Alice Akiyama

What services do you offer?

I currently offer three types of lifestyle sessions: Family, Maternity and Newborn.  All sessions include all-inclusive pricing, meaning there is one fee to cover the entire session, private viewing gallery and high-resolution digital image downloads.  In select circumstances, additional fees may be assessed depending on distance of session (i.e. outside a 25 mile radius of my home base), group larger than six and/or additional permits required for the shoot (e.g. some city, regional and state parks require a per session permit fee).  To see current pricing, please see details here.

What can I expect working with you?

While my business is to deliver images that capture the raw beauty of your family, my goal is to create an experience that you'll love from start to finish.  Regardless of the type of session, I aim to keep everything simple and easy.  My approach is to ensure that your entire experience reflects this philosophy, from the upfront pricing, to recommendations on what to wear, to the session itself; simple, no surprises.  Whether this is your first or twentieth time taking family pictures, I encourage you to connect with me and see if this style is a fit for you and your family.  Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, I'd love to talk to you.

Where do I access the images?

I provide high-resolution digital images for download with Print Release, which grants you permission to use the images for your own personal use.  I use an online service to host your gallery which enables private, quick and easy viewing and downloading of the high resolution images.  After the photos from the session are ready, the images are uploaded on a password protected online gallery for you to access.  You will receive an email that includes a link and the password for the gallery.  The private site gives you an option to download a single image or all at once.  You will have access to the gallery and images for 45 days. 

What is a print release?

Federal copyright law gives photographers ownership of the images they produce and are protected from the moment of creation.  While there are various legal and commercial reasons why copyright protection is important for photographers, photographers usually grant print releases to their clients.  A print release allows you to use the photographs and images for personal use including on social media, sharing with family and friends, and print reproduction (e.g. photos, albums, etc.).  As such, I grant print releases on all of my digital images upon purchase.

What forms of payment do you accept?

I accept all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express).  All sessions require a $300 non-refundable fee to reserve the date and time.  An invoice generated at the time of booking is emailed to you and includes payment instructions and a digital version of the contract that can be signed electronically (no more paper!).  Remaining balances are due by five days after the photo session and prior to obtaining access to the private gallery.  A friendly email reminder with a link to access the electronic invoice will be sent out closer to final payment due date.

What happens if I need to reschedule?

I know life sometimes gets in the way (I'm a mom) and things don't work out quite the way we expect.  In order to accommodate these times, I offer one free reschedule if notified two days in advance of the session.  If, for any reason other than inclement weather or acts of God, you are unable to make the second rescheduled date, the session is considered cancelled and an entirely new session will need to be booked. (Note: If the reschedule is caused by weather or other acts of God , it will not count towards the free reschedule)  

How do I book a session?

Please send me a note by contacting me here.  Looking forward to meeting you!