Client Welcome Guide
Your Guide to an amazing family photography Experience
I'm not kidding when I say I'm over the moon you pulled the trigger (just imagine the MAGIC we are going to create together!). Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your trust in me. It is an honor to create one of the most integral parts of your family's legacy.
Please carefully read the topics I will cover, the information in this guide will help you get the most out of our session together. Consistency is important to me and I want to make sure you get the most amazing photos EVER!
I am so thrilled to be working with you and am counting down the days to your session! It’s perfectly normal to have some jitters about getting photos taken and wanting to make sure everything is just right. Honestly, I still get antsy before our family photos too — and I do this for a living! I totally get it. I put this guide together to help you get the best results from our time together. I'm going to take great care of you and am here to help every step of the way.
Hey There!
-rivkah Leah
You know about the special way that you hold your child every night when you say goodnight. There are certain things every family does that are special to them.
So please bring that to your session. Rub your baby's nose the way you always do while nursing, lay your head on your partner's shoulder as you would while waiting in a long line together. Or whatever it is that feels right to you. These things will help me to capture your story authentically and help you to see your true selves when you look back at the images.
Try and always be touching someone. Be affectionate, give hugs and kisses, caress faces, look into someone's eyes... any kind of connection will translate beautifully in your photos.
Authentic Photos
The Secret to
Are you ready for a fun family day that captures the spirit of your family? So am I! But in order for that to happen, we have to work together. There are a few things you need to know ahead of time to ensure a fun and carefree session so be sure to get comfy and read this with all the adults who will be at your session.
I will start off by explaining that I will definitely give your family things to do, help with posing when needed, and direct you during part of the session. But I also like to step back and give families the space to be themselves! Yes, I can tell you to spin with your toddler and to turn in a specific direction because it will look better on camera... and I will do that. But you know the things that make your kids laugh.
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Locations for Petit Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
With beautiful gardens and a Camelback Mountain facing grassy field, this centrally located resort offers quite a number of desert inspired areas to take family photos.
Choosing to have family photos here gives you a wide variety of looks in a small space.
Phoenix, AZ
Camelback
Inn
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Locations for Petit Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
Looking for something with Mediterranean inspired arches, tiling and architecture. This little secret plaza has some great spots for family photos.
I recommend it for smaller families (3 kids or under) since some of the cutest spots are a bit narrow and will be better suited to families with less kids.
Phoenix, AZ
Mediterranean Plaza
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Locations for Petit Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
The beautiful North Phoenix Mountains have a variety of trails with beautiful mountains and cacti all around. If you're wanting something more central, this is a great spot.
There is a small hike involved so bringing comfortable shoes to walk in and your photo shoot ready shoes along as we walk is what I usually recommend!
Phoenix, AZ
North Phoenix Mountain
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Locations for Petit Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
If you love that desert landscape with rolling hills, cacti and some hiking, the Shaw Butte Trails offers all three.
This trail has easy parking nearby and a few trails that you can either walk or take a stroller on.
It can go uphill a bit, so make sure you're wearing comfortable shoes or are okay walking and that your kiddos will be okay with that, too!
N. Phoenix, AZ
Shaw Butte
Trail
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Locations for Petit Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
Papago Park is right between the Phoenix Zoo and the Hole in the Rock.
With it's easy trails and a variety of rocks, cacti and even a manmade lake, Papago is a great central location for nature filled photos in the heart of the city.
tempe, az
Papago Park
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Locations for Petit Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
If you like a more rugged vibe or have a sentimental connection to the eclectic urban area in Downtown Phoenix, I love taking families to explore the area.
With amazing murals, parks, rooftop views and local cafe, taking photos in the heart of the city is a great option for families of all size.
Downtown Phoenix
Downtown
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Locations for Adventure Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
A beautiful place along the Salt River is Water Users. There are desert plants, the gorgeous river and a glowing mountain range to use as a backdrop to your family and maternity photos.
It is one of my all time favorite locations to take families, although it is a bit of a drive. Travel fees may apply.
Mesa, AZ
Water Users Mountain
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Locations for Adventure Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
Another gorgeous spot along the Salt River is called Phon D Sutton. With walk in access to the river and the occasional siting of wild animals, with the Four Peaks as a background, this is such a fun and adventurous place to take your kids!
Travel fees may apply.
Mesa, AZ
Phon D Sutton
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Locations for Adventure Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
There are lots of different areas for photos. I like to start families off near the parking lot (very easy to access) around the beautiful trees and greenery and then move our way closer to the shore of the lake itself.
Walking barefoot around the waterfront, wading knee deep and enjoying the breeze and waves encouraged!
Mesa, AZ
Butcher Jones Recreation
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Locations for Adventure Sessions
my favorite places to shoot
The Gilbert Riparian Preserve is a beautiful location filled with hidden nooks and crannies that are easily accessible for all ages.
