My Approach to Family Photography

I aim for a timeless simplicity in my photos, focusing on capturing your children's personalities above all else. As you might have gathered from exploring my site, I specialize in candid, natural moments rather than overly staged photos. My original tagline, "Kids Being Kids," still perfectly describes my philosophy today.

While I appreciate well-executed posed photos, my strength lies in spontaneity and quickly connecting with children. One of my key methods is to chat with kids rather than just directing them. This helps them feel at ease and allows their natural expressions to shine through.

Technically, I use "fast" lenses to create my signature shallow depth of field, meaning backgrounds are beautifully blurred. This is especially helpful in bustling locations like Hong Kong, where it helps to isolate your family from busy surroundings, especially on weekends.

To ensure the best possible flow and natural results, I kindly ask that you refrain from coaching or taking photos during our session. This can disrupt the session and confuse the children. Just let me do my thing!

I literally wrote an eBook, which you can download for free, entitled “Never Say Cheese: How to Take Great Photos of Your Kids (And Why You Should)”.

Telling a kid to “SMILE!!!” never ever works! It’s my job to elicit smiles by making the entire process fun, which is the not-so-secret secret to kids photography.

Crazy number of samples here.

Booking All Sessions

We have a chat either on the phone or through email to decide on date, session type and location options. (Location can be finalized at a later date.) I send, in this order: questionnaire to collect info, contract for both of us to sign, and finally an invoice.

Regular and Documentary Sessions

A non-refundable retainer is required to secure your booking for regular and documentary sessions. The remaining balance is due [e.g., 7 days prior to your session date, or upon completion of your session but before photo delivery]. I'll send you a reminder as the due date approaches.

Mini and Demi Sessions

The full session fee is due at the time of booking to secure your spot for Mini and Demi sessions. These sessions are non-refundable, but you can transfer your booking to another family.

Extra Images

You can decide on purchasing any additional images after you've viewed your gallery.

If you have any questions about my payment process, please don't hesitate to ask!

How Do We Prepare For Our Session?

To ensure your family photography session is relaxed and enjoyable, here are a few practical tips, especially for longer shoots:

• Stay Refreshed: Bring along plenty of water and some easy-to-eat snacks, particularly for the little ones.

• Pack a Change of Clothes for Beach Sessions Kids often can't resist a quick dip! It's always good to have a backup for unexpected spills too.

• Essential Comforts: Don't forget bug spray for outdoor locations, and wipes or tissues for quick clean-ups.

• Personal Touches Welcome: My photography style isn't prop-dependent, focusing instead on genuine connections. However, if there's a special item that truly defines this stage of your child's life – a favorite toy, a comfort blanket, or even a beloved book – please feel free to include it for a portion of the session. These personal details can add wonderful meaning to your photos.

• Simple Setup Aid: For beach or grassy park locations, a plain, neutral-colored blanket can be very useful. It provides a clean, comfortable spot for seated family shots and adds a lovely texture to the scene.

• Magic for Little Ones: You can never go wrong with a bottle of bubbles!

Act Fast: 10% Early Bird Discount

Take advantage of my exclusive 10% Early Bird discount by booking your session by Sept 7th.

• Mini & Demi Sessions: Payment in full is required at booking.

• Regular & Documentary Lifestyle Sessions: A 50% non-refundable retainer secures your date, with the balance due on or before your session.

Tip: For Regular and Documentary Lifestyle Sessions, pay the full amount upfront to apply the 10% discount to your entire fee!

I have a lot of locations for family photos, it’s never a problem. It’s all about the light.

Some of my favourite locations for family photo sessions are: Kowloon Park, the Botanical Garden, Stanley, Sheung Wan and Repulse Bay Beach. I have a few ‘unknown’ locations . Hong Kong has a wealth of incredible backdrops for family photo shoots. I am happy to discuss other options.

As I mention in the info under each package, location is everything when it comes to light and making flattering photos. The whole idea is to find nice soft light, so shooting on a beach at noon on a sunny day is harder than shooting in rain.

If the weather is going back and forth between sunny and overcast, often I suggest an option that works for either eventuality. Then we just do the one that works for that day.

Please just trust my judgement on this! I am just trying to make the best photos possible for you and your family!

Note: I charge actual taxi fare for some ‘hard to reach on transit’ locations. I will let you know during our pre-session discussion.

ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO KNOW HERE

Sunday Scheduling

I understand that Sunday afternoons might seem like a convenient time for family photos, but I've found that they often present unique challenges in Hong Kong.

