1) Where Do Cake Smash Sessions Take Place & What All Do You Provide In Your Collection?
Cake smash sessions take place in my home studio at 4014 Dalton Dr. Rowlett. The studio is a custom design private space away from the rest of my home which holds everything needed for your custom photography experience. The session typically last about an hour, give or take. Setup and props are already included in the collection price. However, client’s are responsible for the cake itself (due to health and diet concerns) and your baby’s outfit(s). For the cake, I usually recommend something simple and inexpensive from Tom Thumb, Albertsons, Target..etc.
Once booking has been confirm, with both the contract and retainer received. You’ll receive an informative “cake smash session prep guide” that goes into details, best types of cake work best for the shoot, size recommendations, how the family photo and the groupings are disperse, family outfit recommendations, how to help prepare your little one for the session, what to expect throughout the session..etc.
The collection also includes complimentary 1st year photos and also family photos. We’ll begin with the family photos first and they’re always photographed in a traditional style stance and on an all white foreground. Creative grouping are with family together, mom and baby and dad and baby and lastly, your baby alone without the cake.
2) Who Picks Out The Cake Smash Theme?
You do! ♥ If you already have one in mind, wonderful! Let me know what you have in mind and I’ll send you options that are available. If you need a bit of assistance, I’m more than happy to help too. I also included a link below to a few studio cake smash set ups in case you need a bit of help figuring out the look.
***Please note, the price point is for a basic/minimal cake smash set up; backdrop/balloons. If you choose not to use what’s available, clients will be responsible for providing their own said props in addition to the basic cake smash set up/decor, the studio will provide.
Below is a snippet to a few cake smash theme options. More are available upon request! ♥ If you happen to go with any of the themes I’ve provided, the backdrop will not be ordered until the contract and $35 retainer fee has been received. Processing and shipping for the backdrops takes anywhere from, 10-14 days. For any of the said themes, I will purchase a few additional “themed” props so it’ll all blend together nicely once the setup, is put together.
3) Can I Bring/Incorporate My Pet & Other Non Immediate Family Members To The Cake Smash Session?
As much as I wholeheartedly get the sweet idea of having your fur baby involved, pets are not allowed to be apart of any studio session. If you’re wanting your pet involved, I would recommend an outdoor session. Since this setup is very intimate and doesn’t leave room for large groups, sessions are for immediate family members only; mom, dad, children.
4) What Time Of Day Do You Schedule Cake Smash Sessions & Do You Offer Weekends Appointments?
Since cake smash sessions are indoor, we’re not limited on the weather and because I also specialize in weddings full time, cake smash sessions are not scheduled on weekends. They must be booked during the week. Earliest start time, would be an 9am and latest would be 3:30pm.
5) What Safety Precautions Have You Incorporated Into Your Studio Business?
I’m vaccinated with the both COVID dosages and Tdap vaccine. I’m continuing to wear double face masks during all studio sessions and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Clients are required to wear a mask when entering my home but have the option of removing it when they arrive to the studio. Shoes must be taken off at the door.
I have begun the process of booking studio sessions full time, however on the contingency of, every other day. During that rest period, it will allow me to adequate time to thoroughly disinfect the entire studio; door handles, light switches, camera gear, floors, couches, seating chairs, walls, floor..etc and also run my air purifiers throughout the entire day to clean the air. Garments/props that are worn and not machine washable, are put on a 3 day rotation of no studio use after disinfection. Frequent hand washing breaks and the use of hand sanitizer is used throughout the whole session.
Please note, there is absolutely nothing more important to me than the health and safety of all my clients. Taking all the necessary steps to ensure the studio environment remains safe and clean for your studio session is my utmost priority so if there’s anything else I can do to help alleviate concerns, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
6) Who Chooses The Final Digital Image Count?
Within a week or two of your session, I will send you a gallery link for soft proofing. Meaning, once your images have been narrow down to the deliverable files, I’ll email you the gallery link of unedited files and from there, you get to pick and choose the ones images you would like, edited/delivered. The median range for this gallery is anywhere between 50-70 files. All relatively similar, just different expressions.
7) What If We Run Out Of The Said Amount Of Time For My Collection?