With beautiful backdrops including lakes, cacti and walking trails, this spot is a great place to go with little kids!
Travel fees may apply.
gilbert, az
Gilbert Riparian Preserve
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The clothing that you wear can be the difference between good photos and fantastic photos so I'm here to help you select amazing outfits for your family.
My advice is to start with one person's outfit. Choose the hardest person to dress first and then decide the rest of the outfits based on that.
For women and older girls, I personally love long, flowy dresses because of the movement it creates. But movement can be added with long dusters, too. For babies and smaller girls who will be held most of the session, a romper or something without a skirt is best. Skirts always get squished, anyway. For littles, be sure they have a diaper cover of some kind!
For boys, overalls, rompers, and suspenders are really cute. For older boys and men, I love Henleys, casual button-ups, sweaters... just stay away from hoodies, turtlenecks, polos, and dress shirts that look like they're about to head to the office. Also men and boys should wear lighter colored pants - tan or khaki compliment well!
Textures are your best friend. Rather than getting smooth fabrics, look for things with some texture because it photographs beautifully!
Stick to 1 pattern for a three-person family, 1-2 patterns for four people, 2-3 for 5 people, and so on. Or be unpredictable and stick to all solids, just be sure to get a lot of textured fabric to create interest. I love florals and stripes (just not thin and close together stripes, they create a weird effect in photos).
AVOID: Small patterns with contrasting colors. Patterns that are too trendy that they date your photos. Words, logos, and characters. Neon colors on anything, even the soles of shoes. Athletic shoes (but nice chucks are fine). Matching!
Figuring Out
What to Wear
I love muted earthy colors as they work best with my editing, so try to incorporate olive green, browns, soft rust, mauve, or any warm earthy colors into your outfits. You can use cool colors like blue, turquoise, teal, and sage green to balance out the warmth but use sparingly. And definitely add in tons of neutrals to keep a good balance of color. Examples of some neutrals are cream, gray, taupe, and tan. I don't recommend bright white (it tends to photograph blue), neon, bright blue/purple, or lots of black.
Remember to keep your location in mind when choosing colors. For example, if the location will have a lot of green, then try not to wear much green because you will blend right in.
If you will be hanging your photos in your home, make sure you choose colors that will look good in your space and not clash with your decor.
Here are some color palette ideas to help you!
Choosing a
Color Palette
Where to Shop
Rent the Runway
ASOS
Morning Lavender
J. Crew
Anthropologie
Free People
Jessakae
Petal & Pup
Pink Blush (Maternity)
H&M
Vici Dolls
Virginia Dare Dress Co.
Baltic Born Clothing
Madewell
Kate + Grace Boutique
Joyfolie
Able
Zara
Mango
Nothing Fits But
Sezane
Hill House Home
Reformation
Rachel Pally
Nuuly
Christy Dawn
Rylee & Cru
Clad & Cloth
Ivy City
Shopbop
Everlane
Women
Rent the Runway
ASOS
Morning Lavender
J. Crew
Anthropologie
Free People
Jessakae
Petal & Pup
H&M
Vici Dolls
Virginia Dare Dress Co.
Madewell
Kate + Grace Boutique
Everlane
Banana Republic
Mango
Reiss
Alex Mill
Untuckit
Amazon - GoodThreads
Bonobos
Abercrombie
Rag & Bone
Men
Kate Quinn
Zara Kids
Quincy Mae
Joyfolie
Rylee & Cru
Noralee
Target - Cat & Jack, Art Class, Q by Quincy Mae
H&M Kids
Crew Cuts by J Crew
Roolee
Alice & Ames
Smallable
Fin and Vance
Little & Co.
Briar Baby
Jaime Kay
Childhoods Clothing
Spearmint Love
Gap
Old Navy
Boden
Hanna Andersson
Kids
What Time will We Have our Session?
All of my outdoor family and maternity sessions take place within 1-2 hours of sunset for the most creamy, sun drenched and beautiful golden hour light. This time of day is what creates the glowing look that is inherent in my work. When the sun is lower in the sky, you avoid harsh shadows and bright sun patches.
We schedule sessions during what we believe will be the best light of the day - which means that it’s super important to be on time. If you’re late to an evening session, we could run out of light before we’ve finished shooting. Arriving 10-15 min early ensures you have plenty of time for last minute touch ups, outfit swaps and diaper changes.
When determining the date of your session, you'll want to be mindful of that sunset time frame and whether or not it will work for your family's bedtime needs and routines.
If you are concerned about bedtime and it won't work for your family, I definitely recommend scheduling your sessions in the spring or winter for earlier session start times!