• Optimal Session Conditions: Sunday afternoons can be tricky due to larger crowds at popular locations and increased traffic, which can make getting to some of my favorite, more remote spots challenging. For the best possible experience and most beautiful photos, weekday mornings are generally the ideal time for a Hong Kong photo session. This allows for fewer crowds, and easier movement between locations.

• Sunday Afternoon Availability: If you can absolutely only do qa Sunday session, grab the slot ASAP as they sell out long before I start photographing.

If you are OK with a weekday session, a few weeks out we can normally find something.

Book as early in the season as possible to ensure we can easily find another slot should be get “weathered”. (Approx 5% of sessions)

The sometimes unpredictable weather in Hong Kong is part of its charm! I've designed my schedule and approach to ensure that we capture memorable images of your family, no matter what Mother Nature decides to do.

Understanding Hong Kong Weather & Your Session:

• Overcast is Our Friend (Often Optimal!): While you might dream of bright sunshine, overcast days are actually a photographer's secret weapon in Hong Kong! The soft, diffused light created by an overcast sky is incredibly flattering for portraits. It eliminates harsh shadows, prevents squinting, and results in wonderfully even skin tones. Unless we're facing truly dark, heavy rain clouds, these conditions are often ideal for flattering light.

• My Professional Discretion for Your Best Images: Your session's success and the quality of your final photographs are my top priority. Therefore, a session will only be postponed or rescheduled if I, using my professional judgment, determine that the weather conditions will actively prevent me from creating the high-quality images you expect and deserve.

  Reasons for Postponement: This typically means heavy, continuous rainfall or dangerously dark, stormy skies that would significantly compromise the safety of the session or the technical quality of the images (e.g., underexposure due to extreme darkness).

  Conditions That Typically Will NOT Lead to Postponement: Light drizzle, a generally overcast sky, or fog are usually not reasons to postpone. These conditions often add unique atmosphere and beautiful soft lighting to your photographs.

• Trust My Judgment – Your Photos Are Paramount: I promise to always make the best call for your photographs. My commitment is to deliver exceptional images, and I will never proceed with a session if I believe the weather will hinder my ability to achieve that. Nobody is fussier about the quality of my images than I am!

Rescheduling & Flexibility:

Should a postponement be necessary due to my assessment of unsuitable weather conditions, please rest assured. I intentionally keep dedicated space in my calendar specifically for rescheduled sessions. We will work together to find a new date that is convenient for your family and allows us to create the photographs you envision.

Note:

From my outdoor-photographer POV, the weather has definitely become more unstable over the past few years. In 2007 we could be sure that Oct-Nov was mostly stable, but not any longer.

This is the main reason I am starting earlier in the season now, in order to reschedule in case of rain.

The summer of 2025 has been very wet, here’s to hoping fall will be <mostly> dry!

Working with Shy or Active Kids

It's common to worry about how your child will behave during a photo session, especially if they're shy or very active. I genuinely welcome these concerns because I have extensive experience successfully working with all personalities!

Embracing Individuality

My philosophy is that every kid is unique. A child's shyness isn't a hurdle; it's simply a facet of their personality to understand and work with. Similarly, high energy isn't a problem; it's an opportunity for dynamic, joyful photos.

My Approach to Connection

I use a calm, patient, and playful approach to help even the most reserved children open up at their own pace. I never pressure them. Instead, I create an environment where they feel safe, curious, and eventually comfortable enough to be themselves. Often, the most touching images come from these quiet, genuine interactions.

For active kids, I embrace their energy. I keep the session fun and engaging, often incorporating movement, games, and exploration. This allows their personality to shine through, leading to natural results. I have very good reflexes!

I've shared more about how I approach sessions with both shy and active children on my blog. You can read more about my strategies and philosophy [here](link to blog post).

I'm always happy to discuss my specific strategies with you further before your session. Please feel free to share any concerns or insights you have about your child, as this helps me prepare and connect with them even better.

Do you have any specific concerns about your child's personality you'd like to discuss?

Happy to include, but please keep in mind that including pets limits the number of locations in a city that is not particularly ‘dog friendly’ with public spaces.

That said, there are plenty of great locations for shots with the pets.

If you choose to do a Documentary Session, we can schedule part of it at your residence, where this type of shot is much easier and a great inclusion to the story.

Headshot Policy

I understand the value of a great headshot, and while I specialize in capturing the dynamic connections of families, dedicated headshot photography requires a very different approach and specific lighting setups than a typical family session.

• Family Sessions Focus: My family sessions are designed to capture candid interactions, genuine emotions, and the unique bond your family shares. Incorporating individual, posed headshots during these sessions can disrupt the flow, take away valuable time from capturing family moments, and compromise the quality of both types of images.

