Maternity + Newborn Guide by Mistie McLaughlin

Maternity+Newborn C L I E N T G U I D E

At Mistie McLaughlin Photography, I believe everyone has a unique and special story and photography is my way of telling your story. Through a collection of natural, posed and unposed images you will have your most treasured moments frozen in time. It will be an experience to remember, It is my greatest privilege to become part of your daily life and preserve your ‘story’ in beautiful images This is one of the reasons I offer Lifestyle Newborn Sessions, so you have a way of remembering those first memories as a family. S e s s i o n I n f o r m a t i o n & P r i c i n g G u i d e Welcome

In 2012, Mistie McLaughlin Photography was established Since then, I have had the privilege of photographing many families, couples, and individuals that I now call friends I have seen families grow up in front of my camera and loved every minute of it!

I grew up in Chelan, Washington, running barefoot in my grandparent’s orchard , working in my parents’ restaurant In my childhood, I was the “nerdy kid” who loved learning and spending time with a close knit group of friends but after graduation, I packed my bags to leave my hometown and headed for college and the big city I started my higher education on track to major in International Business with dreams of jetting around the world but Business Law quickly put an end to that plan I worked at a few different restaurants, made some amazing memories and then, I met my husband, Bryan. We had a boy meets girl girl laughs and says no way girl falls for boy courtship. I recommend never overlooking the friend that constantly makes you laugh he is usually a diamond in the rough Fifteen years later, we are still madly in love and now raising our three boys to be kind, generous and free spirited Growing up, I always loved taking photos primarily landscapes Then one day, I I decided that I wanted to take my sister in law's maternity photos I had just gotten a new camera and was so excited! What could go wrong? Well, let's just say she was one very patient, pregnant momma (of twins)! One of the images I captured is still my favorite of all time. It was a pivotal experience for me. I was hooked; I had found my passion! I asked anyone and everyone to pose in front of my camera (even dogs) and with lots of studying, trial and error, I finally started feeling confident in my abilities.

I ' m M i s t i e I’m a slightly sarcastic mother of three boys, who survives off of coffee and chocolate chip cookies. We live in Wenatchee, WA. but I met my husband while living in Tacoma, WA. I met the love of my life when he threw shrimp tails to get my attention. I eventually let him take me out and we lived happily ever after.

Hello!

I wish I was as eloquent with words as I am telling a story with my camera but with a heart that thrives on relationships, I want to share my story. So here it goes...a little about me.

“..We are in love with these photos!!! They are so beautiful! Thank you so much for capturing this special time in our lives. We are very grateful and happy with the final product." - Tasha

You will also receive your final invoice at this time and payment for your session is due at the time of your session or before

You are booked in, retainer paid and your shoot date confirmed or newborn arrival penciled in, now you are wondering what the process is from here... It's time to plan what to wear, on the next pages I have given a few tips on how to plan your attire for your session Your session! The week before you can expect an email to confirm your session, make sure everyone is happy, healthy and ready to go If you need to reschedule for any reason, I would love as much notice as possible

Approximately 10 days after your maternity session, newborn sessions take about 3 weeks, you will receive an email linking you to your personal pin protected online gallery - from here you can download your whole session or individual shots, share with friends & family as well as order any prints or wall art you might like for your home or gifts, these orders are sent directly to the lab and payment is due at 'checkout'. Your gallery will be online for 3 months, however I do encourage you to download and save your session images to a USB or hard drive as soon as possible so you know they are safe.

I would love if you could share your positive experience with your family and friends, even a shout out on social media if your share your images would be appreciated, my business thrives on word of mouth bookings which is the biggest compliment.

