Maternity photos are also a wonderful opportunity for couples to capture memories of this particular special time in their lives that will never be repeated; no matter how many kids they have!

Decide whether or not you want to get professional photos taken.

Now we know a couple of reasons why you may want to have maternity photos captured, you need to decide quite soon. There is a very small window of opportunity to capture maternity photos.

Maternity sessions are best done around 32-35 weeks, when the baby has almost fully developed and is preparing for their final journey toward the big day! Your bump will be at its biggest by then, but not have dropped too low for the photos.

Studio or outdoors… or at home?

If you decide to go with a professional photographer for your maternity photos, make sure they have experience. Great maternity photography is all about keeping it beautiful and tasteful.

If you are a little self conscious, you might want to opt for a session at home so you will feel comfortable and have everything to hand. The great thing is that you can also capture your newborn baby photos at home too and have continuity through your experience.

Keep it simple

You don't need to go overboard with your maternity package as you want to save your budget for when baby arrives!

Try to find a simple package that has maybe 5 or 10 images included.

Have you considered an In Home Maternity and Newborn Package?

Our maternity photo package is available as an add-on to our award-winning newborn photography package. You can check it out HERE.

Here you will find some of the most common questions that we get every week around our in-home photography gift vouchers. 

Are photography gift vouchers a good idea?

If you're looking for something that is unique and memorable then you won't go wrong with a photography gift voucher. Our most popular voucher is given when people are expecting a new baby in the family.

People get busy and often they regret not having baby photos captured, or truthfully speaking, they are just not the kind of people to have photography and wouldn’t do so without the nudge! Because they were gifted a session that it takes place in their home they maybe don't feel as shy.

We endeavour to give every customer of ours a great experience (read the reviews!) and by the end they certainly would consider having a family photography session in the future - we will call that a win! Some are completely converted and we see them 3 or 4 times again.

How much do you need to spend on the voucher?

Baby and family photography can be expensive by nature - some people spend thousands. We have found a way to keep the initial cost low and included flexibility for those who are on a budget, without sacrificing integrity or quality.

The initial amount required for one of our vouchers is just $295. This covers the travel, the photography, retouching and service. We also include 5 images from the 20 or so that we create. This means that they need not spend a cent, or they can use the voucher as a springboard to add on to if they want. When gifting, you need to be sure that the gift will not require any further spend.

How long do gift vouchers have until they expire?

We put an expiry dates on our handmade vouchers because it gives the recipient a bit of a nudge to get it done. If there is a 6 month expiry date on there, it reminds people to use it.

New families or growing families can be so busy that time simply gets away from them. Of course, the voucher can be extended upon request and the value does not expire. This gives our ‘gifters’ peace-of-mind when buying and knowing that the gift is flexible. 

I will gift voucher suitable for newborns?

Around 80% of the vouchers that we sell are for newborns and parents having new babies in the family.

Very often people don't want to capture the newborn stage, or for some reason they are not able to due to complications or maybe cultural reasons. This is not a problem and actually we are one of the few teams that champion older baby photography!

Is a photography gift voucher suitable for older families with young kids or teenagers?

Around 20% of the gift vouchers we sell are for families with younger kids or teenagers.

The in-home format works really well for families of all ages and very often we will meet grandparents, pets and even the whole clan!

We have had five generations in one room for one of our generation shoots. We find that people are much more comfortable at home and relaxed and you will find those natural bonds coming out far easier than when they are in a foreign environment.

Can we send a photography gift voucher from another country?

All of our vouchers can be ordered from anywhere in the world, and we have sold gift vouchers for families in Sydney to ‘gifters’ in 10 countries around the world.

The most popular countries are UK, USA, Singapore and India. Of course, interstate families from all over Australia are buying their loved ones in Sydney an in Home photography gift voucher too.

How long does the voucher take to arrive? Is there a last-minute option?

The gift vouchers are sent within one or two business days and are sent via Australia express post. That means that at the earliest it can arrive the next day if ordered before 2pm and requested but usually 2 to 3 business days.

If there is something more urgent needed, we have an instant gift option that is very popular and can be purchased from anywhere in the world and sent within two minutes.

The E-Card gift voucher works a bit like a prepaid debit card and has a value on it that can be used towards any Grain&Weave package or product online or in person.

If you are looking for a unique gift to give a loved, friend or teammate then you should check out our handmade in Home photography gift voucher.

It is perfect for baby showers, maternity gifts and newborn baby gifts.

We are one of the leading providers of in home photography gift vouchers and we are Sydney's most trusted in Home baby and family photography service.

Please give us a call and have a chat to our team, or send us an email if you have any questions.

You can find our gift voucher packages online here. 