• Headshots Require Dedicated Time: Professional headshots are tricky and time-intensive. They require specific lighting, posing, and backdrop considerations to ensure you look your absolute best for professional platforms like LinkedIn or company websites. These elements are not typically feasible or efficient during a busy family photoshoot.

If you are interested in professional headshots suitable for social media, business profiles, or personal branding, I would be happy to help. Please contact me separately to discuss your specific needs, and I can provide examples of my headshot work and tailor a session just for you.

After the session you will receive an online gallery of watermarked ‘selects’ from your session. (These have light editing applied.)

Photo Selection

Please review the following policy regarding your photo selection process:

Viewing Your Proofs & Making Selections

• Gallery Delivery: Within ten business days following your session, your unedited images (proofs) will be uploaded to a private online gallery. You will receive an email with a secure link to access this gallery.

• Making Your "Selects": Please use the online gallery's selection feature to mark your favorite images (your "Selects") within ten business days from the date the gallery link is sent to you.

• Gallery Expiration: After ten business days the private gallery will be automatically deleted. It's important to make your choices within this timeframe to avoid any delays or additional fees.

• Gallery Reposting Fee: If you require the gallery to be reposted and the selection process reset after it has expired, a fee of HKD250 will apply.

Extra Images

• Package Inclusions: Your chosen photography package includes a specific number of professionally edited, high-resolution digital images. Please refer to your booking agreement for this exact number.

• Purchasing Additional Images: Should you wish to select more images than are included in your package, additional edited, high-resolution digital images are available for purchase at HKD150 per image.

• All Images in the Gallery: I can now offer a very reasonable fee for all the images in your gallery. Varies by number of images, contact me directly for a quote.

My aim is to make the selection process simple, enjoyable and speedy. If you have any questions or need assistance with the gallery, please don't hesitate to reach out!

Digital Image Delivery

All final images from your session will be delivered to you as high-resolution digital files via a secure online gallery. You'll receive a link to your private gallery, from which you can view, download, and share your photographs.

Here's what you can expect regarding your digital files:

Image Resolution: Your final digital images will be delivered at 3500 pixels on the longest side. This resolution is perfectly suited for:

• Creating beautiful, high-quality prints up to large sizes (e.g., 20x30 inches or larger, depending on the image).

• Sharing on social media and with family and friends.

• Displaying on digital devices like phones, tablets, and computers.

• File Format: Images will be delivered in JPEG format, optimized for both quality and versatility.

• Color Profile: All images will be in the sRGB color profile, which is the standard for web viewing and most consumer printing labs, ensuring consistent color reproduction.

• Retouching: Each image delivered will be individually selected and professionally edited to match my signature style. This includes color correction, exposure adjustments, cropping, and minor blemish removal. Extensive or complex retouching (e.g., swapping heads, removing large objects, significant body modifications) is not included but can be requested for an additional fee.

• Number of Images: The number of final images delivered will depend on your chosen package and the flow of the session. Please refer to your booking agreement for the estimated number of images included.

• Delivery Timeline: Your final images will be delivered within two weeks from your selection date. I'll keep you updated if there are any unforeseen delays.

RAW Files Not Included: I generally do not provide unedited RAW (CR2, NEF, etc.) files. If you would like to own the ‘digital negatives’ from your session, please contact before the session to discuss.

Archiving: Please download and back up your images to multiple locations (e.g., an external hard drive, cloud storage) as soon as you receive your gallery link. Your online hi-res archive download will remain active for two months from the delivery date, but I do not guarantee indefinite storage beyond this period.

Yes, I select images to showcase my work on my website and social media. I will never use your name or precise location.

If you wish to opt out, there is a one-time fee of HKD500.

Big Groups

I love photographing big groups – the more the merrier! However, there are a few things to consider when your group is larger than a typical family of up to six people.

These larger groups can include extended families, groups of friends, or any other combination of people. The main trade-off with big groups is that while you'll receive more images overall, we'll capture fewer candid, unposed shots. This is simply because coordinating more people naturally leads to more posed photographs.

To ensure a smooth and successful session, it's essential that we discuss your large group photography needs before your session. This is especially true for groups of unrelated individuals, so we can plan the best approach for everyone involved.

Retouching Policy

My retouching philosophy is centered on enhancing the natural beauty of your images, not altering them drastically.

My Approach: "True to Life" Enhancements

Every image you receive will be individually selected and professionally edited to align with my signature "True to Life" style. This includes:

• Overall Adjustments: Precise adjustments to color, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, contrast and cropping to ensure each photograph is vibrant and balanced.

