Documentary Family Photography - FAQ

I like the look of your documentary family sessions but I'm still not sure I understand how it works. Tell me more!

In a nutshell, you do you and I follow you with a camera. I am your personal photojournalist for the time of our photoshoot. Ahead of our appointment you decide on an activity you'd like me to document. If you're not sure what to choose, we can discuss it together - a pre-photoshoot consultation is included in the price.  

Outdoor activity ideas:

- a family hike

- outdoor hockey game

- swimming in a lake

- a day at the cabin

- an afternoon in the park

- gardening or picking berries together

Indoor activity ideas: 

- baking and cooking together

- evening at home (family dinner, bath time, reading bedtime stories)

- getting and decorating a Christmas tree

- any part of your daily routine

These are just examples - I'm excited to hear your ideas. During the shoot I will avoid giving you directions, I won't be rearranging objects in your house, asking you to smile or behave in a certain way. Let your kids run wild and let their personalities shine. During our time together I will make sure to get a good portrait of everyone involved, and I will be happy to take a few minutes to snap a couple of more staged group family portraits.

My bread and butter is documentary photography and that reflects in my style when I work for private clients.  I'm not interested in straight-out-of-Pinterest perfection because that stuff ain't real. I photograph real life, with all its messy, emotional, and hilarious bits. I will never ask you to say "cheeese", put your baby in a basket, or encourage your family to wear coordinated outfits. I strive to give you images that are personal, genuine, timeless, and will not land you a feature on Awkward Family Photos.



How much does it cost?

My family packages start at $200 per hour for groups up to 10 people. I guarantee 25 professionally edited high-resolution images per hour of coverage, delivered through a private, secure online gallery. Additional images are available for purchase directly from the gallery. I don't offer any printed goods at this point but I'll be happy to give you print shop recommendations.

A non-refundable deposit of $50/per hour of coverage is required to secure a booking (covid-19 exceptions apply, see the next paragraph for details). For locations outside of Whitehorse mileage fees may apply. Please email me at weronikamurray@gmail.com or get in touch through the contact form for a quote specific to your needs.


What about the pandemic?

I follow all the current Yukon Government health and safety recommendations. If I come to your home, I can wear a mask at your request, I will sanitize my hands, and I won't be touching anyone. If you don't feel comfortable having a stranger come to your house, I totally understand - let's book an outdoor shoot instead. Although I do require a non-refundable deposit to book a session, if we have to cancel our appointment I will give you a full refund in the following cases:

- you have to cancel because a family member has cold or flu symptoms, tested positive for covid-19, or has to self-isolate;

- I have to cancel because I have cold or flu symptoms, I tested positive for covid-19, or have to self-isolate;

- there is a change to the covid-19 guidelines that affects our photoshoot plans.


Who owns the copyright to the photos?

Under the Canadian Copyright Act photographers by default own the copyright to the photos they take. By signing a client contract you are granted a limited personal use license. What does that mean for you? The contract will enable you to share to social media, print the photos for personal use, make greeting cards, etc. You can't sell my photo for profit or claim that you took it yourself. The Copyright Act also states that the author of a copyright-protected work has moral rights to preserve the integrity of their work against any use that could be prejudicial to the author’s honour or reputation. That means that making your own edits of my photos (applying filters, effects, removing or adding elements in Photoshop, etc.) is illegal if you have not received specific written permission to alter the image. 

I may use your photos on my website and social media to show potential clients what it is that I do. It is the only way for a photographer to advertise - I bet you are reading this because you came across my photos and you liked what you saw. Because of the very personal nature of documentary family photography as a genre, I will run it by you if I want to share any images that could be considered sensitive content (for example any images depicting nudity, breastfeeding, etc.).


Can I have the RAW files?

No. I don't deliver unedited RAW files as it is an unfinished product that is not representative of the service I provide. I deliver edited images in JPEG format - this is the industry standard. The edits you receive in your client gallery are final. 


Can I get all the photos from our shoot?

I don’t share every single photo taken. What you get is the cream of the crop. What I leave out are the repetitive shots, the blurry shots, the ones with unflattering expression or eyes shut, etc. Curating a collection of high quality images is a part of the service you pay for. Sometimes it takes me multiple attempts to get the shot I'm after - trust me, you don't want them all. Also, the price of my services is based, among other factors, on the estimate of how much work and time I put into processing your photos. If I was to edit all the photos, including the outtakes, I would have to double or triple the price.


How are the photos delivered and how long do I have to wait?

You will receive an email with the link to your secure downloadable gallery within a week or two from our shoot, depending on how long our photo shoot was and many photos were taken.


Are you a legit business?

Yes! My business Weronika Murray Photography is registered in the Yukon, and I hold a City of Whitehorse business license. I have general liability insurance and I follow covid-19 safety protocols. The list of my clients includes Government of Canada, Government of Northwest Territories, Town of Inuvik, The Globe and Mail, MacLeans, Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation, Northumbria University, Beside Magazine, as well as a long list of small businesses and private individuals. Feel free to roam through my portfolio and Instagram feed to see what I do, and don't hesitate to message me with questions about my work.


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