WELCOME TO YOUR
SENIOR PICTURES EXPERIENCE

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HELLO and WELCOME!  I am so excited to officially have you on the books!!! I pour my heart into every single senior session, and I can't wait to have a blast together
and capture some beautiful images! 

My goal with this Senior Welcome Guide is to help you prepare for your session and get the MOST out of your experience. Your senior session is SUCH an exciting memory and a huge investment…so it’s my job to be sure you are fully prepared! In this guide you will find everything from suggestions for outfits, hair and makeup, ways to customize your experience, what to expect the day of your session, how your final gallery will work and everything in between! Please take the time to read it thoroughly to ensure you have all of the information you need to make your shoot the absolute best it can be! 

My promise as your photographer is that I will make you look and FEEL like the best version of YOU! I want your experience and your images to reflect exactly who you are, and I’m here to help ensure we make that happen. Use the content in this guide as suggestions, but feel free to reach out to me at any point in the planning process to chat about how we can make it personal to YOU and create images that you will look back on and love for years to come. 

Can’t wait to see you! 

SENIOR PICTURES EXPERIENCE AT-A-GLANCE

There's a LOT of information in this guide!  It's meant to make you feel fully prepared for your senior photos, and answer any questions you may have leading up to your big day!  Here's a snapshot of the timeline and to-dos so you can refer back and know exactly what you need to do and when!

after booking

  • Read through your Welcome Guide 
  • Start thinking about your vision for your photos
  • Think about your location vibe!
  • Schedule hair and makeup if that's in your plan!

3-4 weeks before your session

  • Complete and submit your Senior Questionnaire
  • Narrow down outfit options.
  • Start thinking about accessories and props.
  • Finalize your locations.

1-2 weeks before your session

  • Finalize outfits and work with Angela to pair outfits with locations.
  • Angela will send session details including time, location flow, parking info.

2-3 days before your session

  • Get a mani / pedi
  • If you're getting a spray tan, now is the time, but keep it natural-looking

day before your session

  • Steam or iron outfits
  • Pack shoes, accessories and touch-up items
  • Get a good night's sleep!

session day

  • Relax and get ready for an amazing time!
  • Be on time!
  • Bring 1-2 close friends or family members to cheer you on.
  • Be ready for some gentle posing guidance and lots of movement!

after your session

  • Watch for sneak peeks within 24 hours!
  • Receive full gallery via email within 2-3 weeks
  • Download your images and share with all your friends!
  • Order albums or prints if you'd like!

I'M ANGELA!

Now that we've gotten to know each other, let's dive into the good stuff!

Hi! I'm Angela—a photographer, huge travel lover, wife, and mom of 2 girls! I live in Linden Hills near the SW Minneapolis lakes with our family of four plus a tiny little goldendoodle, Bailey.

Before photography I was in the Marketing world at top Minneapolis corporations, then spent many years staying home with my little girls!

My style is bright, feminine, and effortlessly beautiful. I'm professional, yet laid back, and I love to make photography fun! People consistently tell me they love my photo sessions because I'm warm and genuine and they feel like they've known me for years! 

in case we haven't met...

What to expect

Now that you are booked and things are officially official - let’s talk through the entire senior experience, step-by-step! Your senior experience starts NOW, and I want you to know what’s around every corner as you begin to prep for your photo day! 

01

Alongside this guide, you should have received a senior questionnaire to complete. This questionnaire will help me to get to know you, your style and your preferences so that I can create the best possible senior experience for you! Please take the time to fill it out thoroughly after reading through this guide - the more info you give me, the more I can customize your experience and be sure your images reflect YOU! But, finish reading this guide first…there’s helpful stuff in here! 

the welcome guide & questionNaire

02

As we get closer to the day of your photo session, you can expect to hear from me with our meeting time, location and final check-in! I photograph senior portraits at “golden hour” - depending on your session type, that's approximately 2 hours before sunset. We have likely already decided which time of day we will shoot! These times of day have the most amazing, glowy light, cooler temperatures and less crowds at popular locations. Because of this, I like to wait until we are 1 week out from your shoot date to lock in an exact meeting time based on the time of the sunset. If there are clouds or rain storms in the forecast, this also allows me to plan around the weather to ensure we get the best lighting possible! So, if we planned for around 6pm…it may end up that 5:30pm or 6:30pm is actually the best time to meet. That is super normal!