No worries, this tends to happen quite often but I don’t want you to worry. Depending how everything is progressing, it might run a little longer or shorter so please don’t feel as though you have to rush through it all. I understand not all families are the same, especially when working with little ones. Although the time listed in your collection is a generalized time of how long the sessions typically take, my session won’t be complete until I have the said amount of digitals, I am to produce.
8) What Is The Turnaround On The Files?
Turnaround on your digital files is 21 days from your scheduled session date. Once the photos you’ve selected have been post processed, files will be added to another online viewing gallery. I will text you once the gallery has been emailed. From the gallery, you’ll have a “download all” button displayed to download all your high resolution non-watermarked images to your computers. You will also receive a PDF of your print release/usage rights. You’re more than welcome to share the gallery with family and friends. Online gallery also has the option to also purchase prints directly from the printing lab. Prints start at $15.00 and orders are shipped directly to the lab and arrive within 2 weeks of order date.
If you’re needing a few files before the 21 day mark, when the gallery link of unedited files is emailed, feel free to let me know which 3-5 files you’d like asap. I will have those to you with 48-72 hours. The rest within the 21 day time frame.
***IMPORTANT BOOKING PROCESS/STUDIO DETAILS***
1) How Do I Book My Session With You?
Just an thorough insight, all sessions are fully inclusive, meaning you select the collection that include the said number of files and you pay the price. The collection price includes time, talent, session design, editing of your images, as well as the rendering of your high resolution digital gallery which again, will be available for digital download. The photos are yours to share, print, treasure and adore for years to come! ♥
Once you’re ready to make it official, I will put together your contract and emailed it along with your PayPal invoice link for the non-refundable retainer fee of $35. Retainer is applied to the total amount due and the remaining balance can be paid the day before your scheduled session. All collections are subjected to a 8.25% Texas State Sales Tax and payments can be made via PayPal or Zelle Quick Pay.
2) Why Do You Only Deliver the Said Amount of Digitals & Not More, For The Listed Amount Of Time?
Cake smash photography is not like your traditional types of sessions. There is a very delicate nature that is involved in working with babies. It takes a great deal of time and patience to work around their moods—something that is very important and quite crucial in the process of creating works of art. Yes, you might have seen other photographers provide more images but I would rather take my time producing my said number of images of clean, crisp, sweet photos of my babies looking happy and wonderfully relaxed and not 100’s of images where your baby doesn’t look comfortable and happy at all.
The said number of files is always the median range of every session. I don’t take more to purposely up-sell you. If anything, depending how well the session is going, I might take a few more and include them at no extra charge.
3) Who Has The Rights To The Images?
Lily Hayes Photography, retains the copyright to all the images, per USC Title 17 (US Copyright Law). So just a little insight as to what that means, as the photographer, I retain the right to show off your gorgeous images to my other potential clients so that can see my beautiful work. You have solely, purchased reproduction rights, not the actual design. With your full print release (usage rights), you have the right to print and share the images being provided to you by, Lily Hayes Photography.
4) Are You Insured?
Yes, I am with both professional and liability insurance! ♥
5) Do I Have Permission To Print The Photos? Can I Use Them On My Social Media Platforms?
Yes, you do! All sessions include full print release/usage rights. However, I do ask that you please do NOT print your images from a low quality printer like Wal-Mart, Target, CVS, Shutterfly, etc. The quality of your images will not reflect how beautiful they really are! ♥
6) Will I Receive “HIGH” Resolution Photos?
A lot of photographers say they will give you the digital files, but that can be deceiving as some photographers only give a 8×10 resolution. So if you ever want to print an 11×14 print, you have to spend hundreds of dollars with the photographer for the rest of your life. That way prints and frames can ONLY be ordered by that photographer and nowhere else.
All of my collections include the high resolution edited files which can be printed up to a 30×40 or higher.
7) Do You Watermark Your Photos?
No, I do not. I don’t feel it’s necessary even though it’s an endless amount of free marketing…lol.
I’ve been very blessed to have worked with so many amazing clients and for the most part, word of mouth referrals accounts for a big chunk of my clientele.
8) Can I Have The Unedited Files?
Raw images are not usable images – at least to a client. Raw images need to be processed in order to create a final image. Part of my job is to process your images, perfect them and create a finished product. Asking your photographer for the RAW files, is like asking a cake vendor for an extra bag of flour, on the side. It’s only a partial ingredient in the overall product and means nothing on it’s own.
