Thanks for booking a knelly session!

WOOHOO! I’m super excited!

Hi! In case you haven’t met me already, my name is Jodie. I’m a wife, a mum and I’m crazy-passionate about capturing moments, connections and simply; LOVE. My little family is my whole world, no doubt yours is to you also. It’s what drives my passion to create beautiful memories for my clients. THANK YOU so much for the honour of photographing your gorgeous gang!

My sessions are laid back and natural with laughs, snuggles + love galore. I keep posing to a minimum and don’t just strive to provide you with beautiful images, but a really fun experience as a whole. Even Dad will enjoy it, I promise!
The info on this page are my recommendations but are by no means hard and fast rules. I’m a firm believer in being flexible and creating a session that suits and portrays you guys perfectly. Please do shout if you have any questions (no such thing as a silly one!).

I’m so excited to be working with you! I only take a limited amount of sessions per month so i can give my gorgeous clients the very best of my care and attention. By now you’ll have received your contract, deposit details and questionnaire. If you’re able to please get those back to me asap that would be wonderful, cheers (and thank you if you’ve done so already!). The contract makes everything official and outlines what you can expect, the deposit, once paid, secures your spot, and the questionnaire helps me to create your perfect session.

What do we wear?!

Aha! That old chestnut and my most commonly asked q!

My answer is always this: Keep it simple! But honestly, I get it, i’ve been in front of the camera many times with my gang and I totally understand it can be stressful. But it doesn’t need to be. And i'd like to help you make sure it isn’t.

Try not to over-think it. Remember all these “C” words. keep it casual, comfy, classic, coordinated + complimentary.

There are no hard-and-fast rules, we all have our own style and i encourage you to show it off proudly. I’m not interested in my instagram feed having a certain “look” which has all my families blurring into one beautiful boho blur. As gorgeous as that is (and if it’s your style, ROCK it love!), i’m more focussed on capturing YOUR style.

Your clothes don’t all have to be exactly matching (ie the denim gang), but complimentary is always good. Please, please, please steer clear of loud patterns & big logos on your clothing as it diverts peoples eyes away from your gorgeous faces & can be quite distracting. But really, just be comfy and be your fabulous selves. I want the images to capture you guys in all your everyday glory, not necessarily your sunday best.

Coordinate & compliment. layer up even. Instead of everyone wearing the same shade of blue - think about what accent colours might look nice with a base of blue. I love textures too, knits always add a beautiful element in that regard (especially in winter).

Mums, I usually suggest that you begin with your outfit. Got a favourite dress? An outfit you feel truly fabulous in? Sweet! start with that and coordinate everyone around you. If you’re struggling to find something and don’t fancy going out to buy something new especially for your shoot, I’m also very happy to announce that I now offer a “client closet” to all my mumma’s! You’re MOST welcome to raid that! If you’d like to check out my range of gorgeous, boho, flattering dresses and kimono’s click here.

Dad’s are easy; casual, neutral t-shirts or shirts, knits and denim jeans are always a good look. Can’t go wrong really! (Just please avoid Tshirts with big logos.)

And babies + kids, again simple + classic. I love lush textures and neutral tones. Complimentary outfits are best but don’t get hung up on “matchy matchy”. To be honest, Kmart, cotton on, target and best + less all have gorgeous offerings for little people these days so you don’t need to go out and spend a fortune to look fabulous (how good is that?!). Obviously i’m a big fan of slow fashion and some of the more pricey baby brands, but you don’t HAVE to spend a fortune to look the goods ;-)

I truly LOVE all this styling stuff and love to help with advice if you’re stuck. Please don’t hesitate to drop me a message or photos of what you have in mind, It’s all part of the service (and honestly, I love it!).

Here are a few examples of gorgeous simple styling by my clients. Notice the pops of colour with a common base tone, layers, textures, fabulous dresses on mums etc.
But PLEASE, most importantly, don’t overthink it and don’t stress!

