Children's Portraits
Sonoma | Napa | Marin
My name is Jason Guy and I photograph children’s portraits in the San Francisco Bay area. My goal is to capture the unique personality and moments of your child’s life in a fun, comfortable setting. Whether it’s a milestone or just a special day, my passion lies in creating quality heirloom images you can keep and remember forever.
How Much Do Children’s Portraits Cost?
For a photojournalistic style utilizing available light, my children’s portrait sessions are set at $300 per hour with a two-hour minimum. This rate covers the entire session, including all the captures from your photoshoot. These photos will be delivered as web-resolution JPEGs (2000 px on the longest side).
For portraits using strobes and enhanced lighting, or if you wish to acquire high-resolution photos and / or large format prints from your session, kindly check my price menu for more details and options.
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Infant Photography - Children's Portraits
Infant photography includes every stage of your babies development up until they start walking.
In the earliest stages it’s fun to wrap them up in interesting fabrics and really dial in some great lighting to immortalize their fat little faces!
Since infants change and grow at such a fast rate, I recommend for full coverage you photograph your children’s portraits once a month up to about 2 years old. Even if it’s just photos you capture with your phone for a majority of it, you’ll still be grateful you did 10 years from now.
Once your baby grows to the point where they are sitting up on their own, it’s about the perfect time to document their budding personalities.
Infant photography includes every stage of your babies development up until they start walking.
In the earliest stages it’s fun to wrap them up in interesting fabrics and really dial in some great lighting to immortalize their fat little faces!
Since infants change and grow at such a fast rate, I recommend for full coverage you photograph your children’s portraits once a month up to about 2 years old. Even if it’s just photos you capture with your phone for a majority of it, you’ll still be grateful you did 10 years from now.
Once your baby grows to the point where they are sitting up on their own, it’s about the perfect time to document their budding personalities.
Toddler Pictures - Children's Portraits
Toddler pictures are SUPER fun to capture as this is right when your baby is learning to walk and explore the world! When everything is new and exciting for them, getting great expressions is often the easy part. The hard part is generally getting them to do anything close to what you want them to do.
I’ve had the best results just dressing them in something stupid cute and let them do what toddlers do. This candid approach is often the best and only option because they are so wiggly and generally don’t do what you ask.
It is for this exact reason that I use the latest camera bodies with state of the art auto focus systems. Just a few years ago it was very difficult to capture sharp children’s portraits of toddlers in motion at wide apertures. The auto focus systems on modern cameras allow me to capture sharp portraits of young children in constant motion with an exceptionally high keep rate.
Toddler pictures are SUPER fun to capture as this is right when your baby is learning to walk and explore the world! When everything is new and exciting for them, getting great expressions is often the easy part. The hard part is generally getting them to do anything close to what you want them to do.
I’ve had the best results just dressing them in something stupid cute and let them do what toddlers do. This candid approach is often the best and only option because they are so wiggly and generally don’t do what you ask.
It is for this exact reason that I use the latest camera bodies with state of the art auto focus systems. Just a few years ago it was very difficult to capture sharp children’s portraits of toddlers in motion at wide apertures. The auto focus systems on modern cameras allow me to capture sharp portraits of young children in constant motion with an exceptionally high keep rate.
Mommy and Me - Children's Portraits
If you want mommy and me portraits with your child, don’t forget that every children’s portraits session with me also includes hair and makeup services for mom. It generally works best if you come in early by yourself for your makeover as this will take up to two hours.
Then, dad or another family member can bring baby to join us after we’ve enhanced all your features. If all goes well with timing, it may be possible to capture family or generations portraits with everyone before baby melts down.
Timing and planning are important with every kid’s photo shoot, but especially so if you or other family members want to be in the pictures also. Simply put, the more people/combinations of people that want to be in the photos, the longer the photo shoot will be.
Since children have a very finite attention span, this means that if you want family photos at the same time as your mommy and me session, you will likely get less variety of both than if we focused on capturing these as separate events. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s something to be aware of so you know what to expect.
