F A Q s

How do I pronounce your name? chris-TEEN ga-CHAR-na

How do I book an appointment? Because of the individual nature of these portrait sessions and time involved in creating the images, I only accept a select number of sessions each month to ensure personalized attention. Call or email to see what’s available. The contact form from my portfolio makes this very easy. Keep in mind that I only photograph children 8-years-old or younger in the morning. If your schedule requires a Saturday session to make this work, please let me know.

How soon after the session will I be able to see my photos? Generally, within a 10-14 days from the session.

Can you Photoshop a boo-boos/blemish/scar/wrinkles? Can you retouch? Yes, and clients love this extra service! However, my aim is always to get it right in-camera. Be sure to apply lip balm starting 24 hours before your shoot, and parents: wipe children’s mouths and the corners of their eyes right before entering the studio. It’s very time consuming to do in Photoshop what takes a few seconds to do before the shoot. Additional charges may apply if extensive retouch/Photoshop work is requested.

How far in advance are you booked? It depends; certain times of the year, particularly during the holidays, book faster than others. Please call or email to check availability.

Do you accept cash/checks/credit cards? Credit cards are accepted via PayPal; cash or personal checks accepted.

Where will my session take place? Sessions take place in the studio or on-location.  Location sessions take place at your home or other favorite, casual place.

What should I wear? Simple clothes and solid colors work best; don’t be afraid to choose fun, bright colors and experiment with silly hats and other accessories, especially for kids. Avoid logos and complicated or distracting prints. Denim looks great in black and white; generally speaking, wearing white will add 10 pounds, wearing black will subtract 10 pounds.

Can we change clothes? Yes, but understand that clothing changes eat into session time and can wear down subjects, especially Mom-to-be, newborns, young children and men!

What can I do to make my session as productive and successful as possible with young children? Those magical first moments when child walks into my studio is when many of my best photos are made — when they’re looking around and in awe of the situation and curious about me and my camera. Clean the corners of a child’s eyes, comb hair, fix lip balm as you’re getting your child out of the car, before you walk in. No child likes this stuff, and if you wait until you’re inside the studio, the child will associate his or her displeasure with being photographed, and the result will show in your pictures. When parents bring this age group knowing that the minute they walk in, we’ll start shooting, the session is so much more successful!

Can I bring my mother/grandmother/aunt/friend to our session? Please bring only the people being photographed to your session unless you have discussed this specifically with the photographer beforehand. Children are extremely distracted by others in the room, which ultimately affects their ability to interact with the photographer. Many adults are somewhat uncomfortable in front of a camera, and there is no benefit to increasing that feeling with knowledge that even more people are “watching.”

But my child is different; she is X/Y/Z. Can’t I schedule the session for the afternoon/evening? I believe your child is absolutely adorable and everything you rave is true. Having said that, I’ve photographed thousands of children and my observations and what I’ve come to expect from different age groups under 8 are pretty much textbook. Mornings only.

When is the best time to schedule maternity portraits? Today! Getting it on the calendar is the hardest part, and with maternity portraits, the window of opportunity is limited. Generally, weeks 34-36 with a first baby; many women feel bigger earlier with subsequent pregnancies, as early as 32 weeks might be a possibility. Avoid wearing tight underclothes to a maternity session to avoid the resulting unseemly red lines.

When is the best time to schedule newborn photographs? Before the baby’s birth! I keep my calendar flexible when a baby is on the way. The ideal date for newborn photographs is during the first nine days of life.

What if someone gets sick? Illnesses and emergencies arise; this is addressed in the contract, but in general, with proper notice we’ll simply reschedule!

What is Copyright? Copyright is, literally, the “right to copy” a specific work. Copyright is owned solely by the originator of the work from the moment of its creation. Copyright violation, even if unintentional, is a violation of federal law and subject to prosecution. Christine Gacharna Photography owns the copyright to all images, including proofs. Images may not be copied, scanned or reproduced in any way without written permission from Christine Gacharna Photography.

Why do I have to sign a model release? Virginia state law requires that I obtain a signed model release for every individual I photograph (Va. Code Ann. 8.01-40), including children. The model release I use is standard issue by the Professional Photographers of America.

There are so many photos, I’m overwhelmed! That’s not a question!  Regardless, I hear it a lot so I’ll address anyway.  One of my frustrations as a mom looking for professional photos of myself with my kids is being limited by packages, print sizes and price.  I want them all!   There is nothing more fun than the day the box of prints arrives, sitting down and sorting through them, looking at them and handing some out to friends and family. It is the greatest part about what I do! After spending some time with the images, a few will emerge as favorites. The rest? Scrapbook them, post them to the fridge, send to Grandma, share and enjoy. Because there are so many, Mom doesn’t have to hoard the precious few. Photographs are meant to be shared.

What size are the photos I saw in your home? Two 11″ x 14″, five 20″ x 20″ and two 20″ x 30″. Does this surprise you? Generally, people are intimidated by these numbers as they see them as r e a l l y B I G but once they’re on the wall, the 11×14 is smaller than most calendars and the 20×20 is smaller than most mirrors.

Do you have a special place you take yours to get framed? Not particularly. I decide first on the frame and layout on the wall; then I order the print. I’ve found if I order the print and then can’t find a frame, I’ve backed myself into a custom framing option which can get really expensive.

What does “haute” mean? haute adj. [F] (1787) : fashionably elegant or high class.

What kind of camera do you have? The question I am most often asked is best answered in “Letters to a Young Poet” by Rainer Maria Rilke. Read it.