• Minor Blemish Removal: I'll take care of common temporary distractions, like small scratches, minor skin blemishes, or "boogers" on little ones, to ensure clean and polished portraits.

My goal is to create images that will look classic and beautiful for decades.

Advanced Retouching

For anything beyond these standard enhancements, such as:

• Extensive skin smoothing or texture alteration

• Significant object removal (e.g., removing large items from the background)

• Adding or removing people

• Complex head swaps or body modifications

• Major clothing adjustments

These requests fall under advanced retouching and will be handled on a quotation basis. If you have specific complex retouching needs, please let me know, and I'll provide a separate quote after reviewing the images.

My “Look”:

Every year or two there is a new editing style that takes over a large part of the market. Some photographers follow the trend and do very well with it. You won't find heavy filters or trends in my work, as I’ve felt these can make photos feel dated. I’ve been doing this for so long that it’s the only way I can keep it consistent for so many years!

Anyway, my photos look like this, and this. If you are looking for something else, I completely understand.

Extra Edited Hi-Res Files @ UKD150 each

If you would like the entire gallery, no matter how many images, the rates are:

• Mini Session: HKD1250

• Demi Session: HKD1950

• Regular Session: HKD2650

• Documentary Session: HKD3250

Yes, I do not require you to purchase any products from me, you own your images and can print them yourself, make albums and wall art at cost. Unlike many family photographers who actually make their profits on physical items, I just take photos and hand the files over to you.

I also provide a printing release as some print shops require them when printing photos of kids.

For Your Walls

I've always believed in giving you the freedom to print your photos as you wish, which is why I typically provide digital files. However, I've noticed that most of the images rarely make it onto your walls.

While many photographers build their business around selling physical products, my focus has always been on delivering your hi-res files. But now, I'm excited to offer high-quality, affordable wall art to help you display your photos with ease.

This isn't a bespoke, custom-installed service; it's about providing a straightforward way to get your favorite images off your screens and onto your walls. Think of it as a simple solution for transforming your home with personal touches, or even as the perfect gift for grandparents and other loved ones.

Ready to see your photos where they belong? All the information you need is right here!

Of course!

Now with my Mini and Demi Sessions, both of these are super ‘giftable’.

I will create a personalized digital coupon for the giftee family. Great holiday or b-day present for a family!

Sorry I don’t do the ‘themed’ Mini Sessions, with Santa, a tree and gifts etc. And I don’t do Easter Egg Mini Sessions in the spring.

All my Mini Sessions are the same as any other session, I just aim to get some nice fun shots in good light.

I saw this company did the themed sessions in 2024, so check with them if that’s what you are after!

Some photographers literally request tips in this day and age. While I can’t imagine doing that, you can tip me by leaving a nice review on Google or Facebook. That helps a lot.

What I really wanted to mention is that I tip my clients! If you recommend me to friends, and they book me, I send you a print, or even an album depending on what type of session your friends book. So please share your photos and pass my links on to your friends.

I've had the pleasure of working extensively in Singapore, Bangkok, and Toronto, with additional shoots in vibrant cities like NYC, Vancouver, London, Budapest, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Hanoi, and Manila, not to mention some truly off-the-beaten-path locations!

While I have many examples of my work, I'm always excited to explore new places and capture your family's memories. If you have a specific location in mind, or if you'd like to discuss a photoshoot in your area, please don't hesitate to reach out!

Yes. I have spent many years in SEAsia and have been photographing there since the 1990s. I have full working proficiency in Thai language, and can get by in Khmer and Lao.

So if you want to do the Ultimate Family Photoshoot at Angkor Wat (where I have been dozens of times), or Southern Thailand, or Bangkok, or Luang Prabang, contact me. In Bangkok I can act as a guide as well, I know the city very well and can get you off the too-well worn tourist trail.

Or better yet combine family photography workshop with a vacation.

Yes of course! But a better idea is to teach you and your kids photography. Kids learn much more quickly.

I have a system of 1-2-1 sessions and remote support that will absolutely turn you into a ‘real’ photographer so you can document your family! Contact me for details.

In the meantime, here is a list of things to consider with your photography.

If you would like to do a super-deep dive into travel photography in places like India or Cambodia, I can organize that as well. I lived in Cambodia for many years and can show you a side of rural life 99.99% of visitors don't see.

If you have more questions feel free to contact me, I am happy to have a chat at any time.

My contract goes into more detail about the process. If you would like to review it, please let me know.