PORTRAIT EXPERIENCE FAQ
Got some questions?
To get the best out of your portrait experience, I’ve included some information below and the answers to some frequently asked questions, along with comprehensive directions on how to find me.
Parndon Mill enjoys good parking and is easy to find, but is one of Harlow’s best-kept secrets. Our postcode is CM20 2HP.
I will remind you of our appointment the day before, but I’d really appreciate it if you would please let me know if something changes before this, so that I can provide an alternative appointment.
General Questions & Answers
Why are your experiences more expensive than mini experiences?
These are two completely different things, designed for very different outcomes.
Mini experiences are built for speed and volume.
They’re short, fixed, and designed to produce a quick result that looks nice in the moment.
What we create together is slower, more personal, and intentionally guided from the very first conversation through to artwork that lives in your home long after this stage has passed.
Here’s what that difference really means in real terms.
You’re not paying for time. You’re investing in intention.
This experience begins before you ever arrive.
We talk through what matters to you, how you see your child, what you’re drawn to, and what you hope this artwork will give you emotionally when you walk past it every day.
Nothing is rushed. Nothing is templated.
Your child isn’t expected to fit a formula or perform on cue.
That space to slow down is where genuine connection unfolds.
You’re paying for guidance, not pressure.
Many parents worry this will feel sales-driven or awkward.
It doesn’t.
You’re gently guided at every step so you’re never left guessing, overthinking, or worrying you’ll make the wrong decision. Most families actually find this relieving. Someone else is carrying the mental load.
Clients choose this experience because it feels calm, considered, and respectful of their time, their budget, and their emotions.
You’re investing in artwork designed to live with you.
This isn’t about ending up with files that sit on a phone.
It’s about creating something tangible that becomes part of your home.
We design wall collections and story-led artwork that suits your space, your taste, and your life as it is now. You don’t need to visualise it alone or hope it works. That’s part of the collaboration.
For many mums, this is the first time their home truly reflects the love they’re building.
And here’s the reassurance part most people need to hear:
If you’re asking this question, it doesn’t mean you’re frivolous or careless with money.
It means you’re thoughtful.
Most families who choose this experience aren’t impulsive spenders. They’re intentional. They weigh things up. They want to understand the “why” before they say yes.
And almost every one of them says the same thing afterwards: I’m so glad we didn’t rush this or settle for something smaller.
Is this worth it?
It’s ideal for someone who wants more than a quick outcome.
Perfect if you value being guided, not sold to.
Right for parents who want artwork that becomes an emotional anchor in their home, not another unfinished task.
If what you’re really longing for is reassurance, calm, and something that reminds you you’re doing an amazing job on the days it doesn’t feel like it – this experience was designed for exactly that.
What am I actually paying for with a full experience?
A full experience isn’t a single moment or a block of time.
It’s a thoughtfully guided collaboration designed to take something emotional and overwhelming and make it feel clear, calm, and meaningful.
Here’s what that includes.
You’re paying for someone to carry the thinking for you
From the very first conversation, the mental load starts to lift.
Instead of you having to plan, guess, research, compare, or make dozens of decisions alone, you’re guided through each step with clarity and care. What suits your child? What will feel like you. What will work in your home? What will still feel right years from now?
Clients choose this experience because it removes the pressure of “getting it right” by yourself.
You’re paying for time that adapts to your child
Your child doesn’t need to perform or fit a schedule.
The experience allows space for real personalities to unfold – whether your child is curious, cautious, energetic, observant, or all of the above.
That flexibility is essential for creating artwork that feels genuine rather than forced.
It’s why parents often leave feeling surprised by how easy and natural it felt.
You’re paying for careful curation, not volume
You’re not handed hundreds of options and left to figure it out later.
Each portrait is chosen with intention, designed to work together, and shaped into something that tells a cohesive story. This is what turns digital clutter into artwork with dignity and longevity.
For many families, this is the first time their photos stop feeling overwhelming and start feeling settled.
You’re paying for artwork designed to live with you
The experience includes thoughtful design support so your artwork feels at home in your space – whether that’s a wall collection that becomes the heartbeat of your living area or a tactile piece you return to again and again.
You’re not expected to visualise it alone or hope it works.
That guidance is part of what you’re investing in.
You’re paying for something that continues to give back
Clients often tell me the value isn’t just in the day itself, but in what happens afterwards.
On busy mornings, in messy kitchens, on the days you’re questioning yourself, this artwork becomes a quiet reminder of the love you’re building and the job you’re doing.
That ongoing reassurance is the part most people don’t know how to put a price on – until they’re living with it.