• baby
• family
• in home photography
• parenting advice
• prepare for your session

Top baby website www.babyinfo.com.au have featured Grain & Weave in their top ‘10 Baby Photographers in Sydney’ list.

It’s always an honour to be featured and mentioned, and we noted that we are still the only in home baby photography studio in town!

Back in February 2022 our in-home photography team visited the south-west of Sydney to meet little a baby girl named Valentina.

We had been to see this family before for an in-home newborn photography session when their first-born Donatello arrived; how he has changed in just 2 years!

Because they were exisiting customers of Grain & Weave, the whole process was very easy for them as they knew exactly what to expect. They had an idea of what package they wanted and the outcome of their photo session. Most people don’t know what they want, or how to navigate baby photography as there are so many choices, and this family chose us initially because we visit the house, which makes it easier for new parents to not have to travel across Sydney.

Once we had finished their first experience though, they knew that they could trust us and that our team were the real deal.

It is difficult for new parents to know what to expect, but our award-winning customer service makes it so simple and fuss-free that we have been winning over families since 2016.

Same team, different photographer

Although the family had a different photographer from us the second time around, the images were still exactly what they expected and the experience was just as smooth, because all of our team are trained the same way. In fact, they remarked that it was great to have a different point of view for the second time around and they found it interesting to see how we all work. Our team are carefully selected and trained for their personality as well as their photography skills.

(Trivia; coincidentally, the photographer at this session was also present during the first session, as they were being trained!)

The booking process

Reserve a date

Laura, the mother of the family, said that was very easy to arrange a session over email with Adele in the office and within minutes, a date had been found for two weeks time. We know that new parents are very busy, so we reserve the date in our system with new enquiries, that way they can be confirmed at a more suitable time for the parents.

We can only reserve dates for 24 hours though, as we often have many enquiries each day.

Adele put a 24hr reserve on the date as requested for the family, so they could jump online and arrange the payment for the package they wanted at a more convenient time. It can be tricky to sort these things out whilst the kids are awake!

Confirming the booking

Once the package was ordered online, the booking was then confirmed in our system within the hour and a confirmation was sent.

Conformations are sent manually, so there is no mix-up with bookings. Adele, our office manager, has been with us for many years and is highly experienced at guiding new parents through their first -in home baby photography’ sessions.

Inside the confirmation email is a link to a session brief where the family can get ideas for their session, learn what to expect and how best to prepare so that their new baby stays relaxed and they can make the most out of our short time together.

We only need around two hours for each session, as opposed to four hours like some of the other studios.

The session brief

Inside the session brief is a list of ideas and questions that the family can choose to answer when planning their photography session. It takes around 5 minutes to complete and can be time well invested as it save much more than that during the session.

A well completed brief also helps the photographer to hit the ground running so that when they arrive they know names, expectations and any driving or parking directions when traveling to the home.

Below is an example of the brief for Valentina’s photo shoot.

“We would like newborn photos for Valentina, that was the ultimate reason for the shoot but we would also love some brother sister photos of her and Donatello (he's very affectionate with her so we would love to capture that) as well as photos with each parent/child and family photos

And we would love them to be within the same style with our previous photos taken with John of Donatello, so the photos we have of Donatello as a newborn and family photo is pretty much the style/brief we are looking for, for this shoot please.”

The baby, sibling and family photography session

It can be a challenge with a young sibling, especially when they are around the 2-3 years old mark. This is because they can get very overexcited or overwhelmed with all the activity happening. Some little brothers or sisters can get a little jealous of all the attention that the new baby is getting, so it is important that the family and photographer work together.

Our tea are extremely experienced with young children and can offer some hints and tips along the way to help the kids enjoy themselves too. If the kids are relaxed, then so is mum and dad, right?!

Tip for working with young children during baby photo shoots:
Get down to their level and play; involving them and making it more of a game is the secret to getting great images. Telling them off or setting them up to fail won’t lead to a good result.

In this family session, both the kids had a great time and there was lots of room for cuddles and play. Playing games with Donatello helped to keep the fun going and made it easier to keep everyone relaxed and occupied. Singing songs and keeping the fun, loving vibe helped keep everyone calm and set up the right mood for the kind of images that everyone wanted.

The time went quickly, as it always does.

The images

As well as some classic set-pieces of six-week old Valentina - baby only images, sleeping and wrapped up; detail shots of the feet and her beautiful eyelashes, the family managed to capture some natural and relaxed group images, as well as some combinations of ‘Mum with kids / Dad with kids’ etc.

Creating images this way gives the family a variety and helps them tell a story with their images or makes a beautiful presentation album or wall-art collection.