03

your session day!

This section of the guide could be its own book in itself! SO many fun things to talk about on the day of your shoot! Your shoot will be 1-1.5 hours in total.
Let’s dive into what to expect each minute of your senior session:

the week before

The importance of being on time

First things first: being on time for your shoot is VITAL. And I don’t just say that because of my time…I say that because we are on the SUN’S time. Since we plan your shoot around the ideal time for golden lighting…being late means that you lose that time off of your shoot. Even being 15 minutes late means that we’ve lost 15 minutes of light. Once the sun goes down…we can’t shoot anymore! So, try to plan to be 15 minutes early for your session. That way, even if you hit traffic or a delay…it doesn’t eat into your shooting time! If you are more than 30 minutes late for your session, we will have to reschedule for my soonest available date (which is typically 2-3 months out). 

the first 15 minutes

When you arrive at your shoot, the first thing we are going to do is look through your outfits together! Even if you send me photos beforehand (and I hope you do!), we will run through them together on the day-of to map out exactly where we will photograph each look and when you will change. This helps us to go in with a game plan and decide which outfit will look best in which location. Sometimes there will be flowers in bloom that coordinate with a specific dress or a prop that we want to use at a specific spot…so there’s some strategy that goes into this!

Changing Outfits & Locations 

I frequently get asked where my seniors will change outfits on their shoot day.  I've got you!  I have a pop-up changing room that makes it super easy for you to change wherever you are! Many of the locations that we shoot don’t have public bathrooms, or we might be in the middle of a field somewhere and you need to swap outfits. If you’d prefer to have a bathroom to change, just let me know ahead of time and I will be sure to select locations that have this option. 

Posing 

 The BIGGEST and most important thing that I want you to know about your shoot day is this: I am going to tell you what to do the ENTIRE time! You do NOT need to have any posing or modeling experience. I’ve actually never photographed a real model. :)  Part of your investment in your senior portraits is my experience and ability to pose you and make you look (and feel!) your absolute best. So, there’s no reason to be nervous at all! I will guide you through every single pose and I promise the BIGGEST compliment I get from seniors is that I make it so easy. It’s going to be a blast! 

After we look through your outfits together, we will start shooting! We typically spend 20-30 minutes photographing each outfit before changing and moving to the next spot. I try to always save the BEST outfit for last…so keep that in mind when planning your faves! 

Who to bring with you

I suggest that at least one parent or guardian joins us for your senior session. But, whether they join us for the entire shoot or wait in the car is totally up to you. The most important thing to think about is what will make you feel the most COMFORTABLE in front of the camera. If you tend to be more shy and will feel awkward having your mom or dad watching the entire time…we can ask them to wait in the car. If you LOVE having a hype squad and want everyone to follow us as we shoot…let’s do it! I just ask that we are still able to keep your images as the top priority with minimal distractions. Bringing a large group of friends can sometimes mean that you get distracted while in front of the camera…and that can mean you don’t get as many images or time is taken away from shooting. So, I recommend only bringing 1-2 people along…this ensures it won’t take away from your focus as we shoot! 

Another frequently asked question is “who do I bring with me!?” The answer is, it's up to you! 

LET's talk locations...

are they a big deal?

Aside from choosing your outfits (which we are diving into next, don’t worry!) - choosing your LOCATIONS is a huge part of what will determine the overall style and aesthetic of your images. It also takes a little bit of logistical planning to map out where we will shoot and the travel time between locations. Overall, there are a few things to keep in mind when picking where to shoot: 

It’s actually not the location that matters most…it’s the LIGHT! 

YEP. This is hard to understand if you aren’t a photographer but hear me out: if you have the most beautiful garden location in mind with tons of fluffy flowers and manicured walkways…but it’s in the DIRECT sunlight all day long…it’s actually not an ideal place to shoot. It would be better to have the session in a random field on the side of the highway with gorgeous back-light coming through the trees…because the LIGHT is what makes the biggest difference in the whole world! Trust me on this one!! 

Try to think of an overall “feel” or “vibe” for your shoot…and let this guide your location choices!

