There are so many photographers out there, aren’t there? I know how hard it must be to choose, so I thought I’d put together a handful of reasons why you might want to pick me!
1. I am a mum. OK I appreciate that’s not exactly rare but it means that we already have something amazing in common – and that’ll help the conversation to flow! I do my best to put my clients at ease and just chatting and having a laugh during sessions is one of the easiest ways to do that. (Have you seen my intro video? You can tell I don’t take myself too seriously!) I love talking about being a mum with clients because it’s my favourite thing in life – and discussing (read: comparing) the challenges it brings helps us to realise that we’re not alone in our foggy, stressed and sleep-deprived states. (Although I can now say that my 19 going on 20 month old is now FINALLY sleeping through reliably – wooohooo!)
2. I am patient. If there’s anything I’ve learned in the time I’ve been doing newborn and family photography is that patience is the absolute most important thing – and seemingly the most valued by parents. Babies and children can be unsettled entering strange new environments and it can take some time (and bribery for the older ones!) to get them comfortable. My sessions are timed to take this into account and I deliberately don’t schedule appointments back to back to avoid you feeling rushed or pressured. In the unlikely event your session doesn’t go to plan, I’m more than happy to get you back in on another day. For newborn sessions in particular, I am careful to make sure you and your baby (or babies) are comfortable before we start and that we have plenty of time to stop for feeds and cuddles if we need to. Besides, this gives us more time to chat!!
3. You won’t have any nasty surprises. I’ve been there. I’ve been to photographers who have sprung costly price lists on me after enticing me in with a low-cost offer. And then have the cheek to try and pressure me into buying from them. I left that session with a sour taste in my mouth and vowed I’d never go back. I wrote a blog post about it here. Part of me is thankful for the experience, though, as it has really helped to shape the way I do business.
My business is totally transparent: all of my prices are clearly stated on my website and will not change after you’ve booked your session. This way, you know in advance what you’re likely to spend when you come back for your view and order session. You can also rest assured that there wont be any pressure selling. Far too many of my friends have been forced into spending money they didn’t want to, or worse, couldn’t afford on photographs they didn’t necessarily want. I want you to love what you buy and feel excited, not worried, about what you’ve
4. There’s no risk. I’m always wary when people say that to me – but in this case, it’s true! I want to make sure you’re totally happy with what you’re getting into before you book with me; that’s why I offer telephone or in-person consultations to find out more about you and to give you a feel for who I am and what I do before we make things official. Unlike many other photographers, I don’t charge a session fee for my time; the only money you will spend is on the products that you want to buy. I do ask clients for a deposit to secure the appointment, however this is then used as a credit towards your final purchase. In the unlikely event that you don’t like any of your photographs (it hasn’t happened yet, touch wood!), then you can walk away with your deposit and no hard feelings.
5. I don’t just do what everyone else does. I’m not a fan of gimmicks; I much prefer timeless photographs that will never look out of place on your family’s wall. (OK maybe I make a bit of an exception for cake smashes. They’ve become a really popular way to celebrate our little ones’ milestones – and are just a lot of fun!) Although I provide digital images as standard, my passion is in printed photographs. I want you to treasure the memories I capture for you, not lose them amongst the digital clutter on your phones and hard drives. In addition to my basic packages, I offer unique, high quality and long lasting wall art that can’t be found on the high street. In fact, most of my wall art pieces are designed to museum standards so they will look amazing on your walls for generations to come.
OK so I thought I’d give you a bonus one as 6 reasons doesn’t have quite the same ring to it…
6. I want to help you celebrate family life. It’s so, so true what people say about time flying when you have children. As I write this my baby boy is only a week away from turning 20 months old and it honestly scares me that the rest of our time together will go as fast. He’s at an adorable age at the moment where he constantly asks for cuddles and I’m absolutely terrified of that ending. I want to make sure that we, as parents, are treasuring these moments because one day (undoubtedly too soon), they’ll exist only in our memories.
I want everyone to be able to celebrate family life but I recognise that not everyone can afford the luxury of professional photography to document these special times. That’s why I want Moments by Katie Mitchell to support families who don’t have the same opportunities that we do. All of my standard photo packages include a donation to three local charities supporting families in need in Gloucestershire: Gloucestershire Bundles, The Family Haven and Footsteps Counselling and Care.
Unfortunately, there are far too many people there who were stripped of the opportunity to celebrate family life with their baby (or babies). Soon after becoming a mum, I quickly realised the devastating impact it would have if he were no longer in my life and it hurt so much to empathise with those who had loved and lost their children. That’s what spurred me on to volunteer for the charity Remember My Baby, which provides remembrance photography and digital retouching services for parents who have lost their baby before, during or shortly after labour. Those parents won’t get to watch their babies grow up too fast but at least this small gesture can help them treasure the short time that they will get with their baby. Learn more about my decision to volunteer for Remember My Baby here.
I hope all of this has given you a better idea about who I am and why I might be the right fit for your family. If you’d like to find out more or even go on to book your consultation, click here to contact me! Or, if you’re not quite ready to buy, you can still keep in touch by following me on Facebook or signing up to my mailing list below.
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