If our session takes place close to dinnertime, we recommend feeding kids (and yourselves!) before we begin shooting. If your little one is going to be going to bed later, consider pushing their nap a bit that day, letting them sleep longer or packing pj's so that you can quickly tuck them into bed as soon as you get home.
Gather the outfits the day before, steam or iron them so they are ready to go. Make sure you pre=pack your diaper bag with extra wipes, diapers, and dry snacks like cheerios, grapes and water instead of juice to avoid accidental stains.
Photo Day
Tips for
Add an extra 30-60 minutes onto how long you think it will take to get ready. Plan to show up to the location at least 15 minutes early. Staying calm and happy is a big part of the day doing well so plan it all out ahead of time and have a buffer.
Bring the family to the session with full bellies to ensure that no one is hangry. And don't forget to brush those teeth after the meal!
Do your best to make sure you don't have a super active day before the session. I want all your energy!
Prep Clothing & Accessories
be ahead of schedule
eat first
be well-rested
This might be the most important part of having beautiful family photos. Let your kids be themselves! While it may seem obvious, it's not always easy. Here are some tips on how to help your kids have a great time at the session.
This is a no discipline zone. Yep, I said it. During the session (and probably a couple of hours leading up to the session), try your very hardest not to get mad at, be stern with, or say no to your child or children. Unless it's a safety issue, of course. This is so important, especially during the photo session.
You may feel like you need to make sure your kids are "being good" because I'm there, but I guarantee you that I don't care if they are being a little naughty. I actually prefer it because that is usually when the real smiles will come out. If they want to talk about poop and farts or forget to use their manners, please just let it go for this one day. We want happy and natural smiles, and that isn't going to happen if they are getting in trouble.
No threatening to take away their electronic time, no sternly telling them to sit and listen. Please. I will help guide them into the things we are doing but if they aren't into it, we will just try something else. The goal is that the kids have fun. Basically, they are in charge!
Let the Kids be kids...
You get to be the cool parents today...
go with it!
Parent's Behavior
Let's Discuss
Here's a fun little fact for you... 9 times out of 10 it's not the kids who mess up a great photo... it's the parents!
The kids are over there cracking up because little Timmy thought it would be funny to make fart sounds with his armpit. They look happy, they are having a great time. But then you look at the parents and what are they doing? Looking annoyed. Lol. Is that going to be a cute photo now? Probably not. So what can you do?
Look at your kids like they are doing the cutest thing EVER. I don't care if they are throwing your hair in your face or trying to hit dad on the head... it's all adorable, okay?
If you just pretend like everything they do is either hilarious or sweet, all of your photos will be great. It's a proven fact! 🤪
As I mentioned in the section on the Secret to Authentic Photos, cuddling, snuggling and playing is the name of the game when it comes to genuine interaction during your session.
I think most of us feel awkward in front of the camera, including me! So please know you are in good hands! Luckily not only are my sessions extremely relaxed, but I fully guide you and your family through the entire session.
We usually begin with a few traditional “poses” that are super easy and natural. Then I'll guide you into playful movement, prompts and even games. If I tell you to do something that feels a little funny, it’s probably because I know it’s going to make everyone laugh - and I want to get that genuine laughter and smile! I will also direct you into more tender and
Often you won't even realize how amazing a moment is and I sneak a photo in! One of the best parts about my job is to see the beauty in what seems like ordinary moments, and provide you those memories forever.
Throughout your session, I'll keep an eye on your hair, makeup and outfits to make sure things stay in place. I want you to feel as relaxed as possible and enjoy your time together!
"What do I do with my Hands?"
"What do I do
with my hands"?
We know that some family members just happen to be furry and we love when families choose to incorporate pets into their session. Keep in mind that bringing a pet along often means that we’ll need to choose a pet friendly location (unless it's an in-home session).
We recommend planning for your pet to be at the first part of your session and having a friend take them home. We won’t use the pet in every single photo so it’s also nice to have someone available to hold him or her in between shots.
If you’re going to bring a pet, we recommend exercising your pet before the session and bringing your pets favorite toy or treats! Depending on your pet’s fur type, it might also be a good idea to groom them before the shoot.
Furry Friends
Managing
Is there anything more gorgeous than an expectant mother?! The typical best time to schedule maternity photos is during weeks 30-34 weeks.
I love maternity sessions, and want you to know that your comfort is my #1 priority. You are welcome to bring along your significant other and children to the session if you wish, or we can focus on just you in all your gorgeousness!
For maternity sessions (as well as newborn), I remain flexible in scheduling due to the unpredictable nature of delivery. I don't want you to worry a bit about that — I've got you covered. All you need to do is focus on taking it easy and making sure you get regular foot rubs, ok?