At the end of the shoot, we gave the family a booklet that explained all the options for how they can take/display their images, as well as all the pricing should they want to change the package they ordered, or add-on any more than they originally purchased. We keep it flexible so that families can make good choices without too much stress.

They were returning customers and they knew how it went, but we always insist on our families being well informed.

The online consultation

The follow up consultation that we provide online was pre-booked so that there was minimal delay in the process. We provide this service in every package because it is integral to how we keep our high level of customer service. So many times we meet people who are a little unsure of the process; maybe they’ve been scared off by bad sales tactics before; but once they’ve been online with us they are very happy with the whole experience.

It is vital to the quality of the experience that the family has a chance to see their images clearly, crop them and compare their favourites, along with some guidance from an expert to make sure that their actions don’t affect the quality of the outcome.

A couple of days before the online consultation, we sent out a complimentary slideshow movie so that the family could enjoy the images all together.

The slideshow has been a family-favourite feature for many years and all of our customers love the moment of watching it for the first time (sometimes the 20th time!). It is often sent via link to family or loved ones overseas, particularly if they ave been sent an ‘in-home baby photography gift voucher’ by them.

Time to prepare

The family used the time in between the photography session and the online consultation to read through the booklet and have some conversations about their preferred outcomes - did they want digital photos only, or would they like to print, or even have something made from our handmade range?

Their planning, which only took a few minutes, made the process a lot easier when chatting to them on Zoom as they could guide us clearly as to what their ideal outcomes were.

Once we had reviewed the images together, they decided that having more images was more important to them than having anything hand-made by us at this stage and so they bought the whole shoot in digital format. We have many options available to our customers and they are flexible too, so that the family can focus on the outcome and not get bogged down too much in the process. Everyone has a budget too and we always are able to work with what people have available to them. During early 2022 we introduced the option for customers to use Afterpay, which has been a great help for some.

Because Laura and family had paid for a package already, we simply deducted the amount they already paid from the balance of what they ordered and they paid the difference.

There is little point in locking people into packages before they’ve seen their images, we believe.

The delivery

It takes our team a short while to get the images processed ready for delivery, in case there are extra retouch requests (we always retouch all the images, however we keep it natural and subtle). Within a couple of days the images had been uploaded to their own private gallery online where they can download them and share with friends or family anywhere in the world.

We store all the images people order on our three servers system as part of the service, so that there will always be a copy of them should they need it for the years to come.

Summary

We love meeting new families and it’s such an honour when they return to us for a second or third time. Around 30% of our annual clients are return clients and we believe that it is because they value the experience, just as we do.

If you would like to enquire about your own ‘in-home baby and family photography session’, please reach out to us by clicking the link below.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Photography team Grain & Weave are spreading cheer to families after a tough winter by giving away the lot.

After a Covid lockdown, extreme weather events, outbreaks of viruses and a rise on cost of living, the last two years has not been a joke for families and businesses all over Australia.

One small Sydney business wants to give something back to their community in the only way they can, by gifting a series of all inclusive in-home family photography sessions every month until the end of the year.

The giveaway includes a professional in-home family photography session, digital images and also a handmade collection of wall-art.

Grain & weave was founded by photographer and now managing director John Wilmshurst. Since 2016, the team have photographed families and babies all over the Sydney region, from all walks of life, including politicians, sports stars and TV personalities and is due to open another branch in Canberra in late 2022.

"Being photographers, we usually see people when they have something to celebrate; a birth for example. Because we spend so much personal time with our clients in their home, we have seen the strain on families over the last couple of years.  We've just about managed as a small business to get through and now we just want to make people smile."

John Wilmshurst, Founder

The first of a series of giveaways begins in August and can be found on their Facebook page facebook.com/grainandweave

Grain & Weave is a Sydney-wide in-home family photography company

When there’s a newborn in the house, the first couple of months are lived in somewhat of a bubble, with barely any visitors to the house.

Eventually that bubble becomes a little bigger when family come to visit, but largely, nobody leaves the house. The idea of taking the baby out seems a scary prospect before they have had their 6-week vaccination and during cold and flu season, it is terrifying.

But what if you want to have newborn or baby photography whilst they are still so little?
Luckily you don’t have to miss out.

Stay at home

During the winter cold and flu is much more prevalent; even popping out to the shops can run a risk of picking up some nasty germs. If you are able to, stay at home and limit your interactions.

Find a photographer that is prepared to travel to your home and has not worked in a public space for the last few days where they may have been exposed to germs. We only work in people’s homes and limit the contact we have outside of this.

Book ahead

Good photographers are busy and if they are being careful about not passing on any germs, they will have limited spaces so they are spreading the risk. Plan ahead and give them time to fit you in to their schedule where they can safely work with a limited number of people.

