What to Bring

Ok, we've scheduled your maternity/newborn/baby/first birthday session. Now what?

First, I will send you a questionair and ask all kinds of questions about your personal style, and hobbies to decide if there is anything special to you that you would like to have in the photos.

A few things families have brought in the past:

A baptism gown worn by the entire family
An old worn story book
Family bible
Dads old baseball glove/football helment
A bracelet from Grandma
USMC Dress Blues
Cake stand used by all the siblings
Quilt made by an aunt

There are so many options that I could never list them all. Send me photos of the items, or bring them in with your for a consult and we can make sure its used to create something beautiful and memorable for your family.

Tell me about your job, or your husbands, tell me about the stories you read together or places you travel. Even if it seems a little far fetched tell me about the things you enjoy that we may be able to use for your families session!

For more information on how to prepare for your newborn session, check out my website http://www.flashphotostudios.info/session-prep.html

First Reveal of 2018 with Before & After

Flash Photo Studios, llc. 

Newborn Portrait Photography by Candice Killinger

Jacksonville, NC 

This is the first reveal session of 2018! 

This handsome little guy was born in 2017, but post-processing and a snow storm has pushed back their reveal. Mom and dad came in with a vision for their session and together we worked to give them the perfect fit for their family!

 

  

I've been debating for a while now on what I think about before and after shots, and including them in blog posts.As you can see, I decided to give it a try!

 I always strive to get the best shot directly in camera while shooting, but sometimes that doesn't happen. Sometimes I have to reply on Photoshop and my skill in my photoshop to help me achieve the look I want. 

I always show clients in studio what the shots look like directly out of my camera on the tv, and I hope at their reveal session they feel the magic and the work that went into their gallery! I show them the in-camera shots to make sure we're on track following their vision. These memories belong to the family, and represent them and will be displayed in their home. It is of great importance to ensure its exactly what they want! 

Before & After 

 This is one of the many reasons photographers ask that you do not take cell phone photos during your session! What you see in studio is not the finished product! 

Thanks for reading, 

Candice

How old is to old? Newborn Photography Sessions.

The last two weeks I have been experiencing calls from a high number of stressed-out new mothers who have been told their 3-6 week old newborn baby is too old for a photography session. 

There is NEVER a bad age to have your children's portraits taken. Could it potentially be more difficult for a variety of reasons? Yes. BUT, that doesn't mean you should skip the session all together. This time only lasts so long, and they change so quickly, you'll be glad you did! 

Just because the "ideal" age is 5-10 days does not mean 3-4 week old babies won't do just as amazing-- and 5 days old does not guarantee a "perfect" sleeping posing baby. So many factors go into a session, and its always worth it to have them taken. It is true that newborn babies are much more sleepy during the first 14 days of life, they are often bright-eyed and very alert for much longer at 4 weeks +. Typically, the same "curled up" poses aren't an option for older babies, but that doesn't mean it is that way for all. It also doesn't mean you shouldn't have babies photos taken, we'll just discuss different types of posing options. 

Sometimes traumatic births happen, sometimes in-laws suddenly appear from out of town and things do not go as planned, please don’t give yourself more stress by worrying about numbers. Just like they say “Due Dates are just guesses, they’re not exact— all babies are different” … Same thing. “Ideal” photo session ages are a best guess too. 

I have had 6 week old babies sleep and curl up in precious and perfect posing positions that are something out of an angelic dream, and I’ve had 6 day old babies who have needed to come in twice (even 3 times once) because they were unhappy and just couldn’t settled, comforted. I don’t believe in forcing a session, if baby is unhappy it’s worth waiting another day or so because an unset baby often means an upset Mother, and I am not in the business of having upset mamas! 

On my webpage I give a little “How to Prepare for your newborn session” I have found these things work at most ages. 

http://www.flashphotostudios.info/session-prep.html

One baby is 10 days, the other 3 weeks. Both are precious and perfect!! <3 <3 

KID'S CLUB!!!

HI!!!
I am super excited about this one!!

As a mother with five children I wish I had the time and money to have their photos taken (by someone else... they won't smile for me!) for every single milestone in our lives!!

I want photos taken when my family has milestones- Not just holidays. This year (Jan-Aug alone) I  have had 3 birthday sessions, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, saxophone, graduation, dance, family, Valentines Day, and First Communion Photos. I took them all, but my children don't make nice faces for me!! It's called "Photographer's Child Syndrome" you can google it!!!

So, I thought about what I would like to have and use!! I value photographers time, and work- but I also wish I could have images taken more than just once or twice a year. So, after begging my children to sit still and please help me, I came up with a plan!! (I should have done a model call. I can make other children laugh and smile all day long!)

1 year family membership $150 

Comes with No session fee, 1- 4x6 print box, and 1 USB 

Hi-Resolution Image Packages: 

a. 3- $75

b. 5- $120

c. 10- $195

Add 4x6 Prints: 

3- $10 , 5- $15, 10- $30, Add an 8x10 $25

Print Packages: 

1. 3-4x6s, 2-5x7s, 1-8x10, & 2 digital images $115

2. 4 wallets, 5-4x6s, 3-5x7s, 1-8x10, $ 3 digital images $135

3. 25 cards (Birthday/Christmas/Thank You/Valentines) $50

Add addition prints 4x6 $5, 5x7 $10, 8x10 $25 

Add additional digital $25 each

                                                                                 

9th Birthday Girl!