Maternity
Newborn
You’ve likely realized this by now, but babies can be a bit messy. It’s always a good idea for all members of the family to plan an extra outfit just in case.
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This is a season when you might not quite feel like yourself. A fresh outfit you feel good in goes a long way. Session days are also a good day to take others up on that offer to help. You are one hard working mama and if you have time to nap, shower and get ready in peace, you’re going to love these images a lot more.
Dear Mama,
03
While your entire house doesn’t need to look like it’s ready for Pinterest, we do recommend cleaning up the nursery and any places you think we might shoot. This might include your bed, the couch or a spot in your home with beautiful natural light. But truly, that's all you need to prep. It doesn't even need to be 'clean', just tidied and with any dirty dishes or large accessories put away.We know you're in the throes of newborn life and we won't judge the pile or dishes in the sink or baby paraphernalia that has suddenly taken over the house.
Preparing your home
backup Outfits
If you feed and change your little one’s diaper right before I arrive, this helps ensure that they are ready to go as soon as I get there. However due to the tiny size of their tummies, it’s also likely that they’ll need another feed (and maybe a diaper change) during the shoot. Please don’t worry about pausing the session to feed your little one. This is normal! We plan extra time for newborn sessions.
Also, an important note - since the nature of in-home lifestyle newborn sessions is that baby's can be up to 6 weeks old, your baby can be awake or asleep (or a combination of both) throughout your session.
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Preparing your Baby
If we’ll be photographing the newest members of your family, the following tips below will help ensure everyone is happy throughout the session.
Newborns
a note about
We’re big believers that images aren’t meant to solely exist in a digital space. One day, most likely, Instagram will be gone, your phone will be replaced and images that you can physically hold in your hand will be the best way to remember those precious moments we captured.
Think about this fact: fifteen years ago, if we had delivered you digital images, they would have been on a floppy disk. With the fast updates to technology, you would have no way to access those images today. Even the online galleries we deliver will eventually fade away.
But prints? Those last. I bet your family still has images from your grandparents (maybe even great grandparents.) And that was likely from a time period when cameras were expensive and prints were harder to come by.
Bring Your Images to Life with
prints
Perfect for those who value legacy. These heirloom albums are a great way to house a large number of images in a beautiful way. Leave them on display as coffee table books or protect them with a legacy box.
Albums
You can order prints in a variety of sizes for gifts, DIY photo albums and to matte and frame for your walls. Printing through my professional printer allows you to be sure the colors and quality will be accurate and outstanding!
gift & wall prints
Details for ordering will be delivered with your gallery
Easy to hang and easy to change out. Canvases are one of my favorite ways to decorate a space. They also work great on little easels placed around the home.
Canvases
$25
$40
$65
$95
8x10
11x14
16x20
20x30
gift & Wall prints
$300
$550
8x8 Linen
10x10 Linen
heirloom Photo Albums
$350
$450
$550
16x20
20x30
24x36
Fine Art Canvases
OPtional a la carte products
You are absolutely welcome to share images on social media. To ensure that my work is properly represented, I ask that you NOT add any of your own edits or filters. I also super appreciate image credits and tags as they help me to continue growing my business.
Q: Can I share my images on social media?
While I can gain inspiration from Pinterest, I don't attempt to recreate photos because it will feel stiff and posed. Trust me to come up with fun things for your family to do and help you to feel comfortable together. That will produce the best photos, I promise.
Q: Can you recreate a photo I found on Pinterest?
We will discuss it and make a plan together. The weather here in Arizona is usually pretty stable but during certain seasons it can be unpredictable so I don't like to make a final decision until the night before or even the day of. I am happy to reschedule if it looks like rain but if your family is up for stomping in puddles and clear umbrellas, then so am I!
Q: What happens if it rains?
Although it is not necessary, you will never regret getting your hair and makeup professionally done. I highly recommend Anny Chow Bridal for this! If you are going to do your own, matte colors photograph best in natural light. I also love when hair is left down and wavy.
Q: Should I get my makeup and hair done?
I will edit your photos for color and style as I see fit and I may remove a blemish or cut here and there. I also will remove people from the background if that is needed. But I will not alter anyone's body, remove stray hairs, wrinkles, or do any other kind of extensive editing unless specifically asked and I will charge an additional editing fee in that case, as it is not part of my usual process.
Q: Do you do any extensive photoshop edits?
I'll be hard at working editing your photos and they will be delivered via online gallery within three weeks of your session.
Q: When will we receive our images?
FAQ
I know that this guide is long and hopefully it covers everything you need to know to prep for your upcoming session. However, if there is something I missed, or you need anything else, please be sure to reach out! I can't wait to photograph your family soon!
hello@rivkahleah.com
310-309-1244
