Question 1

What types of photography do you do?

Accepted Answer

Portrait
Seniors, grads, headshots, fashion, branding, couples & any other fun reason for a portrait!

Family
All ages & family structures welcome!

Maternity
Individuals & couples — whatever your vibe! Inclusive of all forms of love!
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Personal Events
Birthday parties, graduation parties, baby & wedding showers, gender reveals, family reunions, & other personal events!
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Events
The grander gatherings in your community— festivals, concerts, parades, road races, corporate meetups, etc!

Question 2

How would you describe your photography style?

Accepted Answer

Warm, candid, emotive, human, & overall captive of the moment. :)
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I want you looking back at your photos in 10 years feeling as if you were back in that moment in time— not feeling distracted by a trendy editing style.

Question 3

How much are your photography services?

Accepted Answer

Check out my Photography Services page for pricing, or contact me for a personal quote.

Question 4

When do I pay you?

Accepted Answer

Upon receiving your final edited photos.

I'm also happy to accept payments in weekly/monthly increments if that's something that is helpful for you!

Question 5

How do I pay you?

Accepted Answer

Payments can be made via Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, or check.

Or if there is another payment method that works better for you, just let me know— I'm sure we can make it work!

Question 6

How long does a photo session take?

Accepted Answer

That depends on how long you book it for 😉

Short on time? I offer packages as short as 20 mins!

Need coverage of a full day event? Book me for 10 hours! I gotchu!

For family/portrait sessions, session lengths of 40 mins - 1.5 hours are typical.

Check out my Photography Services page to scroll through different package options.

Question 7

What can I expect at my photo session?

Accepted Answer

A fun, laid-back, & welcoming environment!

Want music? Let's play music!

Have a photo idea? Don't be shy! Lemme know and let's make it happen!

Don't know how to pose? I feel you, lol. I'll guide you though it (my photo sessions are judgement-free zones)!

Your kids are a little fussier than normal? Don't worry! I love kids and don't mind being flexible with my time if needed. I'll make sure we get some smiling pictures!

Question 8

Any tips for my photo session?

Accepted Answer

Relaxxx & be yourself! Authentic, candid photos are my fav!

As far as clothes:
Wear clothes with minimal prints or patterns
Wear coordinating (but not matching!) outfits if there are multiple people
BUT an outfit that makes you feel best is what is most important!

Question 9

How long after a shoot until I receive my final photos?

Accepted Answer

Usually about 2 weeks. But I try to get you a sneak peek photo or two within a couple of days after the shoot!

If this time frame differs for any reason, I'll give you a heads up!

Question 10

How many final photos will I receive?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the package you choose! You can also purchase additional photos for an extra fee.

Find the number of final photos included with each package option on my Photography Services page.

Question 11

What kind of editing do you do to your photos?

Accepted Answer

Color & lighting adjustments and minimal retouching.

I will edit out any temporary blemishes, stray hairs, dust on your shirt, drool on your baby, etc. :)

I will not modify your body in any way or edit any permanent marks on your skin (scars, freckles, stretch marks, vitiligo, etc.) unless you specifically ask me to.

Question 12

Do you share the RAW unedited photos with your clients?

Accepted Answer

No. I typically do not provide RAW images, as they are unfinished and do not represent my final work. But I promise I’ll put lots of time and effort into editing and enhancing each photo to ensure they meet my standards of quality and style! If there are specific edits you are looking for, I’d be more than happy to help accommodate your requests!

Question 13

Who owns the rights to the final photos?

Accepted Answer

You & me!

As in:
You are free to share your final photos wherever you'd like & are not obligated to give photo credits (though I'd love it if you did!)

I am free to share your final photos on my portfolio site and freelance social media pages (though I always confirm that this is okay with each individual client prior to doing so!)

I will not sell your images to anyone else.

(Exceptions to be discussed on a case-by-case basis)

Question 14

Are there any rules for sharing the photos you took for me on my social media?

Accepted Answer

Not technically, no.

However,
I'd of course appreciate a tag (@ellamariesigns) if you'd be so willing!

And I kindly request that you do not add any additional filters or otherwise modify the photos I share with you when posting them to your social media. I spend hours editing each batch of photos that I take in order to curate a professional, high quality photo gallery that not only am I proud of, but that my clients come to expect from me. Slapping an Instagram filter on my edited photos cheapens the quality of that final image and just crushes my heart 💔

Question 15

Where are you located?

Accepted Answer

Sunnyvale / South San Francisco Bay Area, California.

But I LOVE to travel & would be so excited to travel for a shoot! If this is something you're considering, contact me and we can work out the logistics!

Note: I currently charge a travel fee of $0.75 per additional mile outside of a 10 mile radius of Sunnyvale for photoshoot locations that are a drivable distance away. I can get you a travel free estimate upon inquiry.

Question 16

How do I book a shoot with you?

Accepted Answer

Fill out my contact form and I'll get in touch with you to work out the logistics of your photo session!

You can also DM me on Instagram or Facebook, or shoot me an email (my email address is on my contact page) :)

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