TORONTO FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER
Because they won’t be little forever…
I’m Erika – and I’m a Toronto family photographer. I’ve been a photographer for over 12 years but it wasn’t until I had my own son that I truly understood, at the deepest possible level, how important it is to document your moments together.
As a mom, I know that life isn’t always picture-perfect, but I do know that as adults, we put so much pressure on ourselves for it to look that way that we often miss out on the special moments. That’s why I do things a little bit differently. I’m all about slowing down, relaxing, and letting go of expectations. I’m about capturing your family exactly as it is: already perfect!
YOU DESERVE TO BE IN THE PICTURE
WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE FAMILY PHOTOS
When I step back from my role as a Toronto family photographer and think about life as a mom, it really puts things in perspective and answers that important question.
In the blink of an eye I went to bringing home by 6-pound baby from the hospital to having a 5 year old who gets funnier and sweeter by the day. I love having photos of him – he’s my everything! I realized, though, that he also wants photos of me. He wants to see me in the photos because I too, am his everything.
Parents spend too much time behind the camera taking the photos; you deserve to be in the photos too. Your children will always appreciate the photos you take of them, but they’ll cherish the photos that have you in them too.
SOMETIMES YOU
WILL NEVER KNOW
THE
VALUE OF A MOMENT
UNTIL IT BECOMES
A MEMORY
Why should you take photos?
What’s your reason?
You don’t need a “reason” to take photos. You can take photos during the monumental events and you can take photos at any random time. You don’t need to lose “those last 5 pounds”, buy new clothes or do anything else to justify why you should or should not take photos. You are loved and you love others: that’s reason enough
See more Toronto Family Photography Galleries
Lifestyle photography is for all moments; maternity, newborn and family but also for birthdays, reunions, and all the moments in between.
NEIGHBOURHOOD
SESSIONS
These short and sweet 20-minute
mini sessions take place in the Port Union (Scarborough) neighborhood.
Think of them as ‘mini sessions’ that you can book any time!
Sessions include 10 images
with the option to purchase additional
PRICE: $199
LIFESTYLE SESSIONS
This is the storytelling package.
Whether that’s the story of your pregnancy, the fresh first few days at home, birthdays, new pets, or family memories. We tell the story that you want to tell and we do it through gentle guidance and artistic, emotional captures.
Sessions are up to 90 minutes and are captured either
in your home or in your favorite place.
You’ll get all of your hand-edited images available for digital download with a full print release (approximately 100+ images)
PRICE: $399
SPECIAL EVENTS
Documentary style coverage of special events in your life like:
Wedding showers
Baby showers
Family reunions
Surprise parties
Special birthdays
Unlike a lifestyle session or intimate wedding coverage, special events are documentary-style coverage with no guidance or posing for ‘formal’ photos;
it’s candid photography of the event with all the emotion and energy present!
This style coverage is capped at 5 hours.
Special rates available for
same-month bookings.
HOURLY RATE: $249
WORKING WITH YOUR TORONTO FAMILY
PHOTOGRAPHER
Whether you’re taken family photos before or are completely new to the game, we like to make sure that all folks and families know what to expect from their lifestyle photography experience. We like to start with discussing exactly what lifestyle photography means:
• LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY IS ALL ABOUT CAPTURING REAL PEOPLE DOING REAL THINGS AND FEELING REAL EMOTIONS
• LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY INVOLVES GENTLE GUIDANCE TO CLIENTS FOR POSING IDEAS, BUT IT’S NOT RIGID OR FORMAL POSING.
• LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY MEANS YOU’RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE CAMERA AND SMILING
• LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY MEANS GOING IN WITH THE EXPECTATION OF MAKING MEMORIES AND LIVING IN THE MOMENT, NOT BRIBING THE KIDS IN THE CAR BEFOREHAND ABOUT “BEING GOOD” OR “SMILING NICE”.
DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS? REACH OUT TO US!
THE PROCESS
01
Fill out the contact form
It all starts with a ‘hello’! Use our contact form to send us a message or email directly at [email protected]
It helps for us to know what type of memories you’re looking to capture and the general timeframe you’re hoping to book within.