The reason I mention all of this is to let you know that I have your back! Remember that a full makeover is included with every session with me. For a small booking fee and your time to meet up for another photo shoot, we can completely focus on your mommy and me session one day and your family photo shoot on another. This will result in more variety and higher quality photos for both sessions.
If you want mommy and me portraits with your child, don’t forget that every children’s portraits session with me also includes hair and makeup services for mom. It generally works best if you come in early by yourself for your makeover as this will take up to two hours.
Then, dad or another family member can bring baby to join us after we’ve enhanced all your features. If all goes well with timing, it may be possible to capture family or generations portraits with everyone before baby melts down.
Timing and planning are important with every kid’s photo shoot, but especially so if you or other family members want to be in the pictures also. Simply put, the more people/combinations of people that want to be in the photos, the longer the photo shoot will be.
Since children have a very finite attention span, this means that if you want family photos at the same time as your mommy and me session, you will likely get less variety of both than if we focused on capturing these as separate events. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s something to be aware of so you know what to expect.
The reason I mention all of this is to let you know that I have your back! Remember that a full makeover is included with every session with me. For a small booking fee and your time to meet up for another photo shoot, we can completely focus on your mommy and me session one day and your family photo shoot on another. This will result in more variety and higher quality photos for both sessions.
Every Children's Portrait Session With Me Has 3 Main Events
Capturing your child’s portraits involves more than just a camera. It’s a collaborative, thoughtfully planned experience consisting of three main events. Through this process, I skillfully and reliably capture your children’s spontaneous smiles and genuine moments, just as you see on this page. The following is an overview of my dedicated approach to ensuring you receive the best possible portraits of your kids from their photoshoot.
1. Initial Consultation
This consultation happens via zoom and is when we will discuss which images from my portfolio you like most. Knowing which pictures you love will help me determine the best way to approach your child’s session. The initial consultation is a critical step for planing your child’s photo shoot thoughtfully so I can help you get the best portraits possible.
If you want any prints to hang on the wall or an album, this would be a great time to talk about those options as well. Discussing how you intend to view your child’s portraits is important at this consultation because their session will be photographed differently depending on how you want to view the final images.
If you want to schedule a call just to ask questions, I’m happy to do that for you too. There’s absolutely no pressure to book a session for your child at this stage if you’re not ready.
This consultation happens via zoom and is when we will discuss which images from my portfolio you like most. Knowing which pictures you love will help me determine the best way to approach your child’s session. The initial consultation is a critical step for planing your child’s photo shoot thoughtfully so I can help you get the best portraits possible.
If you want any prints to hang on the wall or an album, this would be a great time to talk about those options as well. Discussing how you intend to view your child’s portraits is important at this consultation because their session will be photographed differently depending on how you want to view the final images.
If you want to schedule a call just to ask questions, I’m happy to do that for you too. There’s absolutely no pressure to book a session for your child at this stage if you’re not ready.
2. Your Child's Portrait Photo Shoot
Your child’s portrait photo shoot will typically happen on a date we agree upon during your initial consultation. Kid’s have a pretty low tolerance for having their picture taken, so I suggest to plan on two hours of actual shooting time as a best case scenario.
This might sound like a lot of time, but depending on what you want, this can be a very tight time frame to capture all of the outfit and group combinations you have in mind. For example, if you want a family portrait with your entire family, a mommy and me set, portraits with siblings and solo portraits of your child; capturing all of these combinations will likely be more than your baby can handle in one sitting.
With this in mind, I recommend prioritizing the photos most important to you first, or if budget allows planning multiple photo shoots. As an example, I’ve found that it’s best to capture family photos on a separate day as your child’s solo portraits. Dividing the time like this lowers the stress for everyone and allows me to capture higher quality portraits for both events.
Don’t worry if you’re not sure what’s possible and if all of this feels overwhelming. I will help you develop a good, realistic plan at your initial consultation so we have the best chance of a happy baby. The truth is that your child will ultimately dictate what’s possible the day of the photo shoot. This uncertainty isn’t a bad thing, it’s just something a good plan will help us improvise around when the unexpected stuff happens.