What's Next Leading up to your session

What's Next After your session

Finding the perfect outfit for your session may take a little bit of work, but you probably have great pieces already in your closet that could work together! Use these tips below to help formulate a plan If you need help deciding what to wear, I'd love to help with that! General Tips for Families and Couples Coordinate your outfits by finding a color palette you love and finding pieces that compliment one another Avoid matchy matchy and black as your main color Soft, muted colors and neutral colors look great for my style of photography and in particular newborn sessions, please avoid bright/neon hues When it comes to patterns, a good rule of thumb is have one or two patterned outfit for every three people included in the session. Floral prints, polka dots, plaids work great! Also, avoid large logos or licensed clothing I have created a Pinterest board for inspiration: https://pin it/2pR4vR5 What' to Wear Planning Ahead

Maternity All the 'rules' of dressing your family outlined above still apply plus a few more details to consider 1 Avoid trends You don’t want to look back in 20 years thinking “why was I wearing that?!” because something is now out of style That’s why I prefer just wearing a simple flowy dress, or jeans and a cute top 2 Layer and add accessories with a hat, necklace, jacket, scarf or a belt above your bump 3 Tight fitted clothing or a dress that accentuates your bump is a must 4 Be it neutral or pastel tones, block colour or bright patterns, let your outfit speak your personality It is important to feel as much like 'you' as possible 5 Shoes! Remember that you'll want them to be comfortable as we move around, but please stay away from character themed shoes, athletic shoes, and bulky soles I have been building a clients closet of dresses, let me know if you would like to schedule a consultation prior to your session

What' to Wear

1 Have a handful of wraps and blankets I can bring to our session or have on hand at the studio, let me know what colors you will be using in baby's bedroom so we can coordinate

2 Bare feet for the whole family is ideal as we almost always end up on your bed or the studio floor (as that's usually a room with great light)

5 While I welcome bribes to get older siblings to corporate, I highly recommend not using a phone or tablet as the encouraging factor, this tends to lead to blank stares as they zone out or more big emotions Music is always fun and I promise, I know all the words to Baby Shark

What' to Wear Newborn

3. Keep in mind any items that are personal to you that you might wish to include in your newborns session a knitted blanket from Gran, a teddy from newly appointed big sister

4. Have your bed made, a neutral or block colour cover works well and helps your family and baby stay the focus

Have your house cleaned. This may seem a little daunting, but it will be less chaotic if your whole house is at least tidied, and that also means that there won’t be piles of laundry in the background unless you want that!

Pay attention to the light in your home right after booking, that way we can find the best time of day to shoot If your house is bright most of the day, I usually suggest morning sessions for happiest newborns and older siblings

Maternity Sessions:

Locations

The first thing to remember when it comes to picking a location for your maternity session is figuring out the vibe you want Do you want to go on an adventure or have a quiet snuggle session at home? Do you want to splash around at the beach or frolic in the fields? When you know the vibe and style you want, that makes it easier to narrow down your location choices

Session Backdrop

Newborn Sessions: 99% of newborn sessions are in home, here are a few tips:

If you have older children then my advice to you is pick something your kids will enjoy The more excited they are by their surroundings, the happier they will be If they don’t particularly like getting wet, then maybe the beach isn’t the right place for you If they love throwing rocks into water (what kid doesn’t?!) then we can find a cute creek! The key is finding somewhere that is interesting enough to keep them happy!

Maternity sessions with me are relaxed and fun, if we are out on location I like to move around for a variety of backdrops and poses. You are welcome to bring a change of outfit or two for if timing permits.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

If you have older children, there is no need to tell them to smile just be positive and excited about the shoot and leave the rest to me! Be yourself! Remember, these are pictures of you so don’t try to be like that person from Pinterest We will try a number of shots and not all of them will turn out and that’s okay. The ones that do turn out will be the most natural and beautiful versions of you and your family!

It is really important to arrive on time, or be ready for me to arrive to your home on time We are booking your session according to the light so we may be limited, especially for sunset sessions, it is very important to start on time It's best to plan to arrive early A final note: Let me know what your favorite music to listen to as a family is. I can't wait to capture your growing belly and family!

