Capturing raw, authentic, heartful moments of you and your family
Client prep guidepreparations
Hello! I’m so excited that we get to work together! I can’t wait to create some beautiful images for you and your family.
To break things down and make it super simple for you to understand the process, I’ve dived in and answered all of the most frequently asked questions that come up before a session.
I want you to feel calm, prepared and ready to make the most of our time together so I can create some beautiful timeless images of you and your loves! You can reach me anytime at hello@beczacher.com.
The Session Journey
-
Book your session
Get in touch to secure your session and lock in your date.
-
Getting to know you
Fill out our questionnaire so I can get to know your fam and sign your session agreement.
-
Location & Wardrobe Planning
The fun part! Read through the guide that will help you chose the perfect location and plan outfits for your shoot.
-
Let's Chat
I’ll give you a call and we can plan all the details for your session & answer any questions you have.
-
Shoot Day
I’ll stay in touch all along the way to you’re all prepped and ready to go for your session.
-
Gallery Delivery Day
Within 3 weeks of your session you will receive your full gallery of images to swoon over! You can then download your images or upgrade to another collection.
-
Tangible Memories
Let’s make your images more than just JPEGs! I offer an amazing range of beautiful products to fill your home with.
i love the beautiful everyday, ordinary, real kinda love.
Before your session the lowdown
There are a few things to complete before our session together: You will have received a questionnaire and a session contract and you can go back to your client portal and view these at any time. (Your Client Portal link can be found in the initial emails that I sent you.)
Your questionnaire is super important and gives me a huge insight into who you and your family are. I want to tailor my sessions to capture you all in the most authentic way so taking time to fill out these questions really helps me get to know you and become invested in your story. Having the opportunity to capture your family and create beautiful keepsake images you can forever treasure is something so dear to me!
I also have a session agreement in place for every session so we are all on the same page about how the session works, timelines, copyright, rescheduling and a model release so I have permission to share some of your images online. If you would prefer to opt-out and keep your images private, that is not a problem at all.
i love the beautiful everyday, ordinary, real kinda love.
Where to have your shoot locations
I’m sure you have some idea of where you want your session, whether that’s an in-home session or an outdoor session.
I love creating images in your home or outdoors at the ridiculously beautiful locations we have here so it’s totally up to you where we go. In-home sessions are very sentimental and I always make sure I incorporate your home environment into your images as this is the place you spend the most time and it embodies so much of your story. It’s a beautiful thing to have documented as so often what happens under our roof changes so frequently. You do not need a beautiful Instagrammable house by any means to have a shoot at home! Come as you are and leave the rest up to me.
If you would prefer to have an outdoor session, I absolutely LOVE shooting at dusk during the golden hour. The light is incredible and we can certainly go to a favourite place of yours or I have lots of beautiful Gold Coast locations up my sleeve that I can suggest such as the beach, bushland, rainforest, headland and creek areas.
preparing your little ones
Let kids be kids
i love the beautiful everyday, ordinary, real kinda love.
The number one thing to do is let go of expectations of how you might imagine things should go and trust me as your photographer and your kid’s leading. Remember the reason why you booked a shoot in the first place. Know your why and the reason these images matter.
It’s you and the beautiful souls you have been gifted to do life with and the rest of the details are not nearly as important as that.
Let your little ones adventure and just surrender to the process.
Let your little ones adventure
and just surrender to the process
Show up ready to play, to love on your babies, to explore with them and to follow their leading.It’s then that you will realise it’s not always about the epic backdrop the kids couldn’t manage to trek to or the hair that doesn’t stay in place or the clothes that got wet early on in the shoot. It’s not about perfection because life with kids never is. It’s messy, chaotic, exhausting and the most heart-expansive and beautiful journey we can ever embark on. Let’s celebrate that!
I will always chat with you prior about your wishes for the session and what type of personalities your little ones have so that we can plan a location that will work really well for you all.
If you’ve got that niggling question in the back of your mind about how on earth your kids are going to manage and ‘behave’ for a photo session, I’ve got some advice for you!
It’s not lost on me at all how tricky it can be having a shoot at sunset.. aka crazy hour when you have little babes and toddlers in tow.
-
~ Give your children their day naps prior to the session or have a quieter day so they are not too tired when the session time rolls around.
~ Full bellies = happy kids so feed them before the session and bring along some snacks for the car ride home.
~ If we are heading to an area with water, bring towels and a change of clothes. A change of clothes is always a good idea in case something happens.
