Frequently Asked Questions
What services do you offer?
Maternity, Newborn, Milestone, Cake Smash and some Family sessions! A milestone session is typically a part of my watch me grow packages, which is newborn through first year. If you don't want to bundle I offer sessions outside of the bundle as well as older kiddo milestones. Immediate family pictures can be included in any of the milestone sessions.
How long does each session last?
Its always hard to predict the time frame of a session because it always depends on the kiddo! I always say "the baby is my boss" and I will shoot until I know I have enough images/variety for you! A newborn session is my longest session due to feeding, burping and falling asleep. If I had to give a rough estimate for each session.... Maternity, about an hour. Newborn, is 2-3 hours. Can be less, can be more. The baby runs the show! Milestones, I have to work fast as these kiddos do not give me much time. They give me about 20 minutes of shooting time. The more we change them, the less time they give me! These sessions are about 40 minutes or less. Cake smash sessions are about an hour from start to finish. Family sessions can be as quick as 30 minutes to as long as an hour depending on ages of your kiddos.
How many pictures do you take?
Anywhere from 30 to 3000 (kidding, kinda)...I shoot as many as I need until I feel like I have a full gallery worth of photos to give you, whatever amount & variety that may be is always depending (again) on the kiddo. They run my world. If I do end up getting extra images, more than a full gallery worth, you will get an extra image offer! There is an upgrade fee and then you get to keep all of the images from your session. No obligation, you can choose your images.
When do we get our images?
You get a sneak peek in a day or two, I like to post it on my social media so you can share it with your people as well as our people :) If you prefer not to share your images with my social media, I can also send you a sneak peek of a few of my favorite shots from your session in a private email. I typically schedule you to come back to view your newborn and one year images within 2-3 weeks after your session. At this time, you can choose your images that you'd like to keep. I also show you any print products that I think would be worth your investment from the images that we get at your session. Bringing your images to life is my favorite! If you choose not to schedule a print appointment, your images will be sent to you in an online gallery for downloading in approximately 4 weeks from your session date.
Whats your photography style?
BennyAni is a timeless, authentic form of photography, I capture images with framed pictures/heirloom albums in mind. I look at pictures as pieces of art that tell their own story, whatever that may be! Life tends to go by faster than we think and before you know it, you'll miss these crazy moments of time. I take into account the generational impact that photographs can have. You will look back on these moments for years to come! I want these images to bring a smile to your face and the faces of the generations that are to follow yours.
How do I save my images?
When you receive your final gallery, you will get an email from me saying your gallery is ready to be downloaded. Sometimes it goes to your spam email so I send out two, the first email is like a warning that your gallery is coming, the second one is the link to your actual gallery! Attached to the bottom of the email is a download pin that you have to enter in order to download. I always recommend downloading all the images and saving them to a cloud, not just a device. If you have a storage cloud (google drive, drop box) its always the safest option. I keep your gallery as long as I can on my cloud, but I can't control if it gets lost or deleted and that has happened, unfortunately. My contract states I will keep up to one month. Typically, I keep much longer, but accidents do happen. This is also why I love professionally printing for you. It preserves your images for life. Don't just store them in a cloud!
What should I bring?
I have a fully equipt studio here in downtown Lakeville with everything you need for a session! I use all our own props and decor. We even have outfits for mom and kiddos! Our size selection is pretty big but make sure to double check with me before your session so I can guarantee outfits! I have fresh coffee and cold drinks every day along with tv, books, and coloring for the kiddos. Its a pretty cozy studio and I love for you to make yourself at home here.
What should we wear?
It depends on the set you choose and the style of session! My rooftop is exposed white brick, so pretty much anything looks good out there! I always recommend staying away from patterns, due to my "timeless" vibe. Check out my blog post with more details and info about our color recommendations with my sets!
Do you take requests?
Yes! People often come to me with their preferences and inspo, often times clients bring sentimental or cultural pieces to include. I love making your images personalized for you and your family. I amusually pretty flexible with requests (within reason).
What if I want my images printed?
I specialize in professional printing and installation here at BennyAni! Your final gallery comes with print release and download rights so you are able to print wherever you like but there's is a very clear difference between professional and retail printing! You've invested in my work. It only makes sense to invest in professional printing and bring them to life in the best way possible. Check out my prints tab with more information or contact me with any questions!
How do I book a session?
Start with contacting me! I am here to walk through the process with you, it all starts with choosing your investment! Once you choose your session, then we get you set up on the calendar. The process is a little different for newborns just because their arrival is so unpredictable! Clients prefer to get on the calendar before the baby arrives since it can be such a hectic time in life! I send out a deposit, contract and questionnaire when you book a session and once all that is taken care of you just show up and look pretty :)
What is the timeline of booking a session?
Depending on the session you book, that will determine the timeline! You can find detailed timelines on each page under the "Sessions" tab on each page! Select the session you are booking and then scroll to the bottom for the info! Or click the links here depending on the session!
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What is a watch me grow?
Watch Me Grow sessions are my most popular bundle. I have two to choose from. Regular and Platinum. Regular is Newborn, six months, and twelve month/cake smash. Platinum is Newborn, three month mini, six months, nine month mini, twelve month/cake smash. Please see my milestone page for more details.