The kids…

Again, please don’t stress!

I’m pretty sure every second client starts their correspondence with something along these lines… “mr 4 year old is terribly shy” or “I’m worried miss 3 will be feral”. And my answer always is, I’m a mum of three, I’ve photographed literally hundreds of families. I’ve seen it all! You cannot shock me or put me off! I love a good challenge, bring it on!! And I can confidently say that I am yet to meet a child I haven’t managed to get a gorgeous picture of. That is my promise to you so please, please, please do not stress about how your kids will “perform”.

I strongly feel that it’s my job, to not only get beautiful photos of your kids, but to ensure they’re comfortable and happy during our session so that their natural, candid beauty can shine through in your pictures.
And at the risk of bragging. I’m good at it. I treasure the amount of little mates I make at sessions! It’s how I get those genuine, candid photos. You can’t force that, especially if my families are uncomfortable.

Actually it should be said too, same goes for “older” kids. Parents often worry that the last thing their teenagers want to do is smile for some stranger with a camera. I totally get it! I like to think I treat them like the cool, grown-up individuals they are, crack some funnies, make them comfy and BOOM, job’s done before they even realise it. And again, haven’t met one I haven’t been able to get a smile out of ;-)

When we arrive at our session location, my first job is always to engage with your kiddies, to make them feel comfy around me and hopefully by the end of the session, i’ll have made some new little mates!
I love seeing parents almost literally breathe a sigh of relief when their kids befriend me at the beginning of a session. Because I truly know that once your kids are on board, you can relax and enjoy the ride.

My sessions are very much child-led. I encourage your little ones to help me set up blankets, choose the next location or combination. I’ve learned that giving them that feeling of control and contribution is an amazing motivator (and honestly so beautiful to watch!).
I can’t stress enough how passionate I am about not just providing you with beautiful photos, but a really, truly FUN + memorable session.

I also say to parents at every session, JUST KEEP SMILING! Even if your little one is having a meltdown, not wanting to co-operate, running away even, just keep smiling!! I WILL get the shots I need, even if it’s that split second where your little one flashes a quick grin, and if you’re ready with a big smile on your face, perfect! Again… I’m a mum, i’ve seen it all!

Preparing your kids for our session as much as possible often takes the timidness away too. please make sure your kids know that this is going to be fun!
I’m also a huge fan of the promise of REWARDS. Ie kids choose dinner after the session, treats on the way home etc. Call it bribery if you will, I like to think of it as rewarding your little superstars, I’m just that confident that you’ll be so proud of them and relieved that they “performed” so beautifully at our session.

I’m all about creating a fabulously fun and relaxed vibe during our session, and I strongly feel that if YOU’RE stressed about anything (particularly how your kids will behave) then they’ll be able to sense it and it will affect the general mood. So relax, enjoy, and leave the entertainment + motivation up to me!

One more time, and in caps: PLEASE DON’T STRESS ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S BEHAVIOUR. I pride myself on making my sessions fun and memorable for all. I can almost guarantee that at least one child in each session won’t be wanting to play ball 100% of the time, but we’ll roll with it and get those beautiful photos regardless, I PROMISE. I have lots of tricks up my sleeve and i looooove the opportunity to use them...

On the day

We’ll meet at your chosen location, at the agreed time. I try to schedule all outdoor sessions to either capture sunrise or sunset if possible. This will give you guys the most beautiful images possible, capturing you in the most spectacular light. If i’m coming to your home I usually arrange these for around 10am, unless you’ve requested otherwise.