Is this the right choice for you?
This experience is ideal for someone who wants clarity instead of overwhelm, guidance instead of pressure, and artwork that feels grounded, personal, and lasting.
If you’re looking for something quick or transactional, a shorter option may suit you better. But if you want to make one thoughtful decision and then stop thinking about it, this experience was designed for exactly that.
Do you offer digital files only?
Why artwork is at the centre of this experience
Most families already have thousands of digital files. What they don’t have is clarity about what to do with them.
Files tend to live on phones, hard drives, or in folders that quietly grow heavier over time. They’re easy to intend to come back to – and just as easy to forget.
Artwork changes that.
When something is thoughtfully designed, finished, and placed in your home, it stops being another task on your list and starts giving back to you emotionally. It becomes part of your everyday life rather than something waiting for future-you to organise.
That’s why this experience focuses on helping you turn what we create together into something tangible and settled.
This isn’t about taking control away
It’s important to say this clearly: you’re never rushed or boxed into decisions.
Many parents arrive unsure of what they want. That’s completely expected.
The experience is structured so you don’t have to decide everything upfront or have perfect clarity before you begin. You’re guided gently, with space to see what resonates once you’ve seen your child’s portraits and felt what they bring up for you.
Clients often tell me they’re grateful they didn’t have to figure it all out alone.
Why this approach actually gives more freedom, not less
By focusing on artwork, you’re supported to make choices that suit your life now and will still feel right as your child grows.
You’re not left wondering:
- Which ones should I print?
- What size works?
- Will this suit our home?
- What if I choose wrong?
That guidance is part of the collaboration – and it’s what removes the pressure many parents associate with digital-only options.
And here’s the permission part
If you’re asking this question, it usually means you’re not fully clear yet – and that’s okay.
You don’t need to know exactly what you want before you begin.
You don’t need to be “good at this.”
You don’t need to have a plan.
This experience is ideal for parents who want to be supported through the decisions, not left with another pile of files and good intentions.
Is this right for you?
This approach is perfect if you’re craving clarity, guidance, and something meaningful in your home rather than more digital clutter.
If having files only feels safer right now, that’s something we can talk through honestly – without pressure or judgement – so you can decide what feels right for you.
What do most families end up spending?
Most families come in with a general idea of what feels comfortable for them, and the experience is designed to respect that.
Some choose a simpler artwork to begin with.
Others feel drawn to a more substantial wall collection once they see what we’ve created together and understand how it will live in their home.
There isn’t a “normal” amount you’re supposed to spend.
There is a range that reflects different needs, spaces, and priorities – and we talk through that openly so there are no surprises.
Why spending varies
What families choose is shaped by a few things:
- How they want to live with their artwork day to day
- Whether this is their first piece or part of a growing collection
- The space they’re designing for, now or in the future
- How strongly they want this artwork to function as an emotional anchor in their home
Because this is guided, families don’t tend to overshoot or second-guess themselves. They choose what feels right for them, not what they think they “should” do.
The reassurance most parents need
It’s very common to worry about going too far or making a decision you’ll later question.
What I hear most often afterwards isn’t, “I wish we’d spent less.”
It’s, “I’m so glad we chose what actually felt right instead of playing it safe.”
That’s because the decision is made with clarity, support, and time – not pressure.
What do people like me usually do?
The families who choose this experience are thoughtful and intentional. They’re planners. They consider their finances carefully. They don’t take decisions like this lightly.
Spending here isn’t about status or keeping up.
It’s about choosing something meaningful once, rather than revisiting the same regret of “we still haven’t done anything” year after year.
If you’re asking this question, you’re already approaching it in the same way they did.
Is this the right approach for you?
This experience is ideal if you want:
- Transparency instead of guesswork
- Guidance instead of pressure
- A decision you can feel calm and confident about afterwards
If you’d like, we can always talk through realistic options before you commit, so you know exactly where you stand.
What if my baby or child doesn’t cooperate on the day?
The gentle truth is this: there is no such thing as a baby or child “not cooperating” here.
Babies cry.
Toddlers test boundaries.
Young children move, observe, warm up slowly, or change their minds entirely.
All of that is normal. And all of it is expected.
You haven’t failed – and your child isn’t a problem
If your child is clingy, shy, energetic, serious, wriggly, strong-willed, or having an off day, nothing has gone wrong.
You don’t need to apologise.
You don’t need to manage them differently.
You don’t need to feel embarrassed.
This experience is designed around children being exactly who they are, not who we wish they’d be for an hour.
This is why the experience is unhurried
There’s space to pause, reset, cuddle, explore, laugh, or do nothing at all for a moment.
