Frequently Asked Questions
Here's everything you need to know about Sarah Angel Photography.
This page is here to give you some additional info about each of my photography services prior to booking your photoshoot. It starts with some general questions then scroll down to find the service you're most interested in.
Can't find an answer to your question? Or, you just want to have a chat?
Please get in touch. I'd really love to help you!
General FAQs
Q. How do you describe your style of photography?
I am an on-location lifestyle photographer. Which means I travel to you, outdoors or in your home /work environment, and use gentle direction to create photographs that blend the personality and interactions of your family or business alongside relaxed portraits full of warmth and connection.
Whether I'm photographing a family, a newborn baby, a business owner, their doggy or their working environment, my process is always the same. We harness beautiful light, genuine moments and a relaxed atmosphere to elevate everyday moments into timeless photographs that feel effortless rather than staged.
Q. What's your approach when photographing people?
When I first started photographing families almost 15 years ago, a number of parents described their photoshoot with me as "a little adventure" and this sense of ease, play & discovery remains at the heart of what I do for all of my clients today.
Rather than asking you to hold uncomfortable poses and ask children to spend lots of time standing still, I'll guide you through simple age appropriate activities, conversation and movement that encourage natural expression and genuine connection. This can look like going for a walk, exploring our location, playing with the kids, chatting about your business, showing me what you do, or, simply sharing some nervous laughter together. Before long most people forget about my camera and really enjoy the experience.
Q. I feel really awkward in front of the camera. How can you help me to enjoy it?
The majority of people I photograph, one way or another, have told me this! So I need you to know first and foremost that this is completely normal! I feel like this too so you are not alone! My job isn't to expect you to know what to do. Instead I'll help you to feel comfortable enough to be yourselves and enjoy your photoshoot using my playful approach described above.
Q. Can you photograph us in your studio?
Absolutely not! : ). I don't have a studio and aside from the occasional need to set one up at home for product shots, I much prefer photographing people in real environments where we can achieve more natural portraits and interactions!
Q. Do you photograph outdoors in any season and which season is best?
Every season has it's wonderful qualities so if you are planning your family photoshoot in advance it's worth considering what type of outdoor look and feel you're after. I also work with a number of businesses who have seasonal photography needs so essentially, every season captures my creative eye making it very difficult to choose a 'best season'.
Summer time is the obvious choice for an outdoor shoot and my summer weekends are often filled with extended family gatherings. Spring has more floral opportunities whilst Autumn has falling leaves to play in and it's stunning show of colour and dramatic light. Spring and Autumn are also ideal for young families who would like to take advantage of the earlier sunsets where we have access to the most beautiful golden light which is also my favourite time of day for the most glorious and flattering family portraits.
Every year I also photograph a small number of families during the middle of winter and this is usually due to exceptional family circumstances and the need to seize the moment. However winter shoots are surprisingly beautiful, especially if we get a pretty frost or snow!
Q. What's the best time of day for an outdoor photoshoot?
The word photography literally means 'drawing with light' and different times of the day offer different qualities of light and different outcomes for your photoshoot.
To achieve the style of portraits you see on my website, I always recommend avoiding the middle of the day for your photoshoot unless we have access to big trees and pathways that offer soft open shade. Bright overhead sunshine will restrict our options for where I can place you to achieve the best and most flattering images. That said, we also need to weigh up when your children will be at their best!
The most ideal time of day for an outdoor photoshoot with your family is early in the morning or 1-2 hours prior to sunset for beautiful soft golden light. Some parents worry about children being up late past their bedtime for an evening shoot however I have a good success rate with these shoots and 'being up past bedtime' can often be very exciting and adds to the adventure for young children.
For businesses and other types of on-location photography, we work together to establish the best time of day for your shoot in keeping with current styles and industry standards. For example, I quickly learnt, after my first time photographing in a vineyard that grapes are always photographed in the sunshine! And rightly so! In this instance I bring a 'screed' for shading peoples faces.
Q. What happens if the weather is bad or just cloudy?
When you book your photoshoot with me we will also book a back-up wet weather date for our calendars just to be on the safe side. As an outdoor family photographer I am constantly keeping an eye on forecasts and weather patterns. If rain is forecast I will get in touch with you a few days prior, to discuss our options. Depending on our schedules we can consider moving the shoot to earlier or later in the day or reverting to our scheduled back-up date. I have some further notes about rainy photoshoots in this blog post here. The same is true if we are experiencing persistent and extreme heatwaves or unsafe gale force winds (in this instance I use Alice Holt Forest announcements for our safety information). On the other hand, cloudy weather isn't a problem at all. In fact it creates a very soft and flattering light for family photographs.
Q. How do we go ahead and book our photoshoot?
Once we’ve had an initial chat (via email or over the phone) and we've found a date that works for you, and you’ve decided you’d like to book in, I’ll start the booking process. I send you a link to your client portal which contains your session fee invoice, a contract and a short questionnaire so I can get to know your family or business. Once you have paid your session fee & signed your contract you’re booking is confirmed and we can get on with the exciting part of planning your photoshoot! If you want to know more details about my booking process, I have a detailed run down here.
