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Frequently Asked Questions

SCHEDULING

Where will my session be held?

Due to high overhead costs, I do not have a studio for portrait sessions. All portrait sessions will be scheduled to take place either at your home or at another location of your choosing, such as a garden, park, or beach. At your session we will use as much natural light as possible. Natural light is much more flattering and tends to bring out the true spirit of the subject being photographed. Children are generally more comfortable if they are in a familiar environment. Locations outside of a 45-mile radius of Fulton, NY are subject to a travel fee.

I prefer to do newborn sessions in your home because then we can incorporate parts of your house into the photos – whether it be your dining room table or the antique rocking chair that you have in the nursery. I also love to use parents’ beds so please be open to me taking pictures in any room once I get there. And don’t worry – nobody expects a house with a newborn to be spotless!

What time will my session be held?

Because we will be using natural light, the time of the session is very important. Indoor sessions are best held at a time when a good deal of light enters through the windows. Outdoor sessions can be scheduled early mornings or late afternoons/evenings. I try to avoid midday sessions when the sunlight is very harsh and difficult to work with. If you do wish to schedule a session in the midday hours, please choose a location where there are large trees or other sources of shade. Please note that an outdoor session may need to be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.

How long will my session last?

A typical portrait session will last about 1-2 hours, but I will take as much time as is needed to provide you with beautiful portraits. I generally only schedule one session per day, so there’s no need to rush. Sessions for newborns and infants will usually go longer, sometimes three or more hours, to allow time for frequent breaks for feeding and diaper changes.

What does the session fee include?

The non-refundable session fee secures your session date and covers the photographer’s time and talent to create your portraits. It includes a portrait session at the location of your choice for 1-3 hours. It also includes the time spent editing your images and doing minor retouching, as well as an online gallery of approximately 25 images for your review. Prints and other items are sold separately.

When is my session fee due?

Your $125.00 session fee is due within seven days of your booking inquiry to reserve your session date and to lock in prices.

When should I schedule my maternity session?

The best time for maternity sessions is in the last six weeks of your pregnancy. That’s when the baby “bump” is at its best. But be careful of scheduling your session too close to your due date – you never know when those little ones are going to come early!

How do I schedule a newborn session when I don’t know when the baby will be born?

Just let me know your due date, and I will schedule a tentative session for you. I will reserve some time for you in the weeks right before and after your due date. As soon as the baby is born, call or email me and we will arrange a time for your session. Please note that all newborn sessions should take place in the first two weeks. I prefer the first week if at all possible so that the baby is still really sleepy and will more easily be put in the newborn poses that everyone loves.

I didn’t schedule a newborn session while I was pregnant, but I just brought the baby home from the hospital and would like to schedule one now. Is it too late?

If you just brought a new baby home and have decided that you would like to have a newborn session, please email or call me even if my schedule looks booked. I love photographing newborns and I will alter my plans whenever possible in order to fit one into my schedule.

Something came up. Can I cancel or reschedule my session?

Your session fee is non-refundable. However, your session can be rescheduled with 24 hours notice. If you are running late for our appointment please give me a call. My number is listed on my website and on your confirmation email. No-shows will forfeit their session fee.

THE SESSION

What should we wear?

Once I have received payment for your session fee, you will be given access to my clients-only site, which has many suggestions for clothing options that work best for photos. In general, it’s best to go with clothes that are simple and comfortable. For newborns, the best outfit is their birthday suit, or just a diaper.

Is there anything special I should do to prepare for my newborn session?

The first thing that I ask is that about a half hour before your scheduled session, please turn the heat up in your house (or turn off the air conditioning). Ideally it should be about 75-80 degrees in the house. The reason for the heat is that the majority of the shots I take will be either nude or diaper shots. We want to keep that little one happy and not have a chilly baby! And because a full baby is generally a sleepy baby, please feed your baby just before I arrive. That way we can start right in with the sleepy shots. Also, about a half hour before your session is scheduled to begin, please loosen the baby’s diaper so that there are no diaper marks on the skin in the photos.