While the location of your shoot totally matters…it may not matter quite as much as you think. Many of the images in your final gallery (and likely the one you choose for your yearbook) will be close-up images…meaning you can’t see a whole lot of the background. What you CAN see is the colors, light and overall “feel” of the location. So..  don’t get so caught-up and stressed over one specific location. Choose a “vibe” that you want…and I can help you pick spots that will make that happen! 

location vibes

These are examples of common location types or “vibes” that my seniors want for their shoot. If you want more than one, that’s totally okay! 2-3 locations are included in your senior package, and we can achieve a wide variety of looks in a short time. This section of the guide will give you examples, visuals and inspiration for common styles…then you can tell me your favorites in detail on your questionnaire! 

flowers

This is one of my personal favorites! Think florals, lots of color, Feminine, colorful, whimsical!

Nature

Beautiful trees, fields, golden wheat, tall grasses.  Dreamy and magical.

lakes

Water, sand, docks, boats.  Quintessential MN summer vibes!

urban

Big city edge, or small city charm -- YOU do YOU!

want to explore THE ACTUAL TWIN CITIES LOCATION THAT I LOVE THE MOST?

EXPLORE HERE!

Now for the most FUN part and hands-down the most frequently asked question: WHAT DO I WEAR!? Choosing what you will wear for your photo shoot is a huge decision that can make or break your senior portrait session! I know that sounds intense... but, if you wear something that you don’t feel confident in or that doesn’t photograph well on camera...it can ruin the experience for you! So, the Senior Welcome Guide to the rescue! This section will break down my best tips for what to wear and how to style your senior session outfits (plus LOTS of fun inspiration!) 

WHAT TO WEAR

1. be comfortable

The NUMBER ONE, most important thing to remember when planning your outfits: if it’s not comfortable to wear in real life, it won’t make you feel confident on camera! If you do not like fitted clothing (super tight dresses or pieces that fit awkwardly) then leave them at home! If there are pieces in your closet that make you feel self- conscious or uncomfortable, don’t include them in your senior portrait wardrobe! I also recommend trying to steer clear of anything that you have to constantly adjust or is at risk of being revealing. You’ll be doing lots of moving and posing, so if the outfit is super low-cut…you’re at risk of things slipping while we shoot! 

2. be yourself

At risk of sounding cheesy…staying true to yourself with your outfits is so, so important. When you look back at these images in 20+ years…you’ll want them to truly reflect YOU! If you aren’t someone who ever dresses up or enjoys being fancy…don’t feel like you need to go buy a fancy dress just for photos. If you don’t enjoy being girly and wearing frilly dresses or lots of makeup…then leave them at home! For the guys, if you hate wearing a suit and tie, then DON'T wear one for your pictures!  Don’t feel pressured to buy anything new or outside of your usual style just because you are getting photos taken. This entire shoot is meant to be about who YOU are in this exciting season of life… so don’t change a single thing!

3. Be bold + consider using color

Use this shoot as an opportunity to have a little bit of fun with your outfits + colors! On camera, solid black or neons can make skin tones look washed out or unflattering. When choosing outfits for your senior session, try to choose colors that POP and that compliment your hair + skin tones! Primary colors like royal blue and yellow photograph beautifully as well as tones like emerald green, pinks, coral, blues and any other colors that really POP! Sometimes, color combos that may seem odd in-person end up photographing BEAUTIFULLY on camera! Don’t shy away from color! 

4. add layers

In the cooler fall months, adding layers to your outfits always looks STUNNING in portraits! A textured sweater paired with white jeans + statement earrings or scarf adds so much dimension to your images and makes for super fun posing options! Even in the warmer months (spring + summer) you can add these layers + dimension by wearing a dress with a light sweater or scarf over it, or for the guys a henley with a button down over it.
 

5. play with textures

Sometimes textures like feathers, furs can be considered too extra…but, in portraits, they are the BEST! Adding texture to your outfit can make a huge difference. I also love to photograph pieces with MOVEMENT: long, flowy dresses with epic trains, bows, eyelets are AMAZING and my fave. It adds a super fun element to your pictures!  