Q. Do you provide styling advice for your photoshoots?
When you book in for a family photoshoot I send you a link to some advice on planning your wardrobe. It includes lots of advice about how to coordinate outfits without looking too 'matchy-matchy'! I'm also very happy for you to message me on Whats app with clothing options if you just need some 'extra eyes' or reassurance on a set of outfits.
If you are booking in for a brand shoot, we tend to discuss all of this as part of our planning chat over zoom and in emails, then we create a final mood-board planner which we can all reference in preparation for your shoot.
Q. Can you retouch our images and alter my appearance?
In keeping with my style of photography, I apply some very natural, 'light touch' refinements, to your images. I also remove any tree's growing out of heads, blemishes, baby dribble etc and ensure images are straightened and thoughtfully cropped. Adjustments made to the shape of your clothing or appearance always require some discussion and if the work is particularly nuanced or complex I would need to quote for this.
Family FAQs
Q. What if my child struggles on the day?
I understand this worry. I'm a mum myself and I appreciate children have their wobbles, can be shy or have off days. My style of photography is very relaxed and focuses on your time together as a family; exploring, playing and relaxing. There's no pressure for anyone to perform or look at the camera all of the time and I don't clock watch if your child needs extra breaks without a camera involved. In fact we can take breaks for snacks, nappy changes, walk to a different spot, play games, climb a tree and just explore. My ambition is for everyone to leave their shoot feeling like they've had a memorable family experience, so when you look at your photographs in years to come you remember a very happy time together as a family, as well as enjoying how beautiful your images look. And if this doesn't happen, then I'm very happy for us to try for a re-shoot at a later date.
Q. Where do your photoshoots take place?
I’m predominantly an outdoor family photographer, capturing families in beautiful countryside locations and private gardens across Surrey, Hampshire and parts of London. When you book, we’ll chat about the kind of setting that feels right for your family and the images you’d love to create. I can recommend a range of locations, including quieter spots, dog-friendly areas, or special gardens such as Kew or Savill Gardens (permits arranged where needed). If you have a meaningful place that’s personal and special to your family, that’s always the most wonderful option for your family photographs.
I’m based in Farnham, surrounded by stunning heathland and forest locations that many families love and I have two blogs sharing some inspiration for Farnham locations here: Farnham Photoshoot Locations Part 1
Farnham Photoshoot Locations Part 2
As well as locations around Farnham you can also find me photographing families further across Surrey, Hampshire and London in towns such as: Weybridge, Woking, Guildford, Esher, West Clandon, Send, Pirbright, Richmond, Fleet, Farnborough, Camberley, Milford, Godalming, Grayshot, Selbourne, Alton, Arlesford,Winchester, Harrow, Pinner, Ruislip, Rickmansworth, to name just a few areas. Please get in touch if you want to check if I can travel to you for your family photoshoot.
Q. Our kids aren't little anymore. Can you still photograph us with our grown up children?
Ahh yes! Absolutely! I photograph families of all ages and sizes and I really enjoy photographing families with grown up children. It's another really wonderful stage of life to celebrate and document with a photoshoot, as new more grown up relationships form between you and your children. I have some tips especially for shoots with grown up children here:
How to prepare your grown up kids for a family photoshoot.
And if you are after some information about my intergeneration/extended family photoshoots you can find some more useful advice about these shoots here:
10 steps to a successful family photoshoot.
Q. How does your service work?
I aim to offer a really personal service for the families I work with.
- Before your Photoshoot:
Once you're booked in I send out some detailed advice on what to wear and some info on what to expect at each stage of the process and closer to the day I send links to helpful blog posts that will hopefully help to inspire you and calm any last minute photoshoot nerves. If you have a location in mind for your photoshoot I might ask you send me a few snaps in a whats app message, to help with the planning process. I also send over a list of recommended locations based on your families needs if you don't have a specific location in mind. I welcome whats app chat's too, if you need any last minute advice or support with wardrobe decisions.
- During your photoshoot:
Our session together will begin with a bit of a walk and a chat as we get to the best spot at our location, giving everyone a chance to relax and enjoy our surroundings.
My style of photography is very relaxed and playful, as I feel the best images are full of natural interactions and connection. My aim is to capture natural moments between you, however you're not left to your own devices, I give you prompts and direct you to ensure everyone feels comfortable and knows what to do. : )
I always like kids to be kids at their photo shoot. They might run off, be shy or play up for the camera. It might sometimes feel chaotic if little people are particularly excited. Please try not to worry. I have a knack at managing to achieve the shots we need by working with or working around these kinds of moments.
- After your photoshoot:
After our session I take some time to edit and enhance your images and prepare your private online gallery, from which you will be able to browse, select and purchase your image package and products, at your leisure, from the comfort of your own home. Your gallery is available for 3 weeks and I am on hand via email to assist with any questions you may have about presentation options for your home
Q. I don't want our family images shared online. What is your privacy policy?
One of the things I love the most about my job is meeting such a variety of different families who all share one thing in common, which is the love and appreciation of having family memories kept alive through very natural and poignant photography. At the same time I feel it's a real privilege to work with families from all different backgrounds and in varying circumstances who have different thoughts and feelings about sharing and privacy. For this reason I'll always check in with you about your image sharing preferences and never presume that every family story needs to be shared publicly.
