dark and bright tones). Please avoid bright red outfits as the colour reflects off your faces and might make you look as if you had 3 glasses of wine at 8am in the morning.
Do bring a few change of outfits so we can help you select the best for the shoot. Try to bring a variety of bright and dark coloured outfits. Do avoid outfits that have large, distracting text on it. You can compliment outfits by thinking of complimentary colours, for example, hues of blues, whites and browns. Solid colours work best, instead of too many contrasting prints. While coordinating outfits, keep in mind that over-coordinating is bad too – for example, everyone wearing stripes! Choose clothing that is comfortable and represents who you are. Simple, plain tones are good.
You may change outfits during the shoot if you have booked a one hour session, but we recommend not changing outfits more than twice.
For newborn babies, most outfits are really large, so prepare a few swaddles, cute underwear or we can do naked shots! For babies below 1 year, bring along cute underwear too in case we do semi-naked photos.
Read our tips on how to style your family for a photoshoot here!
When is the best time to photograph maternity, newborn or baby photos?
Maternity – You can opt to do your maternity shots around 6-7 months into your pregnancy. You probably have the most energy in your 2nd trimester as compared to the end of your 3rd trimester.
Newborn portraits – The best time to do these portraits would be within 7-14 days from your delivery date. Your baby will be really tiny and mostly sleepy during this stage. They grow so fast, so within a month, they will look so different from when they were tiny! We focus a lot of relationship shots between parent and child for newborn portraits.
Babies – When babies are 3-6 months of age, they are starting to show expressions, especially smiling back at you but they cannot sit unsupported. At 6-7 months, your baby is starting to sit, so there’s plenty of opportunities for photos. Between 8-10 months, he or she will begin to crawl everywhere, and their true personalities are beginning to shine through. After 11 months, your baby might be walking, or even running… which is a huge milestone, and perfect for photos!
Are pets allowed in the studio?
While we do love animals and do not ban animals from our studio, it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure the animal is brought in on a leash or cage. Any damages or extra cleaning of the furniture in the studio will be charged to the owner.
What if my child throws a temper tantrum during the shoot?
It’s normal! Trust us! Don’t get flustered, but just go with the flow. Come with the mindset to have fun and play with your kids, instead of asking them to “look at the camera… NOW! AND SMILE!” It’ll be less stressful for you and for the children.
With children, everything is unpredictable. Within a split second, you can have a happy toddler and the next, a crying tantrum-throwing monster! While we will do our best to photograph your children looking cute and at their best behaviour, we cannot completely control the outcome of the shoot. The important thing as a parent is to not be flustered if your child is out of control, or refuses to follow your instruction. They can sense your mood and that will not help the situation. The best thing you can do is go with the flow, play games, and have fun with your kids.
If your child refuses to co-operate, we can take a short break and resume shortly after – ice-cream does help sometimes!
Is there anything else I need to bring along for the shoot?
For outdoor shoots, do bring a pair of slippers for walking when you’re not wearing heels! We’ll be walking around quite a bit so you’d want to be comfortable in between photo-taking. You might consider bringing some drinks, mosquito repellent, and some snacks (in case you or the children get hungry).
Can we include props, toys, and our favourite things in this shoot?
Sure! If there are any items that you’d like to bring on our shoot, please do. It might be books, toys, balloons or even your pet cat or dog that you love immensely! (Though this shouldn’t really be in the PROPS category!).
When will I get my photos once the shoot is done?
Once the shoot is over, it will take approximately 2 weeks for us to touch up your images. You can decide at this stage whether to print additional items such as canvas prints or albums. Keep in mind that our editing is mainly for colour and contrast, and do not include things like reducing tummy or arm size! Our editing style is to make you look natural and beautiful but not through too much Photoshop-plastic-surgery.
Once the photos are ready, it will be placed in an online password protected gallery where you can select your favourites from the shoot according to the number of images promised in your package. We usually deliver the images via a digital download but if your package includes the full set of high resolution images, we will also prepare a USB for you.
You can either pick up the USB from our studio or have it couriered to you. Delivery of USB & album within the Kuala Lumpur area is free. Courier costs for the USB & album is payable by the client if delivery destinations are out of Kuala Lumpur or overseas. If someone else will be receiving the parcel on your behalf, you can provide their contact details in a questionnaire form that will be sent to you after you confirm your shoot with us.
If there are any questions you have which were not covered here, feel free to ask us before the shoot. We look forward to photographing you. :)