FAMILY, NEWBORN & MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILMS
M E L B O U R N E

1 ​ To book your session and get a date locked in, send me an email at paige@paigegotts.com. Let me know which collection from above you'd like to book, an approximate date for your session and we can go from there. If you're not sure what you'd like, we can chat through all the options and find you the perfect package for your family. ​ 2 ​ You'll pay a $250 non refundable creative fee to secure a photography booking. For family films, a 25% non refundable deposit is required to hold your spot, with the remainder due a week before your session. Payment plans are available. There is no charge for travel within 30km of my home in Yarraville. Not local to Melbourne? No sweat! I travel, in fact I love to travel. ​ 3 Once we've got you booked in I'll send you over a questionnaire to fill out. Together, I want us to create something so special for your family and the questionnaire helps me get to know you and to capture you in the most meaningful way to you. You'll also receive my detailed client guide. ​ 4 ​ For my photography clients, your private online gallery will be ready 3-4 weeks after our session. Once you've received your gallery, you will get to choose which package you'd like to purchase. ​ Family Films will be ready 10-12 weeks following our session. ​ 5 ​ I gift my clients with print credit to my online store. Here you can have your favourite images printed to the highest quality, framed or made into beautiful albums. I'm incredibly passionate about you having your images in your hands and on your walls. ​ I'd be so honoured to work with your family and document a part of your life together. ​

My style is very natural, real, unposed and relaxed! I won’t ask you to smile and look at the camera. I want to capture your family as you are. I will document honest connection and authentic moments in the places you love, with the people you love most. ​ My passion lies in telling stories through timeless and emotive photographs and films to make you, your children and your grandchildren smile and cry for years to come. It's as simple as that really.

I’m based in Yarraville in the Inner West of Melbourne, but am very happy to travel. Holidaying at the beach? Trekking through coastal scrub? Let me know, I love venturing away for a session. I'm regularly in Anglesea and also have family in Horsham. I can arrange sessions for when I am visiting or make a special trip just for you!

I tend to book out 3-4 months in advance so getting in nice and early is a good idea. If you are wanting a newborn session, get in touch while you are pregnant and we'll book a tentative date based on your due date. Having said that, if you have already had your baby and you feel like you've missed the 'newborn' stage, I promise that capturing your child at the age, at any given time, will be just as special. People often ask me the best age for a session and my answer is always now. They'll only be this old today.

Newborn sessions are held in the comfort of your own home or in hospital - I come to you! Family sessions are held either at your family home or a place that is special to you. We can dance in the afternoon light, bake in the kitchen, hang out the washing in the backyard, eat ice-cream on your favourite park bench, jump in puddles (or on the bed) - anything that you enjoy doing and that has meaning to your family! Have a special location in mind? - let's chat! Want to be outside but not sure where? - I've got some favourite spots I can suggest! You might think that your home isn’t enough for a photo session. That’s not clean enough, not pretty enough.. But there’s nothing more beautiful and intimate than capturing your family in a place where you feel comfortable and have the most memories together.

I document honest connection and real moments in the places you love with the people you love most. I won't ever ask you to look at the camera, my family films and photographs are unposed, authentic and full of love. A session with me is about booking in special and quality time to slow down and simply be together. Once you've booked a date I'll send you my detailed client guide on how to prepare and what to expect.

You are not alone! A lot of people feel this way including myself. First of all, rememer that our session will be super relaxed and that I will never be in a rush, especially when small children are involved! No poses or cheesy smiles - your session is all about connecting with each other in a way that you do every day. Think of me less as a photogrpaher and more as a friend coming over to visit. You will relax into it and enjoy the time spent with your family! If you’re a bit nervous about our time together remember this - this is for your children to preserve their memories of this time. Don’t be afraid to love on them and show them how important they are to you at this time in your lives.

You might think you have nothing special to film but a family film and photographs wrap up the raw, honest, full of heart and love moments that happen in your everyday. The moments that you don't even realise happen, or are hard to see the beauty in when you are parenting. I'll ask you to fill out a questionnaire so I can get to know what makes you guys you, all your favourite things about your children, and what is most special to you as a family. This will help us to plan your session and make it as meaningful as possible.

I’m all about natural light so I’ll ask you to open up blinds and curtains for the session. No, please don’t stress about having the house spotless!! A tidy up is helpful as clutter can be distracting in photos but I can help with this on the day if needed. I want your home to feel lived in and embrace everything you are and love.

For newborn sessions, I like to shoot in the morning. Having said that, if this isn't good for you I am flexible and we can arrange another time. For at home family sessions the best time is dependant on the activities you have planned. We'll nut this one out together once you've filled in your questionnaire. For outdoor sessions, we'll shoot at ‘Golden Hour’ which is the time either just after sunrise or before sunset. I know that this can make for awkward timing for families depending on the time of year, but my oh my, the light is magic and totally worth it!!

The most important thing to consider when choosing clothes is that it really doesn't matter what you're wearing. The focus is not on that. Please don't dress up or wear clothes that you wouldn't normally wear. Just be yourselves. The goal here is to document your life together and the clothes don't matter. You wear something that you feel great in! Please don't hesitate to send me pictures of what you're thinking about wearing! I'm more than happy to help you choose something. Please try if possible to stay away from big patterns, stripes, wording or logos. For newborns, I love seeing teeny fingers and toes so a short sleeved neutral onesie is a great way to go. They’ll be time for a change if there are a couple of things you want your little one in. If you are really unsure or would like some help with what to wear, just let me know! I’m always happy to make suggestions.

If we have an outdoor session planned and it’s raining, we’ll reschedule. I keep a close eye on the weather leading up to sessions and I’ll contact you if it’s looking like we'll get wet or blown away.

I find a lot of my clients worry about this. Please don't! I have a toddler with big feelings and completely understand your concerns. But because our session is all about hanging out with each other doing what you do (and not standing and looking at the camera) kids generally have a really fun time. And if there are tantrums, that can mean cuddles afterwards and those quiet moments are really special to capture. I always allow lots of time so if your kids need to take a time out, it's totally ok!

If you or one of your little ones is unwell we’ll reschedule. There is no extra cost for this. If I am unwell I will contact you straight away and we will reschedule.

I am fully vaccinated against Covid 19 and I have a current whooping cough and flu vaccination.

Photos: Within 3-4 weeks I will have your full online gallery ready to share with you. Film: Your film will be delivered within 10-12 weeks. If there is an urgency in receiving your gallery please discuss this with me and I'll be happy to do what I can.

I am always so incredibly grateful when you allow me to share some of the photos and footage from your session as it allows my small business to grow and be seen. It would be very difficult to demonstrate the consistency and quality of my work to prospective clients, if I never used photographs from client shoots to promote the quality of my work. However, I also understand that there may be reasons why a family doesn’t want me to use the photographs/footage from their shoot in this way and I won't never use your images for promotional cause on social media without written permission. I take your privacy very seriously. If you do give permission, the pictures/footage are always shared anonymously (I do not share names.) Please chat to me if you have any concerns around this and we can come to an arrangement we are both comfortable with.

Yes, absolutely! When your gallery is delivered you will have access to my online print store. Here is where you can select to have your images printed, framed or made into a gorgeous album. I want you to experience your photographs in the way they are intended to be - on your wall and not on a hard drive.