Your child’s portrait photo shoot will typically happen on a date we agree upon during your initial consultation. Kid’s have a pretty low tolerance for having their picture taken, so I suggest to plan on two hours of actual shooting time as a best case scenario.
This might sound like a lot of time, but depending on what you want, this can be a very tight time frame to capture all of the outfit and group combinations you have in mind. For example, if you want a family portrait with your entire family, a mommy and me set, portraits with siblings and solo portraits of your child; capturing all of these combinations will likely be more than your baby can handle in one sitting.
With this in mind, I recommend prioritizing the photos most important to you first, or if budget allows planning multiple photo shoots. As an example, I’ve found that it’s best to capture family photos on a separate day as your child’s solo portraits. Dividing the time like this lowers the stress for everyone and allows me to capture higher quality portraits for both events.
Don’t worry if you’re not sure what’s possible and if all of this feels overwhelming. I will help you develop a good, realistic plan at your initial consultation so we have the best chance of a happy baby. The truth is that your child will ultimately dictate what’s possible the day of the photo shoot. This uncertainty isn’t a bad thing, it’s just something a good plan will help us improvise around when the unexpected stuff happens.
3. Image Reveal
This is when you will see your child’s portraits for the very first time and when you will purchase only the images you absolutely love from your child’s photo shoot.
You can choose to have your final images presented as a folio box collection, designed in an album, or finished as wall art.
Your reveal is typically scheduled about 3 weeks after your photo shoot to give me enough time to sort and edit the best photos from your session.
You can pay for your child’s portrait session A La Carte at your image reveal or prepay at your initial consultation. If you’d like to learn more about how much a children’s photoshoot with me will cost, you can view my portrait price menu here.
This is when you will see your child’s portraits for the very first time and when you will purchase only the images you absolutely love from your child’s photo shoot.
You can choose to have your final images presented as a folio box collection, designed in an album, or finished as wall art.
Your reveal is typically scheduled about 3 weeks after your photo shoot to give me enough time to sort and edit the best photos from your session.
You can pay for your child’s portrait session A La Carte at your image reveal or prepay at your initial consultation. If you’d like to learn more about how much a children’s photoshoot with me will cost, you can view my portrait price menu here.
What Our Clients Are Saying
Where to start, Jason is amazing and the photo shoot of my granddaughter with me and my daughter as well was so much fun. I think that is the part the was the most surprising to me, the fun. Jason’s enthusiasm, patience and professionalism regarding set up and everything was/is phenomenal. If there is a baby/child of any age in your life that you want memorable pictures of I can’t recommend Jason enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What should my child wear for the photo session? first and foremost I recommend styling your child’s outfit for the location of the photo shoot. The location will dictate the style and colors your should consider. You can learn more about how to color coordinating your child’s outfit with their surroundings here.
2. How long does a typical session last? My sessions typically last 1-2 hours, depending on your child’s comfort and engagement level. I take breaks as needed to ensure your child stays happy and relaxed.
3. What if my child is camera-shy? I understand that some children can be shy. My approach is patient and playful, allowing time for your child to get comfortable. I’ll engage with them in a fun and relaxed manner to bring out their natural smiles. If they have favorite toys that match the environment or treats they like, it would be very wise to bring these to your photo shoot.
4. Can we include family members in the portraits? Yes, family members are welcome to join the session. Including siblings or parents can add a special touch to the portraits and create memorable family photos.
5. What is the turnaround time for receiving the photos? You can expect to receive your proofing gallery usually within a few days. Editing will take a bit longer. Once I know what you want, I usually have them to you within a couple weeks at most.
6. How do I prepare my child for the photo session? Make sure your child is well-rested and well fed before the session. Bring along their favorite toy or something that you notice that they love to interact with. I’ll also provide guidance when we talk details over the phone before your session
7. Do you offer prints or digital images? I offer both high-quality prints and digital images. You can choose a package that best suits your needs, whether you want to create a family album or share digital photos with loved ones.
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Location
I am located in Sonoma, California and I am available for assignments anywhere in Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties. Photo shoot locations more than one hour from me will incur extra travel expenses to be determined at booking.
