I’M SO HAPPY YOU’RE HERE
It truly is an honor to be able to document this time in your life. Let’s make some magic!
It truly is an honor to be able to document this time in your life. Let’s make some magic!
You don’t care about having perfectly posed photos.
You are able to let go at your session and just be in the moment.
You want your gallery to be full of images that evoke feelings of love, joy, and connection.
You want your children’s unfiltered, true personality captured.
You are adventurous and are up to explore the outdoor location of your session.
You love to laugh and have fun with your people.
You want to remember this season of your life.
You have a great sense of humor and love that some photos included in your gallery show real life moments.
We hadn’t met Steph prior to our family shoot, but she connected with us all immediately. She has a real gift for making people feel at ease and capturing all the silly and sweet moments. I’ve never been particularly comfortable having my picture taken, but Steph made our time with her so relaxed and easy going and we had a blast with her. We love and cherish our photos and will surely use Steph for years to come.
THE COLE FAMILY
She took her time capturing each of the family units individually and made sure to include any other groups that were meaningful for us. She was also patient and creative in working with our small children. Overall, a fantastic experience and a great value!
THE MCCARTHY FAMILY
We first met her when she photographed our wedding. She then took the most AMAZING maternity photos of me followed closely by a Fresh 48 session with our newborn son in the hospital and then a one-month at-home session. Since then, we've had her photograph our family many times and she always beautifully captures our family's spirit and quirks.
THE HARKLEROAD FAMILY
My number one tip is to wear something that you like and most importantly, that makes you feel good. I generally try not to style my families for sessions, as I want to capture the true essence of who you all are, and the clothes you wear are a key part of that. But if you want a little more guidance, a general rule of thumb is neutral and muted colors photograph really well, and are flattering to most people.
I put a lot of time and effort into each and every gallery I deliver. This means that I hand edit every single image I deliver. The reason for this is that I want your gallery to tell the story of this particular time in your life. I typically deliver galleries in 3-4 weeks.
The number of images varies from gallery to gallery, but you can usually expect to see at least 75 unique images.
It is so important to me to create beautiful images of you WITH your kids. We all know that our iphones are filled with beautiful photos of just our kids, but you may not have many beautiful images of you with your babies. It is my mission at every session to capture the love and connection between you and your little ones. Trust me, these are the photos your family will cherish years down the line.
My pricing is all inclusive, which means that every image in your gallery is there for you to download, print, and share however you wish. However, I know that life is busy, and I do offer the option for you to order prints through your gallery. I also offer custom photo books.
Simplicity is key here. You can book a session with me by either filling out the contact form on my website, or by emailing stepheney.collins@gmail.com directly. Remember to let me know which type of session you would like to book and when you would like to schedule your session for. Once we settle on a date, I require a signed contract as well as a retainer to fully book your session.
I am located in Portland, Maine but travel up to 2 hours to sessions. Sessions further than 1 hour from Portland require a small travel fee.
Every mama is different, but generally I recommend scheduling anywhere from 30 to 37 weeks. Really, anytime during the third trimester. I do tend to err on the side of earlier though, as babies can be unpredictable, and sometimes decide to show up before their due dates!
Friends, I have been photographing families for 5 years now and let me tell you, I have seen it all. Kids being kids and babies being babies, I am totally there for it. In fact, I go into every session expecting some sort of rough patch/meltdown, and I am prepared for it with infinite amounts of patience and a calming energy that I exude throughout.
I do! If the pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that documenting family gatherings is so, so important because we never know if it will be actual years between visits. The big group photo may not be the most creative photo in your gallery, but I’ll be damned if its not one of the most important ones. A snapshot of all the important people in your family from a moment in time is a part of your family’s legacy and photographic history.