6. don't be afraid to Accessorize

There is a whole section dedicated to props and accessories coming up in this guide…but it’s honestly one of the most important parts! Adding accessories like jewelry, hats, fun shoes, purses, etc. to your outfits really makes them feel like YOU and adds a whole new layer of detail to your senior gallery. I’m a huge fan of statement earrings, a bright lip color, a super fun shoe, colorful bags, floppy sun hats…ALL of these things give us so much more variety with posing + create such beautiful pictures! 
 

7. mix it up

When planning your outfits, make sure that you have a VARIETY of looks! I tell
all of my seniors to choose from these categories: casual, cozy, dressy, school- related, sports-related, preppy or edgy. I always recommend choosing 2-3 of those categories and finding outfits accordingly. This provides a beautiful array of looks during your senior portrait session, so each outfit looks drastically different and you get tons of variety!

adriana

Adriana's Wayzata senior session was an absolute dream! Her Deluxe Session included 3 locations - Noerenburg Gardens, DT Wayzata and Wayzata Beach.  Her outfits were SPOT ON, and we had a blast!

  • Short, flirty pink dress
  • Denim skirt with flirty tank
  • Long, white flowy dress for the finale!
  • Unexpected combo of white cowboy boots with dress
  • Her combo of pinks, whites, and blues accented her location choices perfectly
  • Her hand-made bouquet added a feminine, personal touch.

Outfit inspo

why her outfits worked

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rachel

Rachel's senior session was in the height of fall in Virginia and it was STUNNING! She did a fabulous job of combining layers + textures in a way that kept her warm + added interest to her images. Cozy cardigans, vests and scarves make for a ton of extra options with posing, too! 

  • details here
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  • and here
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NICHOLE

Nichole is a photographer herself, so she came prepared with the most adorable props + outfit selections! Nichole rented out The Pink Figgy in Charleston + also brought her boyfriend to be a part of the shoot!

  • A small purse filled with flowers from the grocery store is an amazing addition to your shoot! 
  • Nichole brought along her boyfriend (now husband!) and her cap + gown to her shoot to make it super personal 
  • She brought along additional props like a sun hat + The Pink Figgy car to give us AMAZING options to add things + take them away throughout the shoot! 

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abby

Talk about COLOR! Abby did a beautiful job of incorporating tons of bold tones in her outfits. She wanted images that were joyful, bubbly, fun and candid - and I think we did a great job of achieving this! I loved the uniqueness of some of her prop ideas. 

  • Abby had accessories for every single outfit! Bags, ribbons for her hair, flowers + lemons from the Farmer's Market (her favorite!) 
  • Abby also brought her best friend along and they coordinated outfits beautifully - pink + yellow is such a fun combo!

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reed

Reed is also a photographer himself - so we turned his senior portrait session into an opportunity to get branding photos + head shots, too! I loved the way he coordinated his looks with his brand, and that he included his family in his shoot!

  • details here
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THINGS TO AVOID

Now, there’s a few important things to AVOID that are worth having their own section of this guide! As a general rule of thumb, these are the things to stay away from…

1. Pieces that are sheer, too fitted 
or potentially revealing 

We already touched on this quickly…but it’s important! You will be doing a lot of moving throughout your shoot, so wearing pieces that have to sit juuuuust right or that are at risk of slipping aren’t a good idea. And, if pieces are super thin or sheer, it may be see-through in your photos or easily show sweat marks in the summer months. 

2. stripes, neons, logos

Stripes can be unflattering, neon colors can cast an unflattering tone to your skin, and logos can out-date your images so quickly!  Let's keep your photos flattering and timeless so you can enjoy them for many years to come!

3. Pay attention to wrinkles 

We will be doing a lot of moving around, sitting, walking, etc. at your shoot. If the material of your outfit easily wrinkles...you may want to be careful. Pay close attention to textures and remember that not everything is as easy to edit out as you may think! Editing out wrinkles from a dress can take hours PER PHOTO...which can result in your images taking a lot longer to get back or requiring additional fees for extensive edits. 

Ok, you've thought about what type of outfits you want to wear, what VIBE of location you like, now how do we actually get you READY for your big day?  Take a look through some of my recommendations on places to shop, what items to bring to truly personalize your session, and even some  hair and makeup artists I like in the Twin Cities area!