This really is such an exciting time, especially if this is your first baby. I view maternity sessions as a time to celebrate the now, before life drastically changes Be it a couple becoming 3, or adding to your growing clan, it's so great to capture and celebrate the family before it grows

What to Expect Maternity Session

As newborns are unpredictable, there will be plenty of time to feed, change and settle, sometimes I don't stop snapping away and often those 'in between' moments make the cut as a great real life memory of life with a newborn.

I love creating warm, fun photos filled with love All you need to be is open, and from here I can capture those moments Bring your happiest mood to add some zing to your photos Be prepared The best shoots are always the ones where parents are stress free and in good spirits

It is really important to be ready for me to come to your house on time We are booking your session according to the light so we may be limited, especially in home, it is very important to start on time It's best to plan to arrive early I can't wait to capture your family!

What to Expect Newborn Session

My aim for each and every session is to create a relaxed, friendly environment for everyone, when I arrive I will have a quick look around to decide where the best light is and formulate my plan for the session, if there are older siblings I will spend a bit of time getting to know them, I want them to feel comfortable with me and make them feel as if it is completely normal that I am there. This often looks like me asking them to show me their new baby or asking them to show off their bedroom

Having everyone ready before I arrive helps alleviate stress for you. As best you can, it helps if children are well rested and fed! (obviously, life can get in the way should they be cranky, hungry and tired I can work with that!) If like usual you have left yourself getting ready to last, I will happily start with photos of bub while your do your final touches

Oh my gosh! Thank you SO much! I absolutely love them all and am so grateful for these Thank you again for all your time and talent these are amazing!!! Taerrah

Pricing Guide Belly or Baby Newborn 1 2 hour Lifestyle session in home or studio 20 25 high resolution images available to download, share and print delivered via online gallery $399 00 + Tax Maternity Up to 1 Hour Session 30 35 high resolution images available to download, share and print delivered via online gallery $275 + tax Newborn Mini 30 minute Studio Lifestyle Session 10 high resolution images available to download, share and print delivered via online gallery $275 00 + Tax

Watch Me Grow Maternity Session 1 2 hour Lifestyle session in home or studio 30 minute session at 3,6,9 month milestones and 1 year cake smash High resolution images available to download, share and print delivered via online gallery Personalized print box and USB $1095 + Tax Baby + Belly Maternity Session 1 2 hour Lifestyle session in home or studio 20 25 high resolution images available to download, share and print delivered via online gallery $625 00 + Tax Pricing Guide Belly & Baby

Can you do those nude curled up newborn shots? We will mix in some photos of baby on their own, but Lifestyle sessions focus on a day in the life of your new family

Maternity sessions are usually one hour However, we allow two hours for each so there is no rush. Newborn Mini Session sare 30 minutes and Full Newborn Sessions, I allow three hours, leaving plenty of time for feeding and settling throughout

Approximately 3 weeks after your session your photos will be available for viewing, downloading and ordering via your own private online gallery You will be provided with a link and pin and select the images to be printed for your included package and any extras you may wish to purchase. Once your order is placed I will send you a confirmation email Can our beloved dog be involved? Absolutely! Fur babies are most welcome. If you bring your pup along on location, make sure they get some brisk exercise before coming This will allow for a (hopefully) slightly calmer canine during your shoot You can also bring along a friend to hold your pup while getting photos without them

What if the weather Gods aren't on our side? If it is wet and soggy, we will reschedule If it is hot, we will find some shade If it is overcast but dry, we will go ahead as some of my favorite sessions have taken place on cloudy days. What should we bring? (On location) Treats for the kiddies (bribery perhaps?), a beautiful blanket, water, your little ones favourite toy a relaxed and positive vibe How and when do we get our photos?

What if we are sick? If you’re sick, we reschedule! Simple as that Working with children I have come to expect that last minute texts or calls will occasionally happen We want this to be a 1000% positive experience, so there’s no need to force it if anyone is unwell

Questions

How long is the photo shoot?

Frequently Asked

Thank you and I can't wait for our session!!