We hope you and your family have been keeping safe during Covid-19.
We never thought we would be living through a Pandemic in our life times but here we are. We have all been trying to navigate through the last 2 months in quarantine and we know it hasn’t been easy for many of you. We have been fortunate that Blaine has been able to work from home but many have found themselves unemployed. Jennifer Willard Photography has been closed down since March 23rd to help flatten the curve and we have to say we are so proud of how hard everyone in the area has worked. Together we have kept our numbers low and we know we are so much more fortunate then other areas in the world.
We are keeping those directly affected by Covid-19 in our thoughts and prayers especially the elderly living in facilities. Their plight has uncovered so many holes in their care and I hope we as Canadians can collectively come together to demand better living conditions for them – they have served their country and it is our time to serve them. We need to do better by them as well as other marginalized people. The pandemic has opened our eyes to different sectors of our country that we may have not known much about before. I suppose even in the worse of times there are silver linings and I hope we can take what we have learned and move forward towards a better future for every Canadian. We have an incredible country and I know we are thankful for what we have, but we can always do better and learn from mistakes that have come to light during this Pandemic.
We can’t thank the frontline workers enough for everything they have done. From those working in hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, warehouses, grocery and retail stores, farmers, first responders, and everyone else working in the public, we hope you are keeping safe and we want you to know we all appreciate how hard you are working in such uncertain times. We know there is much work to do to continue to keep you safe!
We know that the Government of Ontario and the Federal Government of Canada is doing their best during this time and we are cautiously optimistic with the new phases being rolled out. At Jennifer Willard Photography we are continuing being vigilant with our safety precautions and we know our business will open in two different phases.
As we are still uncertain if we are included in the Phase rolling out on Tuesday, May 19th announced by Premier Doug Ford but we do know what our two phases of opening will look like:
Phase One – We will be able to start photographing families outside again with a minimum distance of 6 feet apart. We will be able to photograph Maternity, Family, and Children Sessions outside at an open local park with more than enough distance between us as we usually use a longer lens for these sessions outdoors. We have every confidence that we will be able to photograph these sessions and create beautiful portraits your family will love while keeping to these new protocols. While we normally photograph 6 month and 12 month olds in the studio, we have photographed these sessions outside, including cake smashes in the past outdoors. We will bring along a few props if they are needed (sanitized before and after each session) like buckets for the 6 month olds, but the best thing about photographing babies in the great outdoors is walking around the park and finding different spots that your child can explore without the use of props (though you know I love my colourful props!). For sessions that were previously booked in our calendar and have been waiting for our studio to re-open, we will give you this option when we are given the green light. We promise the same fun expressions as before and the same poses with the exception of overhead shots which we will not be able to do at this time from the distance required.
Newborn Photography is where it gets a bit trickier but we have put on our thinking caps and have come up with a great solution to those that have previously booked with us and for those that are booking their newborn sessions with us in the coming months. We know how important it is to photograph your newborn and celebrate their arrival even during a Pandemic. While our studios are closed as we can’t maintain a 6 foot distance in our residential studio and to protect our own family as well, we have come up with a great alternative that we are so excited to share with you!!! We will now be offering Outdoor Newborn Photography Photoshoot’s in your own backyard or local park if your backyard is not appropriate for the session(I’ll explain).
We experimented and proved to me that it is entirely possible to do an outdoor newborn session. Depending on weather conditions we will be able to have your newborn in wrapped positions in the various buckets and crates I have using your favourite colours and if it’s warm outside (summer months) we’ll be able to dress baby up in a special newborn outfit that matches your session. I have a ton of headbands and hats for cold days too. We’ll be able to have the session take place in your own garden (we’ll create shade so your baby is not in direct sunlight)or in a shaded spot in your yard or park. No flowers? No problem! We’ll bring some beautiful potted flowers to create a pretty flower area. We’ll bring along our doll, shown below, to show you from 6 feet away how to wrap your baby using our freshly cleaned wraps or give you one of our newborn outfits that match your chosen colours. This will depend on the weather. We will take your portraits from 6 feet away as shown below and we’ll create some beautiful portraits for your family to enjoy.
I’m really excited about this new option for families that still want professional portraits taken by me with my detail to editing. I’m imagining beautiful family portraits with simple wraps or even on a pretty blanket on the ground. To have the session take place in your yard (which is our recommendation if you are worried about needing access to a bathroom for your little ones and yourselves) all we need is a shady area to take the pictures so that we can keep baby out of the sun. For individual baby portraits we’ll be able to use an umbrella to create shade above baby so we’ll be able to use your own flower garden if you have created a spot in your yard already, or we can use a grass area and bring some potted flowers if you would like to add a bit more colour then the wraps, bucket and fur I bring with me. If you are good with going to a park then we’ll meet there instead.
Newborn portraits will look different then what you are used to seeing on my page, a bit more relaxed and informal but you’ll still have the same care and attention you are used to from me with a detail to editing and skin tones.
If you and your family prefer to wait until baby can come into the studio for my custom set ups then that is okay too! We’ll be working with each family individually to create a plan that works best for you. We don’t know when Phase Two for us will happen (it might be as late as Summer) so we are excited to give this option to families so that they can still get this special time documented.
Because these new Outdoor Newborn Portraits will look and feel differently, we have set up a special package for them and are offering our clients to switch to this new package if they would like to have their session take place as soon as we are given the go ahead.