HOW TO PREPARE

places to shop

I mentioned it earlier on in the guide, but I'm going to say it again: buying new clothes is NOT required for your senior session! Sometimes it's actually BETTER to use clothes you already have that you know are true to YOU and your day-to-day style. But if you want to use your session as an excuse to shop a bit - I'm going to share some of my favorite spots! 

This is the fun part...

Equation
Altar'd State
Anthropologie
Evereve
Bluebird
Trader Joe's (for a bouquet!)


minineapolis + edina

west suburbs

Equation
Evereve
Nordstrom
H & M

ONLINE

professional HAIR & MAKEUP

THEY ARE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS

When you are investing in a professional photographer, you want to make sure that the images look their absolute best. Professional hair + makeup artists are TRAINED to do hair + makeup so that it photographs well. While your makeup may look AMAZING in person, it can look completely different on-camera, and these professionals are trained to know the difference! They will conceal spots you don’t like, contour your face so it looks the best at every angle, use colors that compliment your skin to make it look flawless, make your eyes POP with false lashes + shadows, manicure your eyebrows to perfection and more!

Although not at all necessary - if professional hair and makeup is something that interests you, and it's in your budget - go for it!. Hiring a professional for your hair and makeup will make a huge difference in the quality of your photos and senior portrait experience. You are already making a large investment in your senior portrait experience…so why not make it the best it can be?!

Let’s talk about why it can be such a big game-changer for your experience:

LESS STRESS

Preparing for your senior portrait session can be stressful in and of itself. Trying to do your hair and makeup by yourself can make things even harder. Professional camera equipment is designed to pick up every little detail in an image (even details that the eye can’t see) so hiring a professional makeup artist is the best way to go.

WHO DOESN’T LIKE BEING PAMPERED!?

I don’t ever want my seniors to feel like their portrait session is just simply “taking pictures”, I want it to be an EXPERIENCE. So, if my seniors arrive after an hour of being pampered + beautified, the entire experience has already started on a good note! If a senior arrives flustered or stressed after trying to get ready themselves, it can affect the entire experience, including the way you look in photographs!

my RECOMMENDATIONS

Here is a list of amazing artists that I recommend in the Twin Cities area!  I recommend connecting with them as soon as you decide you'd like to hire a professional.

new artist COMING SOON

NEW ARTIST COMING SOON

If this is not in your budget, or just not yout style-  that is ABSOLUTELY and COMPLETELY okay!

You can use these tips to make your makeup look camera-ready yourself:
 

Don't forget the nails!

And one last tip!! In all of the chaos of senior session prep... don’t forget to pamper your nails! During your shoot, a lot of the poses we do will have your hands close to your face and in the frame, so make sure that your nails look just how you want! Try to avoid any chipped polish or crazy patterns. French manicures, light/natural colors and even nails with no color at all photograph best!! And for you ladies on the beach - this reminder includes the toes too! :)

  • Plan to wear slightly heavier make-up than normal, including blush and lipstick or gloss that are at least slightly darker than your lip color.
  • I also highly recommend false eyelashes. These can be purchased for very affordable prices at CVS or any pharmacy in the area.

tips when doing your own  hair & makeup

Make it feel like YOU! 

This is clearly a theme of this entire guide! The goal of adding in props or accessories is to make the shoot feel even more like YOU. Try to think creatively about the things that make you who you are. What are your hobbies? Favorite colors and styles? Extracurricular activities? Do you LOVE bright, girly colors and want to have a ton of florals in your images to compliment that? Are you a musician and want to include your instrument?? Do you already know your plans for college and want to have celebratory images to share about your next steps? Let’s do all the things!!! 

Flowers, anyone? 

One of my FAVORITE ways to elevate any senior session is to add in some beautiful florals. To my girly girls, this one’s for you! There are so many ways to incorporate flowers into your shoot. Honestly just creating a simple bouquet from a high-end florist, or your local Trader Joe's is my biggest recommendation!

PROPS & ACCESSORIES

Now that we have a better idea of the overall style for your session based on your outfits and locations, let’s add in the pretty details! First, let me clarify: this part is TOTALLY optional! If you don’t want to add any props or accessories to your shoot… you don’t have to! All we need is YOU to make your shoot amazing. But, if you want to personalize your shoot even further and add in some fun “extras”... this section of the guide is going to help you! 