~ Keep the kids in easy play clothes in the car and get them dressed at the location if you are worried about them getting dirty in the car. Just allow a bit of extra time before the session to get changed.
~ If it’s a colder season, make sure that everyone is dressed warmly. Layers are great as they can be easily removed and put back on during the session.
~ Think of the session like a family adventure arvo! Pitch it to the kids as a fun afternoon out together to play and hang out. Often kids have so much fun as being out at sunset is not often the norm.
~ If you have a bit of a drive home, plan an easy dinner in advance or head out somewhere as a family.
~ Try and avoid bribing your kids or bringing lollies and large or messy snacks as they will often ask for them multiple times throughout the session. Having something fun planned for after the session or a reward is often a better option. If you would like to pack a little treat as you know that may really help, by all means do, and we can use it only if necessary.
The day of your session important!
Outdoor SessionsI’m very intuitive with children and have four young ones of my own! I totally understand that they may be shy, nervous, tired or just having a bad day. I’ll do my very best to make the session fun and as relaxing as possible for you all!
-
We’ll meet up at our arranged location. If you’re delayed or stuck in traffic, please text and let me know. Once at the location, I’ll show you around and let you know where we’ll be shooting. I’ll spend some time getting to know your little ones and helping them feel comfortable with me before I get my camera out and start the session.
I’m very intuitive with children and have four young ones of my own! I totally understand that they may be shy, nervous, tired or just having a bad day. I’ll do my very best to make the session fun and as relaxing as possible for you all! I will not ask your children to smile or behave in a certain way! All I ask is that you show up ready to explore together and be open to getting close, connected and engaging with one another.
A family session is actually a beautiful time to stop and really take in what you have created and the incredible family that you are.
in-home SessionsTo get your house ready, tidy and clean up but don’t feel like you need to make your home sterile and lifeless. Just remove clutter and distracting objects but I still want your home to feel lived in and embody everything that you love!
-
When I arrive, I’ll introduce myself and spend some time getting to know you and your children. Then I’d love for you to give me a little tour of your house so I can have a look at the best areas in the home that have the best light. Natural light makes for beautiful images so I’ll get you to open up blinds and curtains and turn off any bright overhead lights if needed. The rest of the session will be fun and relaxed.
I’ll give you some direction about what to do and where to go in the house depending on the style of shoot we are doing. All family sessions will last for around an hour, give or take a bit of time depending on how everything is going. I want these sessions to reflect you as a family and what you love to do together! So have a think about some activities you enjoy together, such as cooking, board games, reading, riding, swimming etc. We can incorporate lots of these things into your session.
To get your house ready, tidy and clean up but don’t feel like you need to make your home sterile and lifeless. Just remove clutter and distracting objects but I still want your home to feel lived in and embody everything that you love!
Outfit planning tips ootd
One of the main questions you might have now you’re booked in for a session is “what on earth do we wear?”. I want you to feel beautiful and relaxed in your images and I want them to reflect you and what you feel amazing in. Here are some key pointers when it comes to choosing what to wear ~
The biggest tip is to find something you feel beautiful in because if you’re uncomfortable or self-conscious in your outfit, it will show in your images. Start with one piece that you love, your dress or another outfit for example which may be plain or patterned and then use this to colour coordinate the clothes for the rest of your family.
-
I often suggest muted and neutral tones in a range of shades or some soft patterns. Often the environments we shoot in (such as the beach/bushlands / or at home) can have lots of colours and wearing bright colours or can clash and also cast that colour onto other family members in a session. Browns, mustard, yellows, dusty pinks, oranges or earthy greens, creams or white clothing all look great.
To add a bit of variety, choose one patterned piece, such as a long flowy dress for yourself and then pull out some similar colours from that pattern and dress family members in those colour shades.
-
Layering different textures when choosing your outfits is a great way to really bring your outfits together and add more interest. Think linens, textured clothing, such as waffled materials or lace, chunky knits and anything that flows! Clothing that allows for some movement always photographs beautifully especially outdoors when it’s a little windy.
-
Think along the lines of blankets, picnic rugs, linen throws, greenery, baby wraps, hats, or a warm blanket or shawl for winter sessions. Props such as these are a great way to enhance a session and add something a little extra. Once you have chosen your outfits, you can source props that work well or have varying textures and colours that compliment your outfits.