OUTDOOR NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGE – $350 + HST
- 10 Digital Images Fully Edited and Provided to you by Digital Download with Custom Black and White versions of each of your chosen Digital Images (20 images total)
- Outdoor location will be within Kingston, Odessa, Amherstview and area in your backyard if it’s suitable (has shade and greenery) or at a local Kingston park if you live out of town. Access to park is dependent on Covid-19 restrictions and can change at anytime by government mandate. We will only be allowed to photograph your outdoor session when the Ontario Government gives us the green light for it to take place. We hope this will take place in May or June but will keep our clients informed of any new information we hear. Sessions will be approximately 1 hour long but length will depend on the needs of your baby (feeding, soothing, etc).
- Sets included are family portraits (siblings if applicable) and 2 basket/bucket/crate sets. Sets are created by us based on your chosen colour palette and are brought with us to your outdoor session location. Props are sanitized between newborns (we will only photograph a session every 3 days). We will be remaining 6 feet apart from your newborn and family at all times and will be wearing a mask. We will show you how to wrap the baby and how to place your baby in the bucket using our doll as an example. Your baby’s pose will be on their back as that is the safest position and we will have a parent stand or kneel beside baby at all times as a spotter. Parent Portraits with Baby will be in cradle position only as we cannot safely show you how to hold your baby in other positions from 6 feet away.
- Outfits/hats/headbands/wraps are provided and are based on weather/temperature conditions. If it is colder we will be using extra layers. All props are sanitized before and after each session.
- Private Online Proofing Gallery where you choose your favourites for us to edit guaranteeing you get exactly what you love!
- You can Purchase Additional Images ($35 +tax each) in your Proofing Gallery and other products such as Canvas, Birth Announcements, Archival Prints are available after your images are edited.
- Print as many copies at whatever size you want of each image when you download your fully retouched digital images from Dropbox straight to your computer.
- Your $150 (plus HST) Non-Refundable Session Fee is subtracted from this package price and is payable upon booking your session. The remainder of your package price (plus HST) is due at the time of choosing your proofs in your online proofing gallery. This allows clients to break up their total payment owing. Payment plans are available upon request. An invoice will be sent to you through Square so that you can pay by credit card online or you can choose to send your payment by email money transfer.
- Every precaution will be taken to keep your family safe by using hand sanitizer and a mask but you will be required to sign a liability form.
- If you or any member of your family is feeling ill please let us know even if it’s only 1 hour before your session is to take place. We can only keep both our families healthy if we are all transparent with each other and I will promise the same for you. There is never a penalty for re-scheduling because of illness for any session as has always been our policy.
I hope you are excited! I sure am! If you are looking for more inspiration on what these sessions can look like please feel free to search for Outdoor Newborn Photography on Pinterest for some fun examples (You can also look up Susan Scott Photography in the USA for some great examples of a photographer who does this full time year round – lucky duck with the nice weather for more than a few months a year!) and if you follow this link you will also find a few examples I’ve Pinned for you! https://www.pinterest.ca/jenwillardphoto/outdoor-newborn-photography/ We’ll be working closely with families on how to wrap in person (I’ll bring my trusty Cabbage Patch Doll and sit 6 feet away to show you) and if you it’s warm enough for more naked shots in summer we’ll attempt those too in the shade.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it Safe to take a newborn outside? Yes it is! Your baby will be safely nestled into a basket, bucket or crate in a shaded spot in your backyard or in a local park if you don’t have an appropriate spot at your home with shade. The prop will be filled with soft and cozy furs, wool or blankets and you will be a spotter right next to baby while I take their portrait from 6 feet away with my longer lens. I will show you how to wrap your baby using my own doll as a guide or we’ll have a cute outfit on depending on weather conditions (though you should expect your baby to be wrapped for a majority if not all of the session).
- What if it’s cold outside? If it’s warm enough to take the baby for a walk, then it’s warm enough to do the session outdoors. Depending on the temperature outside, I will get you to wrap your baby up in multiple layers that I bring for you (freshly washed in a variety of fabrics and fabric weights) so that your baby is warm and cozy and falls asleep. We can also add hats for days that have a wind and headbands for variety for the girls. If the weather is expected to be bad on the day we have scheduled, we will re-schedule your session for the next available session date. Outdoor Newborn Photography Sessions will only take place between May-September.
- What should we wear for family portraits? We recommend wearing lightweight clothing or layers depending on what the weather is going to be like that day. We will be shooting in the shade but it may be warm that day. While we recommend neutral colours in the studio, outdoors you can choose to wear neutrals or seasonal colours (pastel in Spring, brighter colours in Summer or darker colours in Fall). You can choose between 2-4 colours or have one person wear a patterned shirt with the rest of the family wearing colours that compliment it. No matter what you should make sure no one is wearing Neon colours, especially near their face if possible as neon colours reflect their colour onto people’s faces and it’s almost impossible to remove in Photoshop. As always have nails trimmed and clean for family portraits.
- How should we dress the baby for the session? Please have the baby in a plain light coloured zip up pajama onesie if possible or just a plain white diaper shirt as this will be the easiest outfit to wrap on top of. Baby will be in a wrap for family portraits (especially for sibling portraits as this is the easiest way for siblings to hold their new baby brother or sister.
Thinking outside the box but still creating Beautiful Portraits of your Favourite People!
Phase Two for us will hopefully include our Studio being fully opened for newborn photography sessions and we are crossing our fingers that this happens sometime sooner rather than later but we know the health and well being of your family is a top priority for us so we will not open earlier than is safe.
Love the idea of an outdoor newborn session this summer and your due date is not booked into the calendar yet? Message us to start planning today!
Have a question? Please feel free to contact us through our Become a Client Page found here.