02
Let’s connect and share visions
Working together means collaborating on our visions. We want to hear about the story you want to tell, and we’ll provide you with a plan on how to bring them to life. (Sharing a vision does not mean sharing a Pinterest board; we like to capture your story – not a version of someone else’s!)
03
Setting a date, time, and location
Most shoots happen on weekday evenings at sunset; only a select number of weekend dates are available and they book up fast. Sunset is the best quality of light and key to our style for outdoor sessions; indoor can happy at any time of day. We’ll suggest a location that works with your vision and goals.
04
Gallery delivery + printing options
We’ll deliver your gallery, about 2-4 weeks after the sessions via a private online gallery that has direct access to our professional print lab. We highly recommend that clients invest in quality prints or albums for many reasons. If printing isn’t right for you, we’ll provide you with information on how to best ensure the safety of your digital files.
FAQ
Location +
Travel
Questions
Are you only a Toronto family photographer or do you travel?
I only consider myself a Toronto family photography because I live here – but I do service all areas of the GTA and beyond!
Please note, though, that while we’re happy to travel in and out of the city, our “Neighbourhood Sessions” are limited to the Port Union neighbourhood only.
Do you charge travel fees and how much are they?
In the event travel fees are required, it’s $0.60/km beyond the 60km radius of our location. If you’re far enough away and overnight accommodations may be required, but let’s chat more about that!
We’ve had clients from Kingston, Ottawa and Sudbury over the years and are happy to continue servicing all of Ontario.
General
Questions
What do we do if it rains?
Bright sun, overcast and even cloudy days are totally fine, but rain is another problem. Nobody wants to get soaked during a session so we’ll make the call a few hours before as to whether we choose a rain date or not. We always wait to within 24 hours of the session (or less) to make the call since it’s most accurate.
Should I book a mini-session or a regular session?
I offer mini-sessions on demand (aka our ‘Neighbourhood Sessions’) for folks who want a short and sweet snapshot of time. Mini sessions are fast past sessions and not always the best choice for kids who can get easily overwhelmed or who may be unpredictable (like toddlers – trust me, I’ve been there before with my own kiddo!)
What if my kids don’t behave or smile?
I do things a little different; I’m about relaxing, having fun, celebrating moments and embracing the chaos or calm – whichever live brings us that day. There should be no expectations around a child’s behavior when you are opting for lifestyle photographs, it kind of defeats the purpose of choosing this style of photography.
Can you photoshop out my double chin/love handles/blemishes?
We are a body positive company and we believe that bodies should not be artificially manipulated. You are loved exactly as you are!
I know everyone is on a different journey when it comes to loving their bodies, so if you’re truly adamant about altering your body, let’s have a discussion and see how we can best serve you.
5 REASONS TO FIND A TORONTO FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER
FIND YOUR ‘HAPPY NOW’
Reason #1
Regardless of what is happening in your life; there’s always something to be happy about now. Even if it’s something very small; there’s always “the happy now” that is worth celebrating. We do not need to wait for things to get happier. Photos do not need to happen when life is at its peak happiness. Celebrate the small moments in life regardless of what life has handed to you; celebrate The Happy Now.
OUR STORIES CHANGE SO FAST
Reason #2
Children grow so fast. Every week and month that goes by, your little ones are maturing and changing. Our families and our stories can change so very quickly.
Taking photos creates a snapshot in time; a moment frozen forever.
Capture it now, before it’s gone.
YOUR FAMILY HISTORY DESERVES IT
Reason #3
You are important, your family is important – and you legacy? It’s very important. Every family, no matter how big or small, has a story to be told and a story that is worth sharing for years to come. Photos give you that story.
MEMORIES FADE, PHOTOS DON’T
Reason #4
How many times have we said “I’ll never forget this moment” but years later we realize our recollection isn’t what is used to be? Capturing your moments with photos creates powerful memories that provide you with opportunity to relive those times in vivid detail.
YOU DESERVE IT
Reason #5
Your memories are worth documenting. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t lost those 5 pounds or bought a new outfit. You’re are worthy of memories. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are and you’re worth celebrating.
I’m honoured to be the Toronto family photographer that gets to give you the gift of memories.