Frequently Asked Questions

+What do I need to do when I want to book a session?!

I am so excited and happy that you love my style of photography and have chosen to book a session with me! Once you have decided to book we will work out a date and I will send you an email with some more information about your upcoming session. I will also send you an invoice for deposit which will secure your booking as well as a contract and questionnaire. Filling out the questionnaire is so important as it gives me a wonderful idea of who you are as a family and what you would like captured. Please see the rest of my FAQs below too as these might answer a few more of your questions.

+What is a session with Claire Eastman Photography like?

Connection is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about photography. My sessions are all about capturing you and your family connecting and having fun. I really want you to look back on your photos from our session in years to come remembering those moments as being all about you!

I really want you to let your hair down, relax, and take time connecting with your loved ones. I want you to try and act like I am not even there and spend that amazing quality time with your family doing all the things that you love and what makes you a family. I don't want you to feel rushed and I love to sit back and watch the magic happen.

I understand that it can be daunting and uncomfortable having family photos captured as it isn’t something that you get done every day. I do offer some help with prompts and getting you to feel comfortable in front of the camera too. I really want to work with you and your vision of what you would love to get out of your session with me. You are the one who will be cherishing these memories for years to come so I want you to love them and I want them to be unique to your family. Connection and connecting with your family is the key to capturing beautiful, authentic moments, I am just there to capture it!

+What should I wear for my photography session?

This is probably the most common question that I get asked! I'm am a big believer in taking photos that are authentic and true to the person/people being photographed. I encourage people to wear clothes that are true to their personality and style.

I recommend not wearing colours and prints that are too bright or distracting, as well as clothes that have logos on them. Lighter colours and shades often are much more pleasing to the eye and don't distract from the emotions being expressed in the images. Neutrals, florals and earthy tones are so beautiful and I have a great pinterest board I can send you for some inspo!

When I have photos taken with me and my family I often love to organise my outfit first and then work my families outfits into what I am wearing. I absolutely love wearing long flowy floral dresses and that is what I will usually opt for! If I choose a patterned dress then the rest of my family will usually be in block colours that match in with my dress.

I encourage people to wear clothes that are comfortable as I encourage movement and play during my sessions, especially when there are young children in the mix! Some things to think about are how the clothes will feel and fit when you are having fun with your family. I do a mix of photos sitting and lying on a blanket as well as lots of shots of you and your family exploring and having fun. For example, a short dress might look lovely when you are standing however you might feel uncomfortable when you are trying to get comfortable on a blanket. This is the same for home shoots, I will often get you to have lots of cuddles and tickles with family on your bed or couch, so you need to be thinking about connecting with your family and not feeling uncomfortable with what you are wearing.

During my shoots with families and newborns/babies. I really love people to have at least one special wrap/blanket/muslin that they would like me to use. I can bring a small collection of wraps, rompers and blankets if you wish however, I really encourage you to have some special clothing and wraps of your own as these are part of your memories to keep. Dressing to match your personality and surroundings are so important to capturing images that will make your heart sing when you see them. Please chat to me further about this when we are organising your shoot and I am more than happy to offer more suggestions and advice! I love chatting clothing with people and clients often send me snap shots of what they are thinking of wearing! I get very excited by this!

+When and where do you shoot your photography sessions?

I take photos either in your home, in your local hospital or on location. For family sessions in the home I find mornings work better as light is lovely at this time and also babies and children are usually at their happiest! I am flexible with this though and can shoot later in the day too. Home sessions are so beautiful and I just love them. I find families can really be themselves and relax and spend some really lovely quality time just being them. For outside photos I like to shoot later in the day before sunset. I have some beautiful outdoor locations to choose from too! The locations I use are perfect for kids to run around, have fun and explore! I really want you and your family to relax, have fun and spend time connecting as a family during our session. Parents are often worried about how their kids will behave during a photography shoot however I assure you that the locations I use will bring out lots of natural smiles and candid moments.

+What if my baby is unsettled before our session? What if my kids are being uncooperative? What will an in home/newborn session look like?

As a mum of two I completely understand how stressful those first few weeks can be with a newborn baby. Add other children into the mix and it can amplify that stress (believe me I know)! This is a big reason behind why I like to come to your home, to take the stress out of having to leave the house!

I only use natural light so I do like you to prepare 2-3 rooms for me in your home with good light and no artificial lights are to be turned on in these rooms. Please do not feel like your house has to be cleaned from top to bottom. Just some de-cluttering in the rooms that I will be shooting in will be fine!

When I get to your house I will have a little look in the rooms ( I will often get your older children to show me around so they can start to warm to me before our session starts) you have prepared to ensure my settings are ok. I will then work with you and your family in a relaxed, casual way. I like to capture authentic moments and I do like you to try and think of me as not being there at times, this can make for some of the most amazing photos!

I will give some direction when I need however I do like to be led by the families that I am capturing and their stories. Your children might have a certain game they like to play, or a routine that makes your family yours! With newborns I also like to go with what's happening for them on the day. If they don't want to be put down, that's fine! Capturing newborns wrapped nice and tight in their Mums/Dads/siblings arms are just beautiful images. If your newborn is unsettled and needs a feed, I also love to capture these special bonding moments. Maybe your newborn loves having a bath, bath photos are the cutest! As you can probably tell, I like to go with the flow!

+What happens after our session? When will I expect my photos?

After our photography session I love sending a sneak peek to families! I will have your full gallery of images to you within two weeks of our shoot (maximum). When you receive your gallery of images you can choose your favourite images from your packages and also get the chance to upgrade or buy more if you wish.

+What happens if a family member is unwell for our scheduled shoot or the weather isn't ideal?

I believe communication is so important. I like to be in touch with my clients regularly so in the event of sickness or unexpected life events I really like you to let me know as soon as you can if we have to reschedule. I also like to keep in touch with how the weather is looking if we are having an outdoor session!