Mother's Day Mini Sessions Are Open!
I am thrilled to announce that Bree Hulme Photography is once again offering Mother's Day Mini Sessions & Bookings are now OPEN!.
This year we are thrilled to be hosting our studio sessions in the Bree Hulme Photography home studio, and our outdoor sessions at the stunning Long Reef Beach.
Simple, beautiful, elegant and timeless. That is the theme for this years Mother's Day portraits, focusing on your and your beautiful family.
Sessions are 20 minutes and your session fee includes your choice of 5 digital images. Additional images and prints can of course be purchased at our special Mother's Day prices.
Sessions are $250.
Bookings are strictly limited to two dates - Saturday 12th April and Saturday 3rd May! Get in quick to secure your Mother's Day Mini Session this year!
Book now using our live booking calendar.
We can't wait to see you all!
Bree x
What to Bring With You - A Checklist
You have booked your session and the date is coming up soon.
Are you wondering what you need to bring with you to the session?
Don't worry I have all of your questions answered and a neat little checklist as well to make sure you a fully prepared for your session.
General Tips:
(These apply to any session that you book with me)
- Have your outfits ironed or steamed, hung up and ready the day before your session. This makes sure that no matter what life throws at you on the day of the shoot, your outfits are ready. And make sure clothes fit - we all know how quickly kids grow, and you want to avoid anything that is too tight and snug for the photos.
- Clean shoes - especially kids shoes which may have been out jumping in muddy puddles. If they are going to be worn in the photos, make sure they are clean.
- Pack yourself a little bag of wipes, even with older children you may need to wipe noses and sticky hands before the session starts.
- For your hair and make up - pack your lipstick to reapply and a brush for those fly aways. Remove old nail polish that is chipped and peeling. Wash off those kids tattoos and stamps from hands and arms.
- Snacks and water - have some non-messy snacks for little ones to have after the session and water for everyone.
- A sense of fun and willingness to play games is essential!
- Leave your phones in the car - disconnect to be fully present during the experience.
- Remove your apple and smart watches, along with hair ties from your wrists so they are not in the photos.
- And allow plenty of time to you are not stressed or time pressured before, during or after your session.
For Outdoor & Beach Sessions:
- Mozzie Repellent - especially if we are doing a dawn or dusk session in a bushy area
- Towels to dry off afterwards
- A change of clothes for after the session in case we get wet or messy during the session - I love finishing a beach session with a splash in the waves!
For Newborn & Baby Sessions:
- Special or heirloom items you wish to include in the session - a special blanket or toy.
- Extra nappies, burp clothes and formula (if bottle feeding)
- A dummy for settling baby between poses
- If older siblings are included in a newer session, some quiet entertainment such as a book or colouring, to keep them entertained when not having photos
For Cake Smash Sessions:
- A change of clothes for baby and parent s for after the session - babies just love to share their cake with Mum!
Hopefully this helps you feel prepared and organised for your session. And takes some of the stress out of getting everyone to the shoot looking their best.
What Happens If... Your Questions Answered
So you have booked in for a portrait session with Bree Hulme Photography! Woohoo!
But what happens if......?
I know you have so many worries running through your mind, and what does happen when something does go wrong? Here are all the answers for you.
What happens if my baby gets sick?
I understand. I am a mum of 3 and I know how often little ones get sick. If your baby is unwell we will postpone and reschedule your session. A sick baby is not at their best, even if you can give them some Panadol to help them feel better. When little ones are sick coming to a new environment with a new person and asking them to have photos is just a little too much for them. Let me know as soon as you can that your little one is unwell (or any member of the family) and we will find the next available date for you. Trust me, it is better to wait a few days or a few weeks and photograph a happy and well baby than trying to get them to a shoot when they are unwell. You can always tell in a photo if your baby is unwell.
What happens if I get sick?
If I get sick, I will let you know as soon as possible and we will reschedule your session. I do not want to be sharing any of my germs with you and your family, so I have always used caution, especially with newborn babies, and rescheduled if I am unwell.
What happens if my baby arrives earlier than expected?