Dog Portrait FAQs
Q. What types of locations do you use for your dog portrait shoots?
Q. My dog can't be off her lead. Can you still photograph her?
Yes, absolutely. I have a number of well practiced strategies for an enjoyable session with your dog on her lead. And, I can also work some photoshop magic, in a selected number of images, so you won't even know the lead was there in the finished images.
Q. My dog isn't able to sit or stay on command yet. How will you achieve the portraits I most desire?
Portrait shoots are ideal for all doggies. I have lots of patience, you will bring along some treats and together we play and try out different strategies to work with your dog, to get the shots you most want.
Q. What happens if my dog runs into a muddy puddle at his session?
We will do everything to minimise and not tempt a wet or muddy incident. A small smudge of mud is not a problem as I can usually remove this when editing your photographs. However, if it's a full on mud bath incident and we're in the early stages of your shoot we can arrange to meet again.
Q: What's the most ideal time of year for a doggy portrait shoot?
We're so lucky to have such diverse and beautiful countryside all around us on the Surrey/Hampshire boarder, so for this reason, no matter the time of year there is always a beautiful location for doggy portraits.
Personal BRanding FAQs
Q. How does your service work?
Q. What happens during the session?
Newborn FAQs
Q. What's the best time for newborn photographs?
If you want to capture your babies earliest days whilst they are still very delicate, sleepy and curled up in your arms, this early newborn stage is between 5 -14 days old. However, having had two babies myself and from my experience of photographing newborns now for 14 years, timings vary for every new baby & family I work with and the most beautiful images are created when you feel ready. I have a useful blog post for you to read <here> which talks about all the wonderful photography opportunities at each stage of your babies first year.
Q. When should we book our Newborn shoot?
I recommend booking your newborn shoot after your 20 week scan and before baby has arrived. Booking early allows me to give you the best service with plenty of flexibility in my calendar, as we pencil in your due date and then confirm an exact shoot date once baby has arrived and you get a feel for what will work for you and your baby.
Q. Our home isn't 'picture perfect', do you have a studio for our photo's instead?
I promise you, you don't need to worry about having an ideal show home for us to create beautiful newborn photographs at home. Your presence, and all the love and hugs with your new baby, taken in a relaxed setting, will far outshine anything that can be achieved in an impersonal studio environment. It really is my job as a professional photographer to create beauty and light filled harmony for you in any given environment. On a very practical level, it all comes down to sourcing the best available light and angles in your home to achieve images that you will love forever.
Q. How long does a newborn photoshoot last?
Q. What should we wear for a newborn photoshoot?
Q. What if my baby cries a lot or needs frequent feeding and changing during the photoshoot?
This is a very new time for you, as parents (and as second/third time parents as you extend your parenting juggles) and it's an especially new and foreign time for your baby as they look for you for everything. My baby-led approach to your photoshoot, means that we have the time and space to factor in any eventuality, as part of our time together for your photoshoot.
Q. Can you just photograph our baby and leave us out?
Q. Do I need to pose my baby for the photoshoot?
Q. What should we do at home to prepare for the photoshoot?
Q. Will you be able to photograph older siblings as well?
Q. Can our dog be in the photo's?
Q. Do you retouch our photographs?
Q. How do you keep our baby safe during the photoshoot?
Q. How soon will we receive our photographs?
Will The session feel rushed?
No, not at all! I have been running mini sessions for over 7 years now and I have a gentle routine that is streamlined without feeling like you are on a conveyor belt with other families. I also leave some wiggle room between sessions incase anyone had a last minute nappy change or emergency snack break during the session.
What if it rains on the day of our session?
I always ask families to try to be available for a back up mini session date which I tell you about a the time of booking. I check the forecast the day prior to your session and contact you should the weather look too unpleasant for out photoshoot. We will reschedule in the event of bad rain (and extreme heatwaves too!) If it's just a light drizzle the session can go ahead, otherwise I offer you the rescheduled date and I can offer you a refund if you are unable to reschedule within a 6 month period.
WHAT if my toddler runs away & doesn't want to be photographed.
I have two children myself and I have photographed hundreds of toddlers over the years. I aim to keep my sessions light-hearted and playful, with a few tricks up my sleeve which can have your toddler enjoying their session as part of the family, no problem at all.
THIS IS OUR FIRST FAMILY SESSION!
how can I curb my own anxiety about being photographed?
My mini sessions are very popular with families who are trying an outdoor photoshoot for the first time and often, for mums, it will be your first time in front of the camera since having children. I am experienced at helping to guide you to your best and most comfortable angle so you can look and feel great at your session. If you have any particular worries then please do let me know. I can help you to really enjoy your session and feel really happy with the finished results!
Wha sould we wear for our session?
Once you are booked in I send you out a comprehensive document giving you lots of advice on what to wear. And, if you are still not sure then you are very welcome to send me a few snaps of wardrobe options. I am always on hand to help and support with advice.
