If it’s our first time, of course you have questions!

Where are you located?
I live in West Vancouver, BC, Canada.  

Where should we go for our session?
Where magic lives and where natural light abounds. Your home is a good place to start. We might make root beer floats, barbecue burgers, play Scrabble, or jump on the bed. Then off we go to a beach. Or over the river and through the woods. We might catch tadpoles in a bucket, pick berries, build sandcastles, or play leapfrog.

Newborn sessions usually take place in your home: the family nest. (I will make you sign a contract promising not to clean up.) If the weather is cheery we might go outdoors for a while.

What time of day should we meet?
Photographers call it magic light for a reason: early morning or late afternoon, 2 to 3 hours before sunset is ideal.

When should I book a newborn session?
I suggest within the first two weeks, when your baby is sleepy and bendy—and new! Also pink, with no baby acne. But it’s up to you; if you have something else in mind, let’s talk about it.

When should I book a belly session?
Around 30 weeks is ideal—when you have a big, round belly but still feel comfortable and beautiful.

What should we wear?
What you love. What makes you happy. I love it when kids dress themselves, wearing jeans or gumboots with a party dress, jammy bottoms under their shorts.

Dressing in co-ordinated colours is fabulous—but this doesn’t mean all wearing the same colour or matching outfits (gack!). Choose a colour or two or three and have everyone wear something in a complimentary shade of that colour—even if it’s just a scarf, belt, hairband, or sneakers.

Patterns are good, but if one or two choose to wear stripes or plaids, ideally the others will choose solids. Avoid big logos. Too distracting. Too dating.

Accessorize and layer to your heart’s content. Bring props (blankets, guitars, toys, tea sets, etc.). And it’s always a good idea to have a change of clothes with you to mix things up a bit.

What if it rains?
Sadly, it rains A LOT in Vancouver. You probably already knew that. I’ll touch base the night before or morning of the shoot so we can discuss options. We might reschedule for a drier day. We might go undercover (Granville Island is great in such cases.) Or we might just tough it out in our gumbies and umbrellas. Puddles can be magic too.

What happens after the session?
I’ll give you a sneak peak, by email, within 24 hours. With your permission, I’ll also post a few of my faves to my Facebook page or my blog. And within 3 weeks I’ll send you a link to your online gallery of at least 60 custom curated, edited, high-resolution photos for you to download.

How do we pay?
You can choose to pay in full, or pay a $250 deposit when you book the session. The balance is due the day we meet. You can pay via the shopping cart here, or by Interac email transfer, credit card, Paypal, cash, or cheque (payable to Rebecca Chalmers). My mailing address is 4666 Caulfeild Drive, West Vancouver, BC, V7W 1G1.

I’m excited; how can I book?
Please contact me with three available dates in order of preference. I’ll do my best to accommodate you, but don’t forget I’m a mom first, with three busy kids. Week days are usually good. Weekends can work too. For newborns, let me know your due date. We’ll tentatively pencil something in and confirm the date as soon as your baby arrives.

Do you do events?
Showers? Sure. Birthday parties? Absolutely.

Weddings? Maybe. Like if you decide to get married on a Wednesday morning in November. Outdoors. (Summer weekends are sacred and natural light is essential.) If you are that bride or groom, let’s talk. Otherwise you might be better off with a photographer who makes weddings their specialty.