Check the policy

Many businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic had to have a ‘Covid-Safe’ action plan. This should be readily available on their website.

If you must cancel your appointment due to sickness, be sure to ask about their cancellation policy. Some places will charge for cancellations, or not be able to reschedule your appointment easily.

Because we have a dedicated team, we have much more flexibility than most and do not need to charge for rescheduled appointments.

Because our team are trained to the same level, if one of our photographers are sick, we usually have others who can take their place easily.

Get involved

Help your photographer by getting involved with the session. We love it when parents are having cuddles and investing in their baby’s very first experience.

The more you are involved, the less your photographer will need to touch or get close, limiting unnecessary contact.

If the Covid-19 pandemic has taught the population anything, it is the importance of being mindful and flexible about those who are vulnerable to viruses and germs around us. If anything, a greater understanding has made our job easier to keep our customers and teams safe.

If you have any questions about how Grain & weave can visit you at home safely, please contact our team on 1300 476054 or email us here.

Included in every experience:

• • 2hrs In-Home Photography
  - Wraps and textures supplied, nothing else is required from you.

  • Cinematic TV Preview of Your Images
  - Watch and share with your family anywhere in the world, via online link.

  • Online Image-Design Consultation
  Compare, choose and design with one of our experts.

Select your ‘ART inclusion’:

• Basic - 5 Digital Images* - $295

• Digital + Handmade - $645
  12”x12” Premium Canvas + duplicate digital + 5 Digital Images*

• Complete Digital Package - $1195
  All digital images (minimum 20)*

• Designer Package - $2190
  Three 12”x12” Premium Canvas Collection
  + Duplicate Images
  + All digital images (minimum 20)*
  

Add a Maternity shoot to any package for just $245.
See Maternity session information HERE

—

AFTERPAY NOW AVAILABLE

Select Afterpay in the payment options at the checkout and pay with four small amounts and no extra delays.

—

Terms: In-Home Sessions must be conducted within a 50km radius of the Sydney CBD.
Shoot bookings made by email or phone (1300 476054).

*Digital image resolution 2400px on longest side, 300dpi JPG, 8” printable - (DIGI-ART).

We are pleased to be featured by Giggster.com on their '“Top 8 Family Photographers in Sydney, NSW, Australia” article published this week.

Giggster connects property hosts with renters looking to film in their home or space.

Giggster's online platform allows renters to search for specific film-friendly locations, communicate with hosts, and execute payments quickly and easily in a single place.

It’s always great to be featured on these lists and our team are proud of the hard work that we do to provide our families with the best possible family photography experience in Sydney.

Gift a memory that lasts a lifetime, in seconds. 

We’ve made it even easier to send a unique gift on Mother’s Day with our instant E-Card. 

If you want to gift a personal in-home family and baby photography experience, simply follow the link and order online with instant delivery. Great for a unique gift idea that lasts for years, as well as a great last minute solution!

Show your appreciation with the opportunity to create new memories, laughs and cuddles. A chance to cherish her. 

I Will Be - A Beautiful Mother’s Day Poem

I will always be there for you.
You will never be alone.
I will be that candle in the window,
So you can always find your way back home.

I will be the sun in the sky
To brighten up your day,
I will be the moon shining above,
So in the dark you can find your way.

I will be the blanket when you're cold.
You will feel my warmth around you,
I will be the shoulder for you to cry on
When you're upset or feeling blue.

I will be the listening ears
When you need someone to talk to.
I will be the advice that you need
When you don't know what to do.

I will be the voice inside your head,
Telling you not to give up, to fight,
I will be the hand patting your back
When you stand up for what is right.

I will be those stars you wish upon
To help you realize your dreams.
I will be the needle and the thread
If it all falls apart at the seams.

I will be the map to anywhere,
To help you when you are lost.
I will be that number you can call for anything,
No matter what the cost.

I will be that feeling in your heart
That let's you know I'll love you like no other.
I will be anything you need at anytime.
I will always be...your mother.

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/i-will-be

We are the only in-home family and baby photography company of our kind in Sydney and so far, due to the way in which we operate and our firm COVID Safe Action Plan, we have fortunately managed to avoid contracting Covid-19.

With the current wave ripping through the Australian population at an unprecedented rate however, we are stepping up our risk management game even further, in order to keep the show on the road and to keep your family and our own families as safe and well as possible.

In addition to our Action Plan, we are implementing the following changes until further notice:

1. One in-home session per photographer, per day

2. RAT tests to be performed regularly by each photographer

3. Easy rescheduling for clients - we are making extra days available to fit in rescheduled sessions

For a short period, we will also be prioritising in-home sessions over the follow-up online consultation; this will allow us to capture those ever-fleeting important moments for new babies and families.

