If you’re reading this that means you’re either thinking about hiring Kristen Tortora Photography to capture your family’s memories or you’ve already booked your KTP session.
Either way, I’m excited!
Throughout these pages, you’ll find all the information you need to guide you through the complete KTP experience, including preparing for a session, what to expect during the session, & information about pricing and a fun reveal session together! KTP has created each step to give you the full service photography experience you deserve.
In this digital era, you are not alone if you have a phone, hard drive, or flash drive full of pictures that you occasionally view - sometimes only to make room for more! How many of those pictures have ever been printed? I fully understand this and am guilty of the pangs that I have as my children view their memories on a computer screen when I so loved pouring through photographs in my hands or in an album as a child while talking to family about the memories! Kristen Tortora Photography strives to ensure that your photos neither sit on a drive nor go unprinted and unrecognized!
KTP is a full service boutique photography business. My goal is to make sure you not only first have an amazing session that leaves you with fun memories but also then have heirloom quality prints and products that will last a lifetime that you get to see all of the time.
About two weeks after your photos are taken, you’ll have a reveal session where you’ll get to see all of your images for the first time. At that time, we’ll work to create amazing products to showcase your entire session. From wall art to albums, KTP has a full range of products to meet all of your needs! Your experience will leave you with a less files that will just be hidden away for no one to see!
I’m guessing that right now you’re thinking, “But...I want the digital files!”. Don’t worry I completely understand where you’re coming from. I also truly value digital files as much as you do - I definitely have my own stack of hard drives filled with precious family memories (waiting to be printed!)! KTP offers collections that include digital files along with the quality products for your family to enjoy. You’ll get the best of both worlds, AND you will get them at a bigger value when they’re combined in one of my collections - doesn’t get much better than that!
So now it’s time to grab a cup of coffee and keep moving through this document. Learn how together we can create memories that you will remember and reflect upon together with loved ones for years to come.
Planning your session
Are you dreading planning your session or making sure everyone is smiling and cooperating just perfectly?
As a mom of three, I know how you feel! It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the planning of the outfits, choosing the perfect location and keeping everyone happy long enough to at least be pleasant for the photos.
My goal is always going to be that your family members relax, have fun, and show some of their individuality in your photos. How you connect when you are yourselves is important, so don’t stress about getting perfect smiles and poses. I will be there to guide you during the session, and we will work together before your session to plan all of the details to allow you to relax a little, too, duing your shoot!
Here are a few tips as we begin to plan your session:
- When deciding on a location, we can consider places you and your family LOVE and have the most fun. This could be your backyard, the beach, a favorite park, your kitchen where you bake cookies, or out and about on an adventure. We will discuss your goals for the feel of the session, and I can help narrow down which location may be best. Wherever it is, we’ll make sure to capture your family being your family and having FUN!
- Lifestyle portrait sessions are scheduled generally at the ends of the day - earlier in the morning or in the evening for the most beautiful light...
- You can also consider more of a documentary session where you have small, everyday moments captured into a collection of images that reflect your family's unique interactions & small encounters.
What should we wear?
Deciding what to wear for your session can seem like a huge chore. Following these simple tips will help you chose the perfect outfits for your upcoming session with ease! Don’t forget to check your closet first!
DO: Choose a color scheme that you favor - sometimes using something like complementary paint palette strips can even help to determine what you like together.
Also, consider where you may hang color images within your home. For example, if your earth-toned living room is your goal for your wall display, you may want to choose clothing that compliments that tone - OR you may want to contrast that theme altogether!
We will also discuss color schemes in relation to where your shoot will occur and the season - consider green and flowering trees in the Spring, but rich, warm tones on the trees in the Fall.
DON’T: Match. Jeans and matching t-shirts has been done...Try to choose a color scheme and coordinate.
DO: Layer. The more layers the better. Sweaters, scarves, jewlery, blazers layers create visual interest and add texture throughout your pictures.
DON’T: Be afraid of patterns. Plaids, polka dot, florals and stripes can be overwhelming when all paired together but mixing in a few patterns here and there are another great way to add some interest to you photo session.
DO: Pay attention to your shoes. Shoes matter! A pair of nike sneakers mixed in with cute boots and dress shoes can be an eye sore in your photos. Try to stick with neutral shoes for the whole family. That said, sometimes bare feet are the best option, too, of course - we can discuss this!
DON’T: Wear big logos. I note this conservatively. If your family is seeking a more traditional family shoot with the focus on the connection between its members, big logos across someone's chest may draw too much attention. If your goal is more of a playful, urban, or commercial shoot, logos or sayings across the front of shirts may add some character. These should be balanced, however, to avoid making the images too busy and overwhelming.
DO: Stay comfortable! Especially for mom, pick something you love and build around that.
After your photo session...
We will already have had a great time during your shoot, but then we will get to view your photos together - always exciting! About two weeks after your session, we will have your reveal night (or breakfast, brunch...) We can schedule this at the same time we schedule your session to make sure you see your images as soon as possible! At this reveal, you’ll see all of your images for the first time - I usually anticipate this almost as much as my client...or maybe more!
That night or day, I’ll come to your home - you can be in pajamas without needing a babysitter if you so choose...! I will show you a custom slideshow with your images, and you will have plenty of time to review all of your images and then look at product samples to get a sense of what type of products are most important to you - I love image boxes and canvases! You’ll have plenty of time to ask any questions, to hold up images to different walls in your own home to see what sizes will work best, and enough time to pick out your favorites.
The following collections have been put together to give you the absolute best quality product for the best value. The collections are available at the time of your reveal, and if the products offered in the collections don't fit your needs, all products are available a la carte, as well, at 20% off on reveal night!
The goal of the reveal night is to finalize your order so we can get your prints and products to you as soon as possible. To help minimize stress at the time of the reveal, it’s a great idea to take a look through all of the different products and collections beforehand to help you have an idea of which may be best for you. Once you’ve seen your images, your thoughts may change, but a starting point helps!
Following the reveal, you will have digital files sent within 24 hours, and you can anticipate having prints and products within 2-4 weeks. When they are in, I will make sure that everything is just right, and we will schedule a meet-up one more time so that I can hand deliver everything to you!
This information is for a portrait, family or child session. If you are looking for a maternity, newborn (in-hospital, once home), baby milestone, or couples session, please inquire. I would love to discuss your ideas, and I can walk you through how your individual session would be planned for this type of a shoot.
Please contact me with questions or discuss your session: hello@kristentortoraphotography.com or (978) 533-1546.
Credits:
kristen tortora photography