I get a lot of questions from potential clients asking about what they might expect at one of my sessions. It’s an excellent question, especially if you haven’t done many portrait sessions in the past or if you’re coming to me as a new client. It’s so good of a question, in fact, that I figured I’d go ahead and address it right here.
I’ll start by sharing some of my experience, to give you an idea of where I'm coming from. My first taste of photography (real, actual SLR photography with intention and not the snapshots I️ grew up taking) was in 2000 when I️ registered for a film photography class in high school. We studied the process of photography from camera function to developing our own film to making prints. We also studied a lot of photography images created throughout history. That was probably my favorite part of the class - the stories. I️ remember studying Dorothea Lange's pictures taken during the Great Depression, hearing the stories about how she took them and why she took them. We studied Ansel Adams' photography and discovered how his majestic work inspired many to preserve the National Parks. The stories are my favorite. 2007 was the first time that I️ photographed someone professionally. I loved the experience of photographing someone else because I️ loved helping them tell their story in a beautiful and emotional way. To make a long-winded story short, Hartstein Photography officially launched in 2007, and since then I’ve worked with countless of different clients to deliver photos they’ll treasure forever.
I’ll be the first to admit that there are lots of other photographers out there, and many of them are wonderful. What sets Hartstein Photography apart, though, is storytelling and experience. I️t's a goal of mine to capture emotion & genuine expressions. When you look back at your pictures, I️ want you to remember what it felt like that day; what it felt like when you were pregnant. I️ want the small detail shots to remind you of how supportive your partner was. To remind you of the things you were looking forward to and maybe even the things you were a little nervous about. In evitably, after all of these years creating tangible memories for people, I've gained a lot of experience. I️ understand the technical side of photography. I️ know how to get my camera to do what I️ want in order to tell the story the way I️ want to tell it. I️ understand light and how to make it look the most flattering. I️ understand posing and how to get a mother-to-be into a flattering position. And then I️ understand how to interact with her while she's in that position so that what we create doesn't appear stiff. I look for beautiful light, for genuine expressions, for life.
The Hartstein Photography Experience: Booking through Delivery
With all of that said, here’s exactly what you can expect from beginning to end when working with Hartstein Photography.
Booking: You can reach out to book your session. I have a calendar online that reflects current availability, or we can talk it out on the phone.
Payment: We ask for a $49 non-refundable retainer to lock in your session, and then you’ll pay the remainder anytime between then and the viewing & ordering session through the Client Portal. At the time of booking, we’ll have you sign a contract. If you need to cancel, just reach out and we'll go from there.
Leading Up to Session: About one week before your session or sooner, we’ll chat on phone, zoom or in person to make sure we're on the same page when it comes to location, styling, and details. I’ll also be available for questions via email anytime you have one!
Session Day: Simply show up at the location about 15 minutes before your session begins and let the magic happen! You don’t have to stress about posing or angles or anything like that. I️'ll make sure you feel comfortable and look great.
Processing & Delivery: Typically, I process all images for proofing within two weeks. You’ll receive an email with a link to the calendar to schedule a viewing and ordering session (if you haven't already) and from there you can order your prints, products, and digital images. Digital images are delivered immediately following the viewing and ordering session, so long as payment has been received. Prints and products are generally received within 1-4 weeks depending on the item.
Feel free to reach out with any questions and I’ll address them right away. I️'m here to serve you and leave you with timeless images you’ll treasure forever. Let’s do this!