-
I’m all for barefoot sessions, especially if we’re at the beach or at home I always suggest leaving shoes off as this suits these environments well. If we are in bushland or another outdoor setting, wear suitable footwear that works in well with your outfits and is easy to walk around in (ditch the heels and opt for flats!).
-
I’m all for natural hair and makeup so don’t feel any pressure at all to get professional hair and makeup done for your session. However, if that’s what you opt for and it makes you feel the best, then go for it!
Good to know important
A few things to avoid
Steer clear of large brand names on your clothing, the ‘jeans & white shirt’ combo for the whole family, or dressing everyone in black or all dark colours. Try to mix up the colour palette.
These photographs are going to be images that are treasured for generations to come so take time to find something that you love and that captures your personal style.
Get in touch + inspo for you
You are always very welcome to text me through photos of your outfits so I can help you decide on what looks great for the session.
I’ve also created some Pinterest boards for you with lots of clothing combination ideas so you can get some more inspiration about how to put outfits together.
Fave stores to source outfits from
Need a little guidance finding some outfits? Check out these stores ~
-
FOR MAMA ~Spell, Arnhem, Auguste, Bimby and Roy, Tippi and Zep, The Self Styler, Coven and Co, Linen Fox, Opia, Rowie, Hazel and Folk. Alternatively, hire a beautiful dress from Mama Rentals. (Mention my name for a 15% discount on the hire fee).
-
FOR THE KIDS ~ Our Folk, Daughter, Little Gypsy Co, Archer Foxx, Millk.co, Children of the Tribe, Luca the Label, Jaime Kay, Marlow & Mae, My Brother John.
Frequently Asked Questions common q’s
-
I shoot outdoor sessions in any kind of weather except the rain so I’ll make a call on the session day about rescheduling the session if the rain has set in. We can reschedule the session to the next available date or we can shoot at sunrise or indoors if you are on holidays and the session needs to happen asap.
-
I deliver all of my galleries within 3 weeks of a session. You will receive an email from me giving you access to your online gallery of images and a text message just in case you don’t check emails often.
-
When you book in, your booking deposit is due to be paid so your date is locked in. The remaining balance of your chosen collection is due 7 days prior to your session. Once you have received your images, you can easily upgrade to another collection if you wish.
-
If you or your little ones are sick on the day of the session, I will happily reschedule for another day. Same goes for me, if I’m not well I’ll let you know asap and we will find another date. I’ll never turn up to a session unwell especially if you have a newborn bubba. There is no fee to reschedule your session.
-
The quick answer is no. I spend hours editing your images to achieve the look and feel that I love and which is cohesive with my portfolio of images. I remove small blemishes, such as pimples, scratches or prominent bruises but I do not offer any heavy photoshopping or image manipulation. If this is something you would like, a separate quote for high-end retouching will be provided.
-
If you need to reschedule the session, please get in touch asap. I am more than happy to find you a new session date within one year as I understand unexpected things pop up from time to time. The booking deposit is non-refundable.
What happens after your session
After your session, I will get to work on culling your images down to the very best of the best (typically around 60 images), then editing those images and getting them up into your gallery. Within 3 weeks of your session, I’ll be in touch with your image gallery!
When you get your gallery link, I encourage you to make an event of it! Queue it up on your tv or a large computer screen and gather the whole family around (sound up!)… the first time you see your photos is always the best.
backup, backup, backup!
Once you receive your images, the process is simple:You will receive your image download link. The images will download as a zip file, which you can double-click on to expand. I suggest you make a second copy of the expanded files, then save the two copies to two different locations – I generally recommend that one copy be saved to an easily accessible drive (either on your computer or on an external hard drive) and that the other get saved to the cloud (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.).
printing your own images
While everything that I offer in my prints store is printed in professional labs and guaranteed to be beautiful, I also recognise that you may want to print your images yourself, and thanks to those digital files, you absolutely can! I recommend Fred Snow and RGB Digital for online printing. Be sure to de-select any colour correction options, and be sure to upload the original files you downloaded, not copies. If you choose a cheaper mass-market printing lab, such as Kmart or similar, you will likely find that the images print poorly and the image colours may be very different.
Copyrights & wrongs
Once you’ve got your digital files, you’re free to print them wherever you like and as often as you wish – you can use them to make holiday cards, share on your social media pages or personal blog, etc. The only things you can’t do are related to the resale of your photos or use for commercial/business purposes. For instance, if you authored a book, you’d need additional permission to use one of the photos on the dust jacket. If you have any questions about usage, get in touch.