FAQs

What locations do you serve?

I live in Clover, which is in York County, SC, just west of Charlotte and Fort Mill, south of Gastonia, north of Rock Hill, and east of York. That means I can easily serve Charlotte, Pineville, Clover, Lake Wylie, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Rock Hill, York, Belmont, Gastonia, Dallas, Mt. Holly, Indian Land, and Lancaster! I also love to travel! (I often create family excursions around photo sessions and weddings!)

How does this photo session thing work?

Depending on your photo needs (wedding? family portraits?  senior photos?), we will talk about possible dates and locations.  Once a date is agreed upon, I will send you a booking agreement/contract, and you will sign and pay a deposit/retainer to reserve the date/time.   Between then and your session, we will work out any details that are needed to make your session perfect (getting to know you, creating a timeline, and working out any other details)!  During your session, I will work to make sure I capture each moment in the best lighting and composition possible.  After your session, I go through all the images I captured, hand-picking the best images.  Then I work to make those images even better by fine-tuning them in LightRoom and/or PhotoShop.  Once I have completed your gallery (usually 2-3 weeks for smaller sessions and 4-6 weeks for weddings), I will share them in an online gallery for you to proof. You will have the ability to share, purchase prints and gifts, and download digital images directly from the gallery, and once the images are approved, I will send you a link for a digital download of the entire gallery!  For weddings, I deliver galleries on a custom USB.

What is your style?

Over the years, my style has emerged with more of a photojournalist, classic approach. I do a mixture of posed and candid photos during my portrait sessions and weddings, keeping my clients in the moment. I love colors and nature! My style is not dark and moody or overly light and airy—I prefer a more true-to-life image. I don’t mind taking suggestions and using a few props during sessions, but I am not a “Pinterest” photographer. Please don’t expect me to be able to recreate a long list of images you have saved. That is often difficult to do, since we will not have the same location, lighting, and sometimes equipment to work with! That also takes the creativity out of my work, as well as infringes upon another photographer’s creativity.

Do you offer retouching services?

Yes, but only to a certain extent. I can minimize background distractions, remove some blemishes and tattoos, soften skin tones, and whiten teeth, but I do not offer more extensive retouching, such as slimming down figures. I use photography to capture moments in time, not reinvent them!

Will my photos have your logo printed on them like they appear in your download galleries?

NO!  That is just a watermark that I use to protect your images from being stolen by strangers on the internet!  Once you receive your download link or USB, it will include the high-resolution photos without the watermark.  I just ask that when sharing them publicly through social media, you credit me by linking to my website, Instagram, or Facebook page.

Where can we go for our photo shoot?

There are a lot of great locations in the area, including your own yard!  Think about the "look" you want for your photos.  Do you want an urban, sleek look?  A farm setting?  Flowers in a park?  An open field?  Need some ideas? Here is a list of local locations that make great photo backdrops!

What should we wear?

Don't wear "matchy-matchy" outfits (especially white shirts and jeans/khakis!).  And don't wear too many wild, contrasting patterns.  A mix of solids, prints, and accessories that compliment each other is best!  Keep in mind your body type and what you feel comfortable in, as well as how you might be photographed in different poses (standing, walking, kneeling, sitting, etc.).  These are some blog posts I have created if you need more ideas:

How to Dress for Spring Portraits

How to Dress for Fall Family Portraits

What to Wear for Senior Portraits

How to Dress for Your Engagement Session

Why are you so expensive?

With the ease of digital cameras, computers, editing software, iPhones, and editing apps, it has become pretty simple to get decent photos.  But to truly get a quality, high-resolution portrait with well-balanced lighting and creative composition, it takes a little more skill.   Quality photography is a time-consuming business!  Not only do I spend time with you, getting to know you and capturing images of you in the best poses and light, I spend several hours after the shoot processing and retouching your photos.  I am always learning how to be a better photographer and editor through taking classes, reading books, and participating in webinars.  On top of that, there are costs such as websites, computers, software, mileage, camera bodies, lenses, lighting, and other photography equipment,

Why are you so cheap?

This question may surprise you, especially after reading the above, but my fees are actually very reasonable when compared to many photographers in the Charlotte area.  Why?  It's not because I'm just starting out...I have studied photography and small-business ownership in-depth, and I have been running a successful business for over twelve years now!  Because I am not a full-time photographer, though, I don't need this income to sustain my life.  I am a full-time teacher and part-time photographer.  I also don't own a studio, so I don't have some of the overhead costs that many photographers have.  I do this out of a passion for creativity and capturing moments for people!  In addition, because I am a teacher and mom of two busy boys, it takes me a bit longer to process people's galleries, and I only work in digital photography.  I simply don't have the time to create elegant albums and other products, and I can’t always blog consistently or submit to publications.  Because of all of these reasons, I am able to keep my client costs lower than some!

How do we book you?

Just click below and give me a bit of information about what your needs are, and I will be in touch shortly!