We appreciate your understanding and support at this time.

[This article has been updated from an earlier article].

Since the beginning of 2020, life has changed quite a bit, but not as much as you think for in-home photography.

So how has the Grain & Weave team adapted to the ‘new normal’? Founder and managing director John Wilmshurst explains below:

As I write this, in January 2022, we are currently learning how to navigate how to co-exist with Covid-19 for the long-term.

I believe that what makes the situation most stressful for many of us is the lack of control, or the fast-changing pace of information that is out there (or disinformation in some cases). We are, after all, social and connected beings and it goes against our grain to isolate and not touch, hug or shake hands.

Whilst we are not able to control the daily case numbers, we can manage how we decide to operate individually, as a family or as a business, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Grain & Weave, we have taken the decision to remain cautious and ‘be on the safe side’ so as to keep our customers safe and our own families safe. Some of you might be surprised to know however , that remaining cautious and safe when it comes to germs and viruses is not entirely new for us.

It’s in our DNA

Since 2016 we have been at the forefront of the in-home family photography experience and we understand exactly what it takes to travel safely between people’s homes, visiting some of the most vulnerable in our society, such as newborns, elderly and the immunocompromised for example. A cold or flu virus might knock you out for a week, but for others it can be more serious. Many of our customers trust us to keep them and their families safe all year round.

We have been wearing masks and using sanitiser every day at work for years. Our team has worked remotely since 2017 before it became commonplace. Our very ability to operate depends on our professional team being able to travel safely between homes all over Sydney.

We’re experienced

I believe that our professional experience had us well-placed us to operate safely during 2020 and early 2021, until we were locked-down in June 2021. We were one fo the first in our industry to have a Covid-Safe plan back in February 2020 and have always taken extra precautions on top of the government’s recommended steps to keep our customers and staff safe during the last two years.

At every Grain & Weave session, we will arrive masked and sanitised. Our equipment will be clean and we will wash our hands and remove our shoes on arrival.

All photographers are required to check-in our customers with a QR code and show their vaccination certificate. All customers are asked to follow the NSW safety guidelines as a part of their agreement to work with us.

More than ever, our families are enjoying their experience in their home and because we provide a complete in-home service, they are feeling safer than ever in our hands.

Book an experience with Grain & Weave to capture your family milestones safely and easily on 1300 476054 or contact us here.

Lockdown life is not fun, so we want to give our Grain & Weave customers something to smile about, in a time where it’s not easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

We are giving three lucky families the chance to gift a free handmade 'Framed Stone' piece, finished in Tasmanian Oak, to a loved one anywhere in Australia!

This is a reminder that no matter what, family and togetherness knows no bounds.

HOW TO WIN:
Simply tag someone on our Facebook page that you are missing most in the world right now and tell them how much you love them in the comments below! 💕

Open to 'Grain & Weave Family' members only: join our FB Group here -www.facebook.com/groups/grainandweave

The prizes will be drawn and announced on our Facebook page on 26th July at 12PM AEST.

GOOD LUCK!

https://www.grainandweave.com.au/lockdown-giveaway-1

Since the start of the pandemic back in 2020 we have all come a long way on a rough journey. The way we think about health and our family’s safety has evolved and yet even before then, Grain & Weave were practising some of the safety measures we have all since adopted; social distancing, frequent hand-sanitising, remote working and mask wearing.

Early Adopters

As soon as February 2020, we were one of the first companies in our industry to adopt a Coronavirus Action Plan and have since kept it updated as events unfolded.

No-Contact Company

When this company was founded several years ago we were already different, being one of the only studios of our kind to work entirely off-site and with no central office.

Everything is coordinated remotely with regular team meetings online and quarterly ‘in-person’ meetings. Our team value a great, flexible work/life balance.

Our team members reside all over Sydney and are entirely home-based, with the exception of the photographers who make visits to our clients in their homes.

Safety Check

A large part of the demographic we meet are vulnerable people, such as newborn babies, elderly and house-bound clients. Because of this, we cannot take a relaxed attitude to passing on viruses or germs.

Our photographers never go to work when sick and because of our ‘no-contact work setup’ a replacement photographer can be on hand in some instances to cover, reducing the incentive to for sick people to ‘push-on-through’.

Before we arrive at every session we ask our clients to complete an online checklist to make sure that sniffles and colds don’t go unnoticed, and more recently, to make sure they are aware of and adhering to the current NSW health guidelines.

During Restrictions

All year round, not just in lockdowns, we are mindful of people’s health and how we can actively do what we can to ensure a safe experience for our customers. During the year we have seen different forms of restrictions and because of our unique setup, we can often maintain a consistent service, even during lockdowns, which is great news for those who are time-sensitive with newborn babies, for example.

