BOOKING A SESSION:

As soon as you are interested in booking a session, shoot me an email at photos@paytonsphotography.com or give me a call at 630-800-8111, or by clicking on the Contact link here on this website. We will discuss all the specifics of what you are looking for with your photo session. Some things we will solidify are what type of photos you’d like (senior, family, etc), what location you are interested in, when is the best time for your photos, and which pricing package you would like. I’ll compile all this information in a convenient email and contract and send it your way. The email will also include information such as the details of the session, how to pay, help on what to wear, and a few other tidbits of information. A Square invoice will follow, however, you are welcome to pay with cash or check (all payment is due one week before your session). Once the session fee is paid, your session is booked. I book 4-6 weeks in advance, and I am booking as far out as needed (especially for weddings). Fall and spring weekend sessions go very quickly, and are often booked several months in advance, so it is never too early to get your session date reserved. Several packages are available that include digital files and prints.. Edited photos are available within 3 weeks of your session and 6-8 weeks for a wedding. You can order prints, single digital files, session USBs, and many other items straight from your online gallery.

YOUR PHOTO SESSION:

Photo sessions lengths vary depending on the type of session. Most immediate family sessions are 30 minutes of photography time. Classic sessions (or mini sessions) are 10 minutes of photography shoot time. Newborn and High School Senior sessions will vary. We will meet at the selected location at the scheduled time, go over any special photo requests or needs you have, and then get shooting! We will do lots of different poses, backgrounds, and walk around our location to get new perspectives. I try to keep things relaxed, talk about you and your family, and try not to make it all about posing or stiff smiles. I like to capture the candid moments just as much as the posed moments. I’m happy to accommodate any fun posing ideas you have, or any props you’d like to incorporate. At the end of the session, I’ll answer any last questions and then we’re all finished! The following are a couple tidbits of information that can make your photo experience more enjoyable:

If you have young children, feel free to bring anything that will keep them happy (e.g. snacks, juice, favorite toy, etc.).

Please remember the weather. If it is hot, you may want to bring a water bottle; cold, maybe a jacket between shots.

Please feel free to bring any props that you find fun (I’ve had people bring sunglasses, hats, bicycles, signs, dogs, and even horses!). I have a wagon I use and you are welcome to put shoes and clothing and such in there. Just not horses. They don’t fit. 

If you are planning a clothing change, remember that it may need to be done in the car as many locations are remote, or the lovely porta potties. I try very hard to only select parks that have bathrooms of some sort available. There is only ONE park that I like to shoot at that requires a drive to a bathroom. I will warn you if that is the case. 

AFTER YOUR SESSION:

As soon as your session is over, I transfer your photos onto my computer with double backup, and begin editing. It takes about three weeks to edit and prepare your gallery. At that point, I will send you an email with your gallery link and password as well as ordering information. You are welcome to order prints from my professional lab through your gallery or use your digital files to get prints made at your favorite lab. You can also order a mini USB (up to your selected package number of  images) or single digital files. Your gallery will be available for 2 weeks after posting (3 months for weddings). Specialty photo albums and photo books can be ordered directly from your gallery. Albums and books are individually designed to best reflect your photo shoot. Please contact me for more information on these items, and allow several extra weeks for specialty item processing.

My goal is to give you natural, timeless photography that captures your unique personality. That means that through my editing process, my goal is to make your photos look as natural as possible while still making you look 110% your best. There are beautiful editing techniques out there, and they are changing all the time, however, I want you to look back on your photos in 50 years and be just as impressed with them as you are now. Just like fashion, editing styles become dated. But I feel that photos with natural colors, simple editing, and using light and color to capture beautiful photos, instead of heavy post-processing, will give you a priceless gift that will last generations. Through all that, I want to capture your real personality and relationships through the images. You will of course get the traditional “everyone smiling at the camera photo,” but you will also get photos of you laughing, interacting with your loved ones, being silly, and just basically pictures of how you really are.