Baby Girl is 3 years old now!!!

#4 would like to say 'Thank you" for reading his mama's Blog!

#2 plays the saxophone! Every year he gets better and better, and I love to take photographs while he plays!

Of course Christmas photos!!!!!

I mentioned that they don't like to smile for me!! All year there are plenty of reasons to pop into the studio for a quick session, or give me a call and we'll meet on-location!! Children grow so quickly and there are dozens of reasons to shoot all year long!!! From Baby's first newborn photo session through Graduation! This "Kid's Club" is also good for Pregnancy to baby! Anything in your families year! (Except Homecomings, births, and Weddings) 

If you have any questions please feel free to ask!!

--Candice

Photographer, Boutique Owner, Cheer Coach, Mother of Five, Wife, and Dreamer in Jacksonville, North Carolina. 

www.FlashPhotoStudios.Info

Smash Cake Sessions!!

Smash the Cake sessions to celebrate first birthdays can be a lot of messy fun!!! 

Newborn photos are often precious babies curled up into poses sleeping in angelic classical portraits. As baby grows the sessions become more playful— getting baby to smile and laugh for the camera. Celebrating baby’s first birthday with a personal cake has been a tradition for quite a long time now; I’m pretty sure my dad has a photo of me putting my face into my first cake! A wonderful way to freeze time on this is with a styled session with a cake!! 

I like to start with simple portraits focusing on just your sweetheart— Before they’re covered head to toe in cake!!! 

Then, we give them the cake and watch them explore. Some instantly dig in immediately and  never bat an eye, others a little more cautious as they touch the icing, little bits at a time. 

Capturing the little details is my favorite part of these sessions. I just love little baby toes covered in icing. I have one of these for each of my children!!! 

Give me a call to schedule your little ones First Birthday Smash The Cake Session!! We can shoot in my office or on-location. I prefer to meet in my studio before the session so we can talk about the vision you have for your session, color schemes, themes, props you may have or I have so we can ensure you get exactly what you want! After the session you'll choose your images, and I also have prints and other products available. Printing with me guarantees the best quality!!

--Candice

Photographer, Boutique Owner, Cheer Coach, Mother of Five, Wife, and Dreamer in Jacksonville, North Carolina. 

www.FlashPhotoStudios.Info

Posed Newborn In-Studio / Lifestyle Newborn Photography

What is the difference between in-studio posed newborn photography and lifestyle in-home photography with Flash Photo Studios? 

Sometimes expecting families will ask what the difference is, and I do the best I can to explain it in a quick few sentences. Today I will elaborate with a few images to show!!

Posed Newborn Photography: 

The mother and baby (sometimes dad and siblings) come into my studio and we take the time to snuggle baby to sleep, and using posing pods, bean bags, bucks, and many other props I take baby’s portraits.  

 If there is a family shot, it is often in front of a simple backdrop focusing on the family. 

Lifetsyle In-Home Newborn Photos: 

These are done in the families home. They’re still “posed” I’ll make sure that no one is sitting in an unbecoming way!! :) They’re on the couch, in the beds and bedrooms— sometimes the kitchen! Places where the family spends their time doing activities they do together. 

I hope this helps a little!!

For a quick guide on preparing for your newborn session: 

http://www.flashphotostudios.info/session-prep.html

Also, Available: 

I do not advertise for this, but I do understand that sometimes mamas do not want to bring their new babies out of the house after only a few days to a week, in which case I can bring my studio set-up to your home for the option to have both posed newborn and lifestyle family. Please ask me for details and pricing if you’re interested!!!

--Candice

Photographer, Boutique Owner, Cheer Coach, Mother of Five, Wife, and Dreamer in Jacksonville, North Carolina. 

www.FlashPhotoStudios.Info

Milestones Don't Stop At A Year

     Everyone talks about “Belly to Baby” photography session options, and I have those, they’re wonderful!!! However, let’s not stop thinking about annual or semi annual shots of them as they grow. They still grow and change so fast, and those school photos often miss their personalities. Yes, their hair is combed and they may even be smiling, but they’re seated in the “year book” pose. I’m not knocking the year book photo, I have five children and I love their year book photos and I add them to their school memory book every single year, but their personality just isn’t in the photo. It’s not personal. 

I have two cheerleaders, a trumpet player, saxophone player, basketball player, baseball player, and a princess and you can’t see that in these photos. 

This year my 3rd daughter will be cheering for her school’s basketball team, thats a milestone. After 4 years at her elementary school she is moving upstairs and able to cheer— this is a milestone we’re excited to share with her, and I’m going to want some photos for her memory book. 
Whatever milestones are happening in your big kids lives, give me a call and let’s capture those moments!!

First Communion is a beautiful milestone!!! 

Studio and On-Site options!

   

                    

                                                                                                                              Personalized sports photos are a fun session!!