Relevant Guidelines:
”The reasons you may leave your home include: (point 4) “Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home”

source: 26/6/21
https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/covid-19-restrictions-extended-nsw

That being said, we will always stay on the conservative side and reserve the ability to reschedule in-home visits if we feel that the situation is changing negatively.

Our Current Stance

• We will be continuing our in-home service but postponing all visits to affected LGA’s where hotspots have been reported, until NSW health reports that it is safe to return. All other areas will be operating with our usual, careful guidelines.

• Sessions are restricted to members of the same household only

• We are allocating a restricted number of shoots per photographer per week

• Advanced booking when hotspot LGA’s reopen is highly recommended as we expect a heavy amount of traffic

• No photographer who lives in a hotspot area will be able to make home visits

On top of this, we continue to follow our own guidelines and offer affected clients a rescheduled session if they feel more comfortable.

Please help us to keep everybody safe, because a safe experience helps to make a great experience.

Grain & Weave

Our team are aware of the concerns that some customers (rightfully) have and are happy to answer any questions by email or phone.

Most Common FAQ

• “Will our photographer be wearing a mask throughout?”

  • Yes, our photographers are required to keep their mask on when in your home. The only time they may officially remove it is to drink or when outside.

• “Do WE need to wear a mask?”

  • No. We appreciate the thought, but in your own home you do not need to wear a mask

• “I am still worried; can I reschedule?”

  • Yes, of course. We want you to have the great experience that we are known for and would prefer you to feel comfortable.

    We are adding extra days for our photographers to make up cancelled or rescheduled sessions, so there is minimal loss of work on their behalf.

• “What if I book in advance and the restrictions carry on for longer?”

  • What if you DON’T book in advance and can’t get a spot? With many studios unable to operate we are expecting a surge of enquiries in the coming weeks.

• Do the restrictions affect the quality of the images or the experience?

  • For a full year now we have been used to working around restrictions and are able to keep our same great service without breaching them. On top of this, we keep our own restrictions applied year-round.

    Please see our own CoronaVirus Action Plan for more information on how we are keeping our staff and customers safe.

In this article we’ve broken down what to look for when choosing the right baby or family photography package for you and a ballpark figure for how much a baby photoshoot really costs.

More than ever families are seeing the value of documenting a precious moment or having a professional family portrait created. After all, a great family portrait not only makes everyone look good, but shows personality and can give a sense of ‘togetherness’ and ‘us’.

If you needed another excuse to book a professional photography session, there are also well documented studies on the benefits that family photos have on children when they are growing up.

So, what if you are expecting a newborn soon and want to mark the moment with some beautifully captured photos?

Maybe you have an older tribe and are simply looking to capture a moment in time for your kids or teen or adult family; where do you start to look for the right photographer and how much should you expect to pay, when all is said and done?

The images are important, but experience is everything

First, it must be said that we believe a truly great image has a story and an experience attached to it. After all, some people have stunning, clever photos that they confess were not at all enjoyable to create - (we hear about engagement or wedding shoots like this often!) and although they look good, they often sit in an album or on a USB stick in the drawer.

We go out of our way to ensure our families have a great experience from the booking to delivery, so that they have lots of reasons they love every image that they take home. We admit, not every shoot is always easy as kids have their own plans, but that doesn’t mean it is not enjoyable and rewarding.

Finding the right baby and family photographer

The world of family and baby photography is a tricky place to navigate as there seem to be so many people offering it! The photography industry is a dynamic place but largely unregulated; and whilst that is great for entrepreneurs and startup businesses, it does mean that there are a lot of inexperienced operators who are maybe not being so clear about what they can (or can’t) offer.

We would advise that you first start by finding photographer or company’s work that you really like and then discuss ahead of time what other criteria are important to you.

For some people, convenience is the most important - how close the studio is to their home for example, so they don’t have to travel too far with the new baby; for others it is about a solid reputation and how reliable the photographer is.

Everybody is concerned about cost and how much they are prepared to pay for the right product; it is worth noting though, cheaper doesn’t always mean the best value - you do get what you pay for, as some people have found out to their detriment.

Take the time to read customer reviews and get a sense of how others feel about the service, particularly the after service. You can tell how good a company is by the strength of their return customers.

How much does professional photography cost?

There are heaps of offers available to anyone with a search engine these days and honestly, it can be quite overwhelming trying to work out ahead of time how much you are required to spend.

With offers from photographers ranging from ‘free’ to a full blown $2000 upfront fixed package, it seems that there is no ‘standard’ to compare to. Very often a package will seem to offer one thing, but then have some hidden costs that were not clear at the start.