I just bought a great new digital camera. Do you mind if I take some pictures at the session myself?

I ask that there please be no other camera or camcorder used at the portrait session.

ORDERING

When will I be able to see my pictures?

Your online gallery will be ready for you to view approximately three weeks after your portrait session. At that time I will also provide you with information on ordering prints and any other items.

How much time to I have to place an order?

Your gallery will remain open for 30 days. Please submit any orders to me within that time period. After your gallery closes, your images will remain archived until one year from the date of your session. However, if you wish to place an order after your gallery closes, you will be charged a $25.00 archive retrieval fee to have your gallery reactivated and there will be a minimum order requirement of $50.00. Any orders placed after the gallery closes will be billed at the rates in effect at the time the order is placed.

How do I place an order?

Your gallery has a built-in shopping cart that you can use, or you can just submit your order to me via email.

What payment methods do you accept?

I accept payments by cash, personal check (made payable to “Jen Marriner’) and credit and debit cards via PayPal. Please note that you do NOT need to have a PayPal account to use this option. Returned checks are subject to a $25.00 insufficient funds fee and must be replaced with another form of payment.

Do you charge sales tax?

Yes, I apply 8.0% New York State sales tax to all orders. A copy of my Certificate of Authority is available upon request.

Do I have to order prints from you, or can I just buy the digital files?

I do sell digital files of your images. These are high-resolution files and can generally print up to 11” x 14” or even larger. When you purchase digital files I will also provide you with a limited copyright release, which will allow you to have your own prints made. You will also receive a list of recommended print labs.

How much can I expect to spend?

This is a tough question, because it varies widely depending on the number and size of the prints that you order, and if you include any albums or photo books. In general, most people can expect to spend between $500.00 and $1,000.00.

When will I receive my prints?

After I receive payment for you order, you can expect to receive your prints within 2-3 weeks. Canvas wall portraits, albums, storyboards, photo books, and other specialty items may take longer. I will notify you by telephone or email when your order is ready.

I know you took more pictures than just the ones in my gallery. Can I see the other ones?

The images selected for your gallery are carefully chosen by me and are the ones I consider to be the best both artistically and technically. Other images may have problems such as closed eyes or turned heads, they may be duplicate shots, or the shot just may not have “worked” for me. All of these additional images are deleted from my archives and are therefore not available to be viewed.

EVERYTHING ELSE

Can I use the images from my sneak peek blog post or my online gallery for my Facebook or MySpace page?

First, the legal answer: It is illegal to right-click or take a screen shot of online proofs or online images featured on the Jen Marriner Photography website or blog, or to make copies from prints, or to sell or alter images received in CD or print format. All images remain copyright of Jen Marriner Photography.

However, if there is an image that you would like to use online, please contact me. In some cases I can create a web-sized version for your use. This version would have my logo prominently displayed on the image, and I would ask that the logo not be altered or cropped out. I would also ask that you include a link to my website if you display the image.

What if I don’t like my pictures?

Well, this hasn’t happened yet and I hope it never does. But if you are not satisfied with your images, please notify me within two days of receiving the link to your online gallery. A re-shoot will be scheduled at no cost to you. Subjects must wear the same clothing and be photographed at the same location. If a re-shoot is desired, images from the first session will be deleted and will no longer be available for ordering. If you are not happy with the re-shoot, your session fee or portrait collection fee will be refunded with no obligation. All images will be deleted after a session fee or portrait collection fee has been refunded.

Do you do weddings?

No, I do not photograph weddings. I used to, and I loved every single couple that I worked with. But after a few wedding seasons I decided that I wanted to concentrate more on my portrait services. However, if you are interested in engagement portraits I would love to hear from you.

Is there anything else I should know?

All clients will be asked to sign a model release. Those under 18 years of age will need a parent or guardian to sign with them.

Due to the custom nature of this work, all sales are final. No substitutions, exchanges or refunds are available after placing your order. Replacement will only be given in the case of damage caused by the studio.

Jen Marriner Photography retains copyright of all images taken.