My full knelly sessions go for around an hour, mini knelly sessions 30 minutes. I like to spend the first few minutes (usually as we walk from the cars to the location) having a chat with the kids and getting to work making you all feel comfy around me. I’m a total dork so promise i’m not even remotely intimidating ;-) The session itself is laid back, relaxed, as natural as can be and dare i say it, even fun!! I can’t stress enough, not only do I want to give you beautiful photos to treasure forever, but i want you to enjoy the whole experience, especially the actual shoot. If you have little kids, the session will be led by them to a degree, if you’re shy and uncomfy in front of the camera (aren’t we all?) then i’ll be bossy and tell you exactly what I need from you. I’m often told that me being direct helps ease the jitters as I reassure you that you’re doing a fabulous job ;-) But mostly, I like to think you’ll hardly notice you’re being photographed, it’ll feel like you’re just hanging out with your favourites in a beautiful location, lovin on each other.

One of my favourite quotes at the end of the session, and I get this from almost ALL of the dads who come along, is “well, that wasn’t nearly as painful as I expected!”.
Job done!

Weather

I’ll be in touch a few days before our shoot to see how you’re travelling and how the weather is looking. If it’s looking a bit rotten, we’ll discuss a plan B, which is usually to postpone to the soonest available (sunny!) date. I am always flexible when it comes to rescheduling and weather. After all we live in Victoria! Weather unpredictability is a part of life! And my aim is to give you the most stunning images possible, and if that means we wait for better weather, i’m totally ok with that. I always leave the final call on the weather up to you, the client. You know what your kids can handle after all. I usually draw the line at heavy rain, but i’m happy to brave the wind and cold if you are! I’m also happy to leave it right up until the last minute to decide if you’d like to hold out in hope! No stress either way.

What to bring

All you need is your gorgeous selves! You’re very welcome to bring any of your kiddies favourite toys, blankets, hats & accessories. Layers, if you’re worried about the cold. Be as creative & crazy as you’d like! I’ll bring along a few blankets with me for those beautiful seated/laying down cuddle shots. I usually bring a few blanket options and pick the one that matches your outfits best.

Illness

It’s important that everyone is feeling 100%. Especially in these covid-altered times unfortunately. There isn’t anything worse than an unhappy and sick child - they especially do not want to be in front of a camera. If you’re worried your kids won’t be well for the session, please let me know and we’ll postpone to the next available date. No stress at all!

Payment

UGH i hate talking money, honestly I’m the WORST business woman! But just a quick mention…

You’ve already paid your deposit to secure your session (thankyou kindly!). I do ask that the balance remaining be paid on or before the date of your session, unless we’ve arranged a payment plan (which is also fine). You can pay by whatever means suit you best. Cash or direct transfer. No digital images or products will be ready for collection until completion of payment, but honestly i’ve never had to even follow that up, my clients are truly the best.

After the session

Ok, so jumping right ahead. We’ve just finished having our fabulous, relaxed, loved-up (woop!). Over the following days i’ll post a sneak peek on socials so you can share and show off your gorgeous new bub to all your friends (and to set your mind at ease that yes we did get some amazing shots, if it was ever in any doubt)! Social media sharing is part of my contract, but i still do always double-check that you’d like a sneak peek on socials before i put it up there, just out of courtesy. If you’re not a fan of social sharing that’s a-ok! Please let me know and i’ll send you an alternative contract, no dramas.

Your private online gallery will then be uploaded within the timeline that i’ve specified to you on the day of your session (it varies between seasons but i usually say between 2 to 4 weeks). Please download your files somewhere safe (and back them up!) asap. Feel free to share the link with your family so they can do the same if you’d like!

I’m currently in the process of improving my packages to provide the most GORGEOUS products (think framed prints and albums!) to take the hard work out of getting your gorgeous images out on show. I’m SO excited about this!
Currently i’m providing digital downloads but if you’re interested in taking advantage of my amazing new online print store (when it’s up and running) please let me know and I can add it to your gallery as soon as it’s available.

And finally…

I am truly honoured to be asked to capture your gorgeous family, and look forward to getting to know you guys or, to see you again, yay!

If you have ANY questions at ANY time, please feel free to call me on 0415 317 565 or drop me an email at jodie@knellyphoto.com.
I’m SOOOO looking forward to our session, see you soon guys!

Jode x