FOR THE ATHLETES

If you play a sport that is a huge part of your high school career...we need to highlight it! You can bring along your uniform + equipment (volleyball, lacrosse stick, etc.) for some really fun photos. You can also consider adding in any medals, trophies or letters you have to highlight

AFTER YOUR SESSION

YAY! Within 2-3 weeks of your session you'll get an email with the link to your full gallery - AH!!! This is where you will be able to download, share and print all of your high resolution digital images. You can download individual images or the entire gallery at once. You can also individually save photos to your phone to start sharing on social media! The next few pages of the guide will walk you through how to use your gallery and the best ways to print and display your new favorite photos. Be sure to come back and reference this after your session!

printing your images

I truly believe so deeply in the power of printing your images and displaying them in your home. There is something so special about having a physical copy of these memories to cherish for years ahead. I have physical photo books of my wedding, my babies, our family vacations... and my girls and I flip through them all the time! You took the time to invest so much money into your senior session...why not print the images and have a physical way to cherish them and share them?

No matter what senior package you chose, you have a print credit that can be used toward the purchase of prints - so don't let that go to waste!  I do not have any purchase minimums or requirements in terms of printing your images. They are yours to share and print from wherever you prefer! But there is the option to purchase professional-quality prints and products through your online gallery. This is the ONLY printing option that I personally and professionally recommend in terms of quality and durability. If you print somewhere else, I can NOT guarantee that the quality of the images will look the same as they do online, or that the products and prints themselves will be durable.

My honest suggestion is this: if you want to print your images larger than a 4x6…the professional printer through your online gallery is the best way to go. 

In the next few pages, I am going to walk you through the "SHOP" portion of your senior gallery. This is where you can find prints, photo books, framed prints, and more directly through my professional printer! 

accessing your gallery store

When you are inside your full gallery, you will see two options at the top: "GALLERY" and "SHOP". You can toggle between the two SUPER easily!

When you open up the shop, it should look like this! You will find all of the product options here. You can purchase prints, canvases, photo albums, more! I'll walk you through how order a few of these products next!

Click on the type of product you'd like to purchase, then select sizing and material.

You will then be prompted to select the image you'd like inserted into that print product.

Once you've selected all of your options, just "Add to Cart"

Photo Books

Prints & Canvases

ALBUMS + PHOTO BOOKS

One of my personal favorite ways to print senior images is in a fine art album.  These are more of an investment (starting at $850), but they are ABSOLUTELY STUNNING and extremely high quality!  They come in linen, velvet and leather covers in a variety of elegant colors.  Linen is my fave!

 Select your text and cover style, then move on to customize your album.  It's very user-friendly!

fine art albums

If you love the idea of an album, but want something a little more on budget, the Lay Flat Album is perfect for you!  These are also very beautiful and high quality, just a little different material and color options.  These come in linen and leather!  These albums start at $350.

 Same process as fine art albums!  Select your text and cover style, then move on to customize your album.  It's very user-friendly!

lay flat albums

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF WE HAVE BAD WEATHER?

A: This is by far the most asked question I get about things that could go wrong, which makes total sense...because bad weather happens all the time! If there is bad weather in the forecast for your shoot, rest assured that you have options and I am MORE than happy to reschedule! I typically wait until the morning of the session to make a final decision about weather because it changes so often.

Q: WHAT HAPPENS if we have to reschedule due to weather?

A: That is COMPLETELY okay! We will make the final call 24-48 hours before your session. Part of the reason I only take 2 senior sessions per week is to leave TONS of room open for rescheduling if we need to for reasons outside of our control (i.e. sickness, weather, emergencies). Typically, you won't have to wait longer than a week if we have to move your date!*
*This does NOT include needing to reschedule because of poor planning, running late or any other reason. These reschedules are required to book for my next available date, which may be later in the fall!

Q: where am i going to change my clothes?

A: i've got you!  Sometimes we're in the middle of a field, far away from a public restroom!  Instead of holding up a blanket and risking who knows what, I will simply pop up my portable changing room for you and you can change in privacy right where you are!  

Q: how much will you edit my photos?

A: Your photos will look like the most beautiful version of YOU! I will not over-edit your photos to make them look unnatural, but I do subtle skin smoothing, brightening of eyes and teeth and I take care of flyaways!