We follow your child’s lead and respond to them, rather than asking them to perform or behave in a certain way. Often, it’s the quiet in-between moments – the way they look back at you, the way they move, the way they connect – that reveal the most.
Parents are often surprised by how much unfolds once the pressure is removed.
You are not the only one worried about this
Almost every parent arrives with this fear, even if they don’t say it out loud.
They worry their child will be “the difficult one” or that everyone else’s children somehow cope better.
They don’t.
Your child’s temperament isn’t unusual.
Your nerves aren’t a sign you’re doing something wrong.
You belong here just as much as anyone else.
What this means for what you take home
Because the experience is child-led and flexible, what we create together reflects your child’s true personality – not a forced version of them.
That’s why the artwork feels familiar when parents see it.
Not polished. Not performative.
But recognisable and real.
And that recognition is often what brings the deepest sense of reassurance.
Is this right for your child?
This experience is ideal if you want your child to be met where they are, without pressure or expectation – and if you want to feel calm rather than on edge throughout.
If you’re worried about cooperation, that’s usually a sign this slower, more responsive approach is exactly what you need.
I don’t like being in photos - is this still right for me?
Yes. And you’re not unusual for feeling this way.
Many parents arrive feeling unsure about being included – not because they don’t love their children, but because they’re still finding their way back to themselves. Your body may feel unfamiliar. Your identity may feel shifted. The idea of being seen can feel heavier than expected.
There is no requirement to be ready, confident, or certain.
You’re always in control of how much you’re included
This experience is designed to meet you where you are.
Some parents begin thinking they’ll stay out entirely.
Some decide to step in for a moment.
Some choose to be part of it more fully once they feel settled.
All of those choices are valid.
There is no pressure, no persuasion, and no expectation that you “should” want to be included. We move at your pace, and your comfort leads the way.
This isn’t about being camera-ready
If you do choose to be included, the intention is never to present a polished or perfected version of you.
The focus is on how you are seen by your child – with dignity, warmth, and honesty. Not posing. Not performing. Just being present in a way that feels natural and respectful.
Many mums are surprised by how different this feels from what they feared. Not because something magical happens – but because the pressure to look a certain way simply isn’t there.
It’s okay if this feels emotionally loaded
For a lot of mothers, this question brings up more than expected.
You might worry you won’t recognise yourself.
You might feel unsure about your body.
You might feel conflicted about wanting to be included at all.
None of that makes you vain or difficult.
It makes you human.
And you’re not alone in it.
What most mums say afterwards
Whether they chose to be included a little or a lot, many mums say the same thing afterwards – often with a quiet sense of relief.
They tell me they’re glad they did it.
That it felt easier than they expected.
That the artwork feels like them and their child, not a version they were trying to live up to.
You can often hear it in their voices. That soft exhale of:
“I’m really pleased we did this.”
Not because everything was perfect – but because they felt gently guided through something that felt bigger than they realised at the start.
That relief matters. And it’s something many mums don’t know they’re looking for until they feel it.
Is this experience right for you?
This experience is ideal if you want choice without judgement, guidance without pressure, and to be met with care rather than expectation.
You don’t need to decide anything in advance.
You don’t need to feel ready.
You don’t need to be brave.
You just need to be you, exactly as you are right now.
On Photo Day …
What if my child won't settle, or doesn't like being posed?
Over the past few years, I have photographed hundreds of children and babies, so I have a few tricks up my sleeve to ensure the shoot is fun for them and we get some great shots as well.
In terms of posing, I will always do what your baby or child is happy with and capable of doing. For every baby and child, this is different!
What if my baby/child is ill on the day of the photoshoot?
It’s not a problem, these things sometimes happen. Please get in touch so we can reschedule the photo session for when they are better. I understand how easily little ones pick up bugs.
As much notice as possible is appreciated, but I know this isn’t always how it plays out.
When can we view our photographs?
Around a week later. You’ll come back to my studio and see your beautiful portraits projected onto the big screen – your own personal movie screening.
Please make sure all decision-makers are present, as we are not able to offer more than one appointment for each session.
Will my portrait photographs be in colour or black and white?
Mostly in colour (unless you have booked a specific black & white photo shoot), but a few will be shown in black & white, as you have the choice to order in this finish also.
How many photographs will you take?
A lot! Don’t worry I am not about to show you every single one. After your photoshoot, I will carefully curate the results to show you the best selection of unique photographs.
If you do love them all and want them all, you can in a handmade print box that multi tasks as a display case too.
Still got a question?
Drop us a line and we’ll get straight back to you.