We feel that there is no problem with offering add-ons or upgrades but setting up customers to think they are getting something when they are not, is not entirely fair.

Realistically, for a professional high quality newborn or baby photoshoot, including a reasonable amount of digital photos or prints, you can expect to pay anywhere starting from $800-$1200 in total. What is included within this range varies between photographers greatly and it should be noted that many families like to invest upwards of $2500 or more.

Our experience

Pricing and packages for Grain & Weave have been created very much with our customers in mind and have been adjusted over the years with hundreds of families’ feedback.

Our entry package starts at only $295 and includes the full award-winning service in your home, from start to finish. Currently we offer 5 digital images included with this package so that, as a minimum, our customers have something to walk away with for a great price.

Everybody loves the experience so much that they usually want to invest more and we invite them to browse all their options in a booklet we give them at the shoot, where they have at least a week to explore their options. Our families are informed and remain in control of their budget, resulting in happier and relaxed clients.

If a family wants to treat themselves to something extra-special to mark the moment, they can get their hands on any of our handmade range of stone prints, timber pieces and museum-grade canvases, all available to be seen as examples at their in-home shoot. They can even recycle the $295 they originally paid toward something they really want and take that amount form the total.

This package is available for every newborn and baby shoot and also as a handmade gift voucher or e-card instant gift.

By offering a complete in-home service and a low-entry fee, we have made high-quality photography accessible to many families.

Summary

Professional photography is not cheap and nor should it be as you are trusting your photographer with your family’s most important moments that can never be bought back for any amount of money. If you do your research and communicate with your photographer what you are looking for, from your experience, you will end up with a great result that you will cherish for decades.

If you would like to talk to us about your newborn, baby or family photography then please contact Adele by email in our office team for a chat.

Since 2016 we have been visiting families in their homes to capture and create important memories. through our brand of natural and relaxed photography.

We’ve met newborns, young kids, teen and adult families, pets and even grandparents and their great, great grandkids - (that’s five generations)!

In our first two years we traveled to a whopping 82 suburbs, with our first ever suburb being Five Dock in Sydney’s Inner West, and we kept adding on around 20 per year as the word spread about our innovative company, which was founded in 2016.

These days, we travel to the same suburbs again and again, meeting families of all ages for the first time but not the last, as a huge 67% of Grain & Weave Families callus back for an update or refer us on to their friends.

So where is our 140th suburb?

Telopea, in the district of Parramatta, which sits right above Dundas and Oatlands, two of our our most visited suburbs in 2019.

Thank you to literally hundreds of families who trust Grain & Weave with their most important milestones. We appreciate you so much.

Top 3 visited Sydney suburbs for in home family and baby photography so far:

Five Dock
Coogee
Alexandria (this year knocking off Annandale from the number three spot!)

Below we show you some of the things our customers have told us about why they chose to gift an in-home photography gift voucher.

Also, some of our ‘gifters’ speak out about their experience.

So you want to buy a photography gift voucher because of a special occasion?

Maybe you know someone who is expecting a baby? Possibly a milestone birthday is coming up and you are looking for a unique gift.

The in-home photography gift voucher is perfect because it is unique and highly personal.

But how will your amazingly thoughtful and creative gift be received?

We spoke to a handful of our families around Sydney to see what they had to say about receiving a Grain & Weave ‘In-Home Photography Experience Gift Voucher’.

1. “It helped us by taking the responsibility off our hands”

Josh and Katie from Annandale in Sydney’s Inner West received a $600 package from Katie’s mother and sister back in February 2020. Katie was surprised and happy to receive the gift because baby photography was something that they’d wanted, but admittedly got completely sidetracked when their baby Freddy came 3 weeks early:

“When Freddy decided to come the month before his due date we hadn’t even finished the nursery, so booking baby photos was the last thing on our mind. Once he was born though, I just thought how lovely it would be to capture him whilst he’s so small and started to panic in case I’d left it too late! Thankfully my mum and sister had already bought the voucher and arranged it all for me in advance and I was so relieved when they showed it to me! “

After seeing their images the couple wanted to upgrade their gift, and they bought a handmade feature canvas for the hallway.

2. “It changed our minds about having family photos taken”

Anja and David from Kellyvillein Western Sydney were gifted a $295 voucher from their friends who had also had their own Grain & Weave experience.
Anja said her husband David was not remotely into the idea of having their photos taken and didn’t want to be in them; by the end of the shoot though, not only was he in the images, he loved the experience!

“When we opened the voucher we were a little unsure because having our photo taken is not something we would choose to do.
We don’t like standing in front of the camera and to be honest, we find cheesy poses and awkward family photos quite off-putting!”

