Dallas Pumpkin Sessions
Yay! My favorite time of the year! Pumpkin candles, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin pictures! Here is a quick guide to help you prepare for your sessions! Please be sure to read every word!
COVID stuff
The arboretum is a little different this year. You need to go to their website and make reservations online and bring your tickets with you on the day of your session. In the past you could purchase tickets while there but since capacity is limited it’s best to get your tickets ahead of time! It’s easy to do on their site. You have to wear a mask at the entrance when you are checking in but you should be able to remove them once you are in the park and walking around. I will not be as hands on as in the past so please be prepared to move your children (don’t wear high heels!) comfortably if needed!
We will start with the most asked question first… what do I wear!?
The pumpkin scene is a bit of an orange over load so we need colors that are going to really stand out against all of that! Everyone knows I like my pictures colorful and BOLD! I personally prefer the darker colors so the child really pops against that sea of Orange. As usual the colors to avoid are solid black ( it just makes a distracting void with no detail) and solid white (in many cases you can see right through it in pictures and it will glow ). Neutrals are OK, but you can really blend into the back ground .
It’s generally still pretty warm in September, though the weather in Oct is really very unpredictable. It will be 20 degrees one day and 80 the next. If you are planning on a sleeveless dress for girls be sure to have a sweater we can toss over it if the day of your shoot happens to be cool!
The Arboretum does not allow you to change clothes with in the grounds. Please do NOT hang clothes on your stroller or carry clothes in plain sight or they will send you back to you car to put them up! I suggest wearing something comfortable for the little ones on the car ride over and changing them in the parking lot as I have had many spit up on their clothes at the car!!
Dallas Child Photographer
Dallas Arboretum Pumpkin Pictures
Where to meet and how to find me
We will meet in the main pumpkin patch in the Dallas Arboretum. When you enter through the main entrance you will follow the path to the right. You really can’t miss the entrance. I’ll be one of the gazillions photogs there. I will be dressed very comfortable since I will be rolling in hay for 2 hours! I have blonde hair (this month) and will have glasses on! I have a black rolling camera bag that will hopefully help you identify me! Maybe I’ll do an orange streak in my hair so you can find me 😛 I sometimes post a little sign near me with my logo on it so people can find me.
You are responsible for your own entry into the park. It takes a good 5 minutes to walk from the entry to the pumpkin patch so please work that into your time.
You can find more information on the Dallas Arboretum here: http://www.dallasarboretum.org
Dallas Child Photographer
General
These pictures are in the pumpkin patch only. We will not be visiting other areas of the park.
Please arrive to the arboretum early! It will take you some time to walk from the entrance to the patch so please allow for that. In order to get the best light these session are scheduled back to back. If you are late, your session will be cut short! The sessions this year are scheduled in 20 minute increments, Please arrive a few minutes before your scheduled start time. If we end up needing a few extra minutes with you child that is fine, the schedule is made to accommodate that!
Siblings are allowed and it’s not an extra charge per child. This session is only for your immediate family (grandparents, mom, dad and kids).
Weather
Like I said above, weather in Oct can be really odd. Freezing one day and sweating the next. I do not shoot children outdoors when it is below 40 degrees. There is no point in wasting your money on photos of freezing kids! Another problem can be dark grey clouds. Your images will be drab and dull in this case. In the case of bad or cold weather, we will reschedule. I want your images to look the best they can be! You will be contacted by email the morning of your pictures to talk about rescheduling if the weather is bad, in some cases the night before. So always check your email!!
How long does it take to get my pictures back?
Mini sessions are treated like any other session and added to my queue for editing. It will take around 3 weeks to get your digital images back. You will receive a link to an online gallery for your download, you may also purchase prints from this gallery directly from my professional print lab. As with full sessions, there is a rush delivery fee of $150 to receive your images within 3 business days.
And most important, please be sure to check your email the day before and the morning of your sessions. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again and meeting some new faces!
Dallas Child Photographer
Dallas Child Photographer
