Where do your sessions take place?

Photo sessions take place at your home or a location that your family loves. Your home is a great place to capture your children as they are – they will be very comfortable in their own natural environment. Shooting your family session at your home also allows us to incorporate many activities and things from your day to day family life, which is what you will want to remember later on, when your children have grown or even left the house (gasp!). Especially for newborn photography sessions, your home is the easiest place – the place where both you and your baby can be most relaxed, the place that probably feels like your little nest right now! An outdoor location – like a park, a cafe, or any location that is special to your family – is also great for a photo session. Maybe you would like to create lasting memories of your current favourite family pass-time – be it playing football in the park, swimming in the lake, or even hiking in the mountains!

When is the best time of day for our session?

The best time of day for your session depends very much on the location and type of session. Newborn or family photography sessions at your home for example work very well during the (late) morning hours, when a lot of light can enter your home. For outdoor photography sessions, early morning and late afternoon are the best options. We want to avoid the crowds (as well as the worst of the heat during the summer months), and if possible take advantage of the ‚golden hour‘ around sunrise and sunset.

What should we wear for our photo shoot?

This is something that we’ll talk about in our pre-consultation, and once you have booked your session, I will also send you some information and advice. Generally, it’s best to choose one person’s outfit, and then plan everyone else’s around that. While it’s not advisable to have everybody wear the same colour, or be all matchy-matchy, it is a good idea to coordinate the whole set so that the colours work well together. You can also find some inspiration for your outfits for family sessions and for maternity sessions on my pinterest site.

What about using props during our photography session?

I love props when they are meaningful and unique to your family! Actually, this also falls into the category of things we’ll discuss during your pre-session consultation. If you like, we can work together to come up with ideas that make your photo session even more personal. For newborn photography sessions, I will bring a few items like hats or headbands  – but I recommend to also think about items that are special to you (or family heirlooms) to include in some images.

What if it is not sunny on the day of our session?

It doesn’t necessarily have to be sunny to have a great photo session – an overcast sky makes for great images! Generally, it’s best not to photograph people in full sunlight anyway (although, as for all rules, there are also exceptions for this one! ;)). However, if it’s rainy or even stormy, we will reschedule and hope for better weather on the new session date.

What do I need to know for my maternity photography session?

Maternity sessions are best held between week 32 and 36 of your pregnancy. We don’t want to have the session too early, after all you want to show off your big baby bump in the pictures! But we also don’t want to wait too long in case your baby decides to make an early appearance… For your session, you may want to prepare items that are meaningful for you now during the time of your pregnancy, or things you have already prepared for your baby (first pair of shoes? knitted a hat?). We can include these items in a few shots. As for the big question „what to wear?“: prepare your favourite maternity outfit and a few other choices that you love. Cardigans, shirts, and other tops that open in the front are great, as are shawls, scarves and jewelry. Right before the session, it’s a good idea to wear loose clothing, so you don’t have any lines on your belly.

When do we schedule our newborn photography session?

Newborn sessions are best held within the first 10 days of baby’s life, so it’s important to schedule your session early – while you’re still pregnant. We will then schedule a tentative session date about 5-6 days after your due date. We adjust the date/time as needed depending on the actual date of birth. Please remember to put me on your call list for when baby is born!

When can I view the photos?

A day or two after your session, I will post a little sneak peek for you on my blog and/or social media (only with your consent, of course). It will then take around 3 weeks until your private online viewing gallery is ready.

When will the finished products be available?

Depending on the type of product you order, it will take between 4 and 6 weeks until the finished products are available. In order to provide you with the highest quality possible, I am working with a professional photo lab in the U.S., so shipping them here takes a while. Custom made coffee table albums take the longest, as there is also design work involved, while prints and storyboards get here a bit faster.

Who owns the copyright of our purchased images?

The copyright of all images, even those you purchase as digital files, remains with nina tantzen photography. Purchasing digital files with a print release means that you are allowed to use these files and print the images for your personal use only. Any use for financial gain is prohibited. Copying, printing, screenshots or scanning of images on my website, my blog, or other materials is considered stealing, regardless of the intent for use. Thank you for respecting my copyright!