Anja started to change her mind when she looked at the Grain & Weave website and saw our images…

“…I went on the website to redeem my voucher and saw that the photos looked very natural. Even my husband said they looked good!
When the photographer arrived at our house they immediately put us at ease and about 20 minutes in we felt like we might want to jump in for one or two. David got in 5 of the images and he said he had a really good time! We would definitely call to Grain & Weave for a family update in a year.”

Anja and David preferred to keep the digital images from their shoot rather than wall-art and upgraded to the 20+ package with all the images from the shoot!

3. “Having them come to the home where our family is comfortable is so much easier.”

Kimberley’s in-laws in Penrith had booked Grain & Weave two years prior and loved their experience. When they heard Kimberly and her husband were having their own baby on the other side of Sydney in the Eastern Suburbs, they quickly sent them a Grain & Weave gift voucher.

Kimberly was not able to leave the house for a while, and was relieved to find that she didn't have to travel to a studio and that we were bringing the whole show to them:

“We received our photo shoot as a baby shower gift, it was the best gift we could ask for. We had a great experience with John and his team from the start. Having them come to the home where our family is comfortable is so much easier. Can’t wait to book in again for updated photos. Highly recommend John and his team.”

Kimberley used her voucher value to put toward a handmade canvas collection that takes pride of place in their home, plus some digital images.

4. “I’m so glad I bought the gift, thank you for making it a great experience overall”

Anne wanted to gift her daughter who lives Waterloo something extra special and liked the idea of gifting and experience. She was concerned about giving a photography gift that meant her daughter would have to spend a lot of money.

“I phoned up the office and spoke to John and Adele about my concerns of gifting them something that would ultimately cost them more money. I didn't mind putting in some extra to help them get what they want, but I didn't want them to feel that they were obliged or missing out. Adele assured me that this would not be the case and I have to admit, I am very impressed as to how good the whole experience was.”

Anne also said that her daughter was so grateful for the gift and said it was one of the most unique gifts that she's ever been given.

“The fact that our experience seemed to be the only important thing to them [Grain & Weave], meant that regardless of how much we were spending, didn't matter. I would 100% recommend Grain & Weave and not only that, we will be seeing them again next year for a full family update with grandparents and all!

This article was made up of interviews, testimonials and public reviews. Featured photos are taken from families who have approved their images for marketing use.

You can read more of our customer reviews here.

If you would like to know more about gifting a Grain & Weave in Home Family Photography Experience, please email the office here.

Gift voucher VS gift certificate

The main difference between a gift voucher versus a gift certificate is that a voucher has a monetary value or a ‘worth’ that can be redeemed against products or services. A gift certificate is the presentation of the voucher and can come in many forms. At Grain & Weave we have two options available for our customers who want to give a photography baby gift voucher. 

The first option is a handmade photography gift voucher that can be sent directly to the customer or directly to the sender. The second option is an instant e-card that can be bought and emailed instantly online to either the recipient or the centre. One is a certificate of sorts, the other is a voucher. Both essentially do the same thing. 

Questions about grain & Weave In-Home Photography gift vouchers and instant photography e-cards.

View our short guide above on how to join the meeting, with no need to download the app or sign up!

As with any profession, it can be difficult to understand exactly what the job entails from the title alone.

Let’s find out a little more about what one an ‘Image Designer’ is and why they are important in your journey with Grain & Weave.

Family photography at its best is a beautiful mixture of science, creativity and communication.

• A solid technique is required to capture a perfectly timed and exposed image that is in focus and sharp in in the right places. Understanding stops, shutter speeds, apertures and the inverse square law is essential for any working professional photographer.

• To make beautiful images, a feel for great composition and how or when to use hard or soft light to create mood is essential for any creative photographer. Understanding depth of field and colour can focus the eye on different parts of the image to tell a story.

• Family photography requires great empathy and people skills. Strong communicators get the best and most natural expressions from their subjects. Being able to communicate those moments in a single image that resonates with the viewer is a highly sought after skill.

  The best professional photographers can deliver this consistently, on demand.

Our designers often start as photographers and develop their skills over a number of years. Alongside all of these, they must possess a knowledge of interior design, colour theory, and story telling to craft an image that perfectly complements or enhances its environment.

An understanding of print and the handmade production process is the final step to achieve the mastery required to become a top Image Designer at Grain & Weave.

How cropping affects an image

The same image when cropped different ways can feel very different and changes the feel of a space greatly. An Image Designer can help you find the perfect fit for your favourite images.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Telling stories through collections

Some images are best as standalone feature pieces, others are just meant to be part of a story. Your Image Designer can help you to design a uniquely personal collection that captures your story just the way you want it.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Our professional Image Designers and photographers at Grain & Weave are on hand to help you any time throughout your journey.