Milestone Session Investment

Capture their changing Story.

Your child’s first year flies by faster than you can imagine. They are changing daily and are ever growing and evolving into the person they were meant to be. Don’t miss capturing these moments in your lives.

Milestone sessions can be done at any time. Traditionally they are take at the 3, 6, 9, and 12 month marks.

What to Expect…

• When to book:

  • Try to book your milestone sessions 1.5-2 months ahead of when you’d like the session to take place (especially if you have a specific date or timeframe in mind or would like the photos back by a certain time).

  • For 6 month sessions if your session date is approaching but your child isn’t sitting up on their own yet (sitting totally independently or sitting well with the support of holding something) I recommend pushing the session date out a week or two until they are. You get a bigger variety of pictures and your kiddo doesn’t tire out as quickly from trying to sit up or constantly falling over.

  • Sessions require a non-refundable $150 retainer fee to book. It is recommended that you book early as space does fill up.

  • Early birds: Any milestone sessions you book before your newborn session are eligible for a 15% discount.

• Session times and locations:

  • Sessions take place during the week in the mid to late morning* (between 8:30 and noon approximately). Generally I will set the date with you when you book and then about a week before your session we will finalize your time and work around your child’s nap schedule so they’re awake and happy for their pictures.

  • Sessions can be indoor or outdoor.

    • Indoor sessions take place at my cozy, in-home studio here in Austin, Minnesota.

    • Outdoor sessions can be at a place of your choosing or I can find a pretty place that will look amazing for your session.

      • *Outdoor sessions are usually not morning sessions due to the light and/or morning dew. These sessions take place in the afternoon and the timing is dependent on the weather and time of year.

• Outfits for the session:

  • I have an ever growing Client Closet that I have for the use of my milestone clients. There are outfits that fit children from 3-18 months. Most are very stretchy or can be clipped in the back for a better fit.

  • You can view and select your outfits for your session ahead of time via the links below. Let me know ahead of time what your picks are and I’ll have everything ready to go when you get here!

  • How many outfits should I pick?

    • 3 Months: I try for 2 outfits and one wrapped look.

    • 6 Months: Kids this age can usually handle 2 outfits well and then we try for 3-4 setups.

    • 9 & 12 Months: We should be able to get through 3 outfits for this age range.

  • See my Girl Client Closet HERE

  • See my Boy Client Closet HERE

  • “I like my own outfits? Can’t I use those?” Yes! You can! I offer my Client Closet as a convenience for families so they don’t have to do the leg work of finding outfits themselves. But if you want to bring all your own outfits, or bring one of your own and use two of mine, that’s totally okay too!

• How sessions look:

  • I will give you simple, classic, and timeless photos of your child that you will love to hang on your walls and will cherish looking at for decades to come.

  • I use paper backdrops in a variety of colors that match the outfits you pick and I also have a real, vintage barn wood backdrop that I use that gives lovely texture and warmth to your pictures.

    • Props like baskets, chairs, etc. that help your little ones sit up on their own and help give your image character are all provided.

    • Simple embellishments like textured layers, greenery, etc. are also used to enhance your photos.

  • You can see by looking at my milestone portfolio that I don’t over stylize or have prominent themes in my milestone sessions. My belief when doing these types of sessions is to try and capture this fleeting moment of childhood and your baby’s sweet essence. Too many “extras” in the photos detracts from my mission.

• During the session:

  • Doing a photo session with a young child can feel chaotic… but what I usually tell parents is “it feels more chaotic than it actually is”. It’s my job to move fast and be ready to snap that shutter and snag the photos of those cute smiles and funny expressions.

  • We’ll try to move fast so that they don’t loose interest or patience with what we’re doing. I always come with a plan but also am 100% ready to deviate to do what we need to make those kiddos happy during their session.

  • It’s totally normal and fine to talk to your child and try to get their attention for pictures. But I like to remind parents to be mindful of how loud they’re being or how often they’re calling to their child’s name because being in front of a camera with a flash going off can be an overwhelming experience for a new person. It’s important we don’t overstimulate them.

  • Please bring some snacks, milk, etc. for your child to have during the session. Sometimes they need a little cuddle break and that’s perfectly fine. If a child is getting crabby sometimes all they need is some milk or some Puffs and they’re ready to rock again.

  • I try to get as many pictures as I can in as many varieties of outfits and setups as I can but I always stop the session before a child is at their breaking point (and every kid has one). Pushing the session to the point where the child is upset and overwhelmed is never the goal (I always try to make it as positive experience as I can!) and I never want it to end on a bad note.

    • If needed we can always schedule an additional session to get some more pictures if your child is having a totally “off day” and getting pictures of them is just not happening.

• What happens after your session:

  • Images are delivered via an online gallery. You’ll receive a proofing gallery within 10 days of your session from which you can select your final images.

    • If there are some images you just can’t leave behind you’re able to purchase additional images from your gallery.

  • After you pick your final images send me an email or message to let me know and I’ll begin editing your final gallery.

    • Unlike some photographers who batch edit their photos and don’t take care to edit each photo individually, I treat each of your final selections like what it is…. a picture you love of someone you love.

    • I go through each picture you’ve selected and hand edit it. I adjust the light, colors, and even pay attention to the eyes on each person’s face to make sure each of your photographs is the special thing you were hoping and looking for when you hired me. I treat each one like it could be hung as art in your living room or shown to your grandchildren 30 years from now.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• You session is not confirmed until the non-refundable retainer fee been paid in full and the contract has been signed.

• All photographs are copyrights of The Southern North Photography and it is illegal to copy, scan, submit into contests, manipulate, crop, edit or reproduce any images without written permission whether purchased or not.

• Please don’t come to your session sick. If there is an illness we can reschedule for a time that works for both parties (Client and Photographer).

• Prices and discounts subject to change at any time.