This is not a problem. Let me know that your little one has decided to surprise you with an early arrival, and then once you are both doing well we can reschedule your session. Some babies who arrive early need to spend some time in the NICU whilst others come home at the expected time. We can work together to find a new date for your session which suits you and your babies needs. I have photographed babies at every age and stage, even some who have come home from hospital still with a feeding tube. It is completely up to you when you are both ready for your session and I will work with you to find the best time.
What happens if my baby has scratches on their face? Or baby acne? Or a bruise on their face?
This happens more than you may think. Newborn babies are prone to baby acne, milk rashes and scratching their faces in those first few weeks. And older babies manage to bang their heads just in time for the photo session! There is rarely a baby or toddler who walks into my studio who has perfectly flawless skin. The magic of photoshop can help us remove many of those unwanted marks and blemishes. I approach editing with the moto that if it won't be there in a week or a month, then I remove it - pimples, scratches, bruises. But if it is a more permanent mark, such as birth mark or scar, then I leave it be (unless you tell me you would prefer to have it removed). Of course, some of my clients prefer not retouching on their photos and that is absolutely fine as well, just let me know.
What if my newborn cries or is unsettled?
Newborn sessions are scheduled to take between 2-3 hours. This is so that there is plenty of time to feed, cuddle and settle your baby as needed during the session. There is no rush. Whilst some babies are more unsettled than others, some need to be cuddled a little more, or have an extra feed to help them be calm and relaxed, we can take our time and meet the needs of your little one. My sessions are baby-led, so whatever your baby needs is what we do. This means that every session is different and you many get different photos depending on what your babies preferences are. Some babies only want to be wrapped up and cuddled, so we focus on those images within your session. Some babies only want to be on their back and so we focus on images where they are comfortable and relaxed.
What happens if my toddler just won't cooperate or is shy?
Many babies and toddlers who come into my studio can feel a little overwhelmed and apprehensive about this whole photo shoot scenario. As a mum of 3 I know it can take time for your little ones to warm up and feel comfortable. So we take our time, maybe we need to read a book or play a little game before they are ready to get into a photo. I have lots of tricks and games and stickers to help little ones feel more at ease.
I hope that helps answer some of your questions about what happens when the worst happens. Don't worry, we will work out what is best for your family and your photos.
Baby Wardrobe
Are you not sure what your baby should wear for their photo session with Bree Hulme Photography?
At the Bree Hulme Photography studio, I have a growing Baby Wardrobe filled with some gorgeous outfits for babies aged 6-18 months to borrow! This takes all the guess work out of what your baby should wear for their sitter, cake smash or family portrait sessions!
My studio wardrobe is ever evolving, so I have created an Online Gallery to view the outfits which are divided into girl and boy wardrobes.
So if you are not sure what your baby should wear for their portraits, simply have a browse through the Baby Wardrobe and let me know which of the outfits you would like to use. I have taken all the stress out of wardrobe selections, what photographs well and looks adorable for your babies portraits.
Why Baby Portraits are Gorgeous at Every Age
Before the years of Covid-19 Lockdowns here in Sydney, I predominately photographed babies who were under 2 weeks of age. This is the newborn photographers "magic age" as newborns at this age are at their most sleepy, they're most curly, and they're most tiny.
But after a 4 month lockdown all the newborn babies I had scheduled in whilst we were in lockdown and unable to work, grew quite a lot! In the months after reopening and being able to shoot again, I photographed babies aged from 10 days to 4 months old, and every single session was beautiful, precious and so worth capturing. I loved what every baby, every family brought into my studio, and I loved capturing their unique and precious family memories.
Even before lockdown I would never turn away a client whose baby was not within the magic "2 weeks of age" for portraits (which I know some other newborn photographers will). In fact, many clients with Chinese heritage would come to celebrate their babies 100 days of life post confinement. Other clients came to me when their baby was a couple of months old, after a difficult first few months or after spending time in the NICU and still wanted to capture the newness of their beautiful baby. Some clients just preferred to wait until baby was more awake, more alert and more interactive. Baby portraits are gorgeous at every age.
I came into photography capturing my own babies, and I know how quickly they change, how much they grow in those first few months, how precious they are and how important those photos are, at every single age and stage.