YOUR CHILD’S FIRST YEAR FLIES BY FASTER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE. THEY ARE CHANGING DAILY & ARE EVER GROWING & EVOLVING INTO THE PERSON THEY WERE MEANT TO BE. DON’T MISS CAPTURING THESE MOMENTS IN YOUR LIVES.
MILESTONE SESSIONS CAN BE DONE AT ANY TIME. MANY LIKE TO DO THEM AT AT THE 3, 6, 9, AND 12 MONTH MARKS THE FIRST YEAR & THEN YEARLY AFTER THAT. But, it's never a bad time to mark a moment in your life...
Milestone Sessions
$350
- Approximately 1 hour session
- 2-3 outfit choices
- Access to my ever growing client closet (for ages 3-12 months).
- 20 fully edited digital images and print release
- Indoor or outdoor location.
Cake Smash Add-on $95
- Add a cake smash to your one year portrait session.
- A classic and beautiful cake that's just the right size for smashing included.
- Includes 5 additional digital images.
The Whole Fam Add-On
$75
- Add pictures with the whole family onto any milestone session.
- Can include any configurations you'd like (whole family, siblings, mom and kids, dad and kids, etc).
- Adds additional 15-20 minutes onto your session.
- Includes 5 additional digital images.
Have some questions?
I have some answers.
When Should I Book?
- Try to book your milestone sessions 1.5-2 months ahead of when you’d like the session to take place (especially if you have a specific date or timeframe in mind or would like the photos back by a certain time).
- For 6 month sessions if your session date is approaching but your child isn’t sitting up on their own yet (sitting totally independently or sitting well with the support of holding something) I recommend pushing the session date out a week or two until they are. You get a bigger variety of pictures and your kiddo doesn’t tire out as quickly from trying to sit up or constantly falling over.
- Sessions require a non-refundable $150 retainer fee to book. It is recommended that you book early as space does fill up.
- Early birds: Any milestone sessions you book before your newborn session takes place are eligible for a 15% discount.
When and Where are Sessions Held?
- Sessions take place during the week in the mid to late morning* (between 8:30 and noon approximately). Generally I will set the date with you when you book and then about a week before your session we will finalize your time and work around your child’s nap schedule so they’re awake and happy for their pictures.
- Sessions can be indoor or outdoor.
- Indoor sessions take place at my studio on my property here in Blooming Prairie, MN
- Outdoor sessions can be at a place of your choosing or I can find a pretty place that will look amazing for your session.
*Outdoor sessions are usually not morning sessions due to the light and/or morning dew. These sessions take place in the afternoon and the timing is dependent on the weather and time of year.
What Does My Child Wear for Their Session?
- I have an ever growing Client Closet that I have for the use of my milestone clients. There are outfits that fit children from 3-18 months. Most are very stretchy or can be clipped in the back for a better fit.
- You can view and select your outfits for your session ahead of time via the links below. Let me know ahead of time what your picks are and I’ll have everything ready to go when you get here!
- How many outfits should I pick?
- “I like my own outfits? Can’t I use those?” Yes! You can! I offer my Client Closet as a convenience for families so they don’t have to do the leg work of finding outfits themselves. But, if you want to bring all your own outfits, or bring one of your own and use two of mine, that’s totally okay too!
How Do Your Sessions Look:
- I will give you simple, classic, and timeless photos of your child that you will love to hang on your walls and will cherish looking at for decades to come.
- I use paper backdrops in a variety of colors that match the outfits you pick and I also have a real, vintage barn wood backdrop that I use that gives lovely texture and warmth to your pictures.
- Props like baskets, chairs, etc. that help your little ones sit up on their own and help give your image character are all provided.
- Simple embellishments like textured layers, greenery, etc. are also used to enhance your photos.
- You can see by looking at my milestone portfolio that I don’t over stylize or have prominent themes in my milestone sessions. My belief when doing these types of sessions is to try and capture this fleeting moment of childhood and your baby’s sweet essence. Too many “extras” in the photos detracts from my mission.
What is it Like During a Milestone Session?
- Doing a photo session with a young child can feel chaotic… but what I usually tell parents is “it feels more chaotic than it actually is”. It’s my job to move fast and be ready to snap that shutter and snag the photos of those cute smiles and funny expressions.
- We’ll try to move fast so that they don’t loose interest or patience with what we’re doing. I always come with a plan but also am 100% ready to deviate to do what we need to make those kiddos happy during their session.
- It’s totally normal and fine to talk to your child and try to get their attention for pictures. But I like to remind parents to be mindful of how loud they’re being or how often they’re calling to their child’s name because being in front of a camera with a flash going off can be an overwhelming experience for a young person. It’s important we don’t overstimulate them.
- Please bring some snacks, milk, etc. for your child to have during the session. Sometimes they need a little cuddle break and that’s perfectly fine. If a child is getting crabby sometimes all they need is some milk or some Puffs and they’re ready to rock again.
- I try to get as many pictures as I can in as many varieties of outfits and setups as I can but I always stop the session before a child is at their breaking point (and every kid has one). Pushing the session to the point where the child is upset and overwhelmed is never the goal (I always try to make it as positive experience as I can!) and I never want it to end on a bad note.
- If needed we can always schedule an additional session to get some more pictures if your child is having a totally “off day” and getting pictures of them is just not happening.
What Happens After My Session?
- Images are delivered via an online gallery. You’ll receive a proofing gallery within 14 days of your session from which you can select your final images.
- If there are some images you just can’t leave behind you’re able to purchase additional images from your gallery.
- After you pick your final images send me an email or message to let me know and I’ll begin editing your final gallery.
- Unlike some photographers who batch edit their photos and don’t take care to edit each photo individually, I treat each of your final selections like what it is…. a picture you love of someone you love.
- I go through each picture you’ve selected and hand edit it. I adjust the light, colors, and even pay attention to the eyes on each person’s face to make sure each of your photographs is the special thing you were hoping and looking for when you hired me. I treat each one like it could be hung as art in your living room or shown to your grandchildren 30 years from now.
- 3 Months: I try for 2 outfits and one wrapped look.
- 6 Months: Kids this age can usually handle 2 outfits well and then we try for 3-4 setups.
- 9 & 12 Months: We should be able to get through 3 outfits for this age range. Paragraph
View My Girl Client Closet here.
View My Boy Client Closet here.
"I love them so much!!! You truly perform magic!
They really Capture her personality."
-Kelli-
"These turned out so good! I love them all."
-Jessica-
"Speechless. Beautiful job as always, Kelsey."
-Katelyn-
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
You session is not confirmed until the non-refundable retainer fee been paid in full and the contract has been signed.
All photographs are copyrights of The Southern North Photography and it is illegal to copy, scan, submit into contests, manipulate, crop, edit or reproduce any images without written permission whether purchased or not.
Please don’t come to your session sick. If there is an illness we can reschedule for a time that works for both parties (Client and Photographer).
Prices and discounts subject to change at any time.
BOOK NOW
View My
Milestone Portfolio
Learn About
Maternity Sessions
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
You session is not confirmed until the non-refundable retainer fee been paid in full and the contract has been signed.
All photographs are copyrights of The Southern North Photography and it is illegal to copy, scan, submit into contests, manipulate, crop, edit or reproduce any images without written permission whether purchased or not.
Please don’t come to your session sick. If there is an illness we can reschedule for a time that works for both parties (Client and Photographer).
Prices and discounts subject to change at any time.
BOOK NOW
Learn About
Maternity Sessions
Learn About
Newborn Sessions
View My Milestone Work
@ 2024 the southern north photography LLC | Blooming Prairie, MN
