FAQs

General

When

should I book my session?

We live in crazy times and with all of whats going on in the world (covid) I don’t like to pre-book sessions more than 6 weeks in advance, so when you are ready to book make sure to message me around a month or so before the date you are wanting so I can send you available dates for around the time you are wanting! For maternity sessions, sessions are usually photographed between 27-33 weeks into pregnancy, so be sure to message me around the 25-28 week mark to schedule!

Do I

have to pay a deposit to book?

Yes, to reserve the date you just need to send $100 deposit that goes towards your total and the rest you pay the day of the session. If you cancel 14 days or less close to your booked date you lose the deposit. Please make sure you are 100% to book before you send the deposit.

Where and

when do I send my deposit?

You can send the deposit once we set a date up for your session to book me just message to any of my social media accounts or email me and we can work out all details of the session. You can send your deposit to my cashapp, zelle, or paypal, which I will provide during our conversation.

Will I get to chose my photos?

Absolutely! Once your session is completed, it takes approx. 3-6 days to receive your preview gallery. In the preview gallery you will be able to select your favorite digital portraits according to how many are included in your collection. You can purchase single additional digital images at the time of selecting your images, but also I will leave your selection gallery online available for you to come and purchase images up to 12 months AFTER your session.

When will

we receive

my final edited photos?

You will receive your final, fully retouched images 5-7 weeks AFTER your select your final images.

Note: If you need all your images by a certain sooner date, you may add-on Rush Edit to your gallery for a fee, which will guarantee your gallery within 10 days for $299 or 3 week rush for $180. THE RUSH TIME STARTS WHEN YOU PAY THE RUSH FEE AND SELECT IMAGES, IT DOSEN’T START AFTER YOU DO YOUR SESSION. I am happy to have 1 image ready if needed free of charge within one week or so, if you only need one ready to print for your baby shower, to announce the early welcome baby or announcement.

How many

pictures will we receive?

Each package has their own specific number of digital images included. However, you have the option to buy extra digital images for an additional fee per image. Depending on the session type you do, digital images range per $50- $70 per additional digital image.

Are prints of my

portraits included?

I do NOT include prints of the digital portraits in your photo session. Once your images are fully and beautiful retouched I will send you an online gallery where you will be able to access and online store where you edited images have been already been loaded to, in this store you will be able to buy all kids of products, canvases, wall prints, even cups and albums! I will also release printing rights with the portraits you receive. This means, you may print the files you receive whenever and wherever you'd like.

What kind of

backdrops

are included in the price?

All my classic/texture/vintage looks can be requested but also all the magical backdrops you see in my images are included as well, when booking you can request a certain theme (for example, big windows, curtains, castles, gardens, classic/no backdrop, etc) I can customize everyones sessions depending on the colors they love and their party/babyshower/gown theme/colors! there is no additional cost to add on the magical backdrops! <3

Can I get all the

un- edited

images from my session?

I do not release any unedited digital portraits to my clients. Unedited versions do not reflect my work and my standards. All digital portraits received will be edited to the standard that I offer which can be seen in my portfolio and in my instagram webpage. It takes me about 4-5 hours PER image to create the photos you see on my page, i take so much time and patience and pour all my creativity into every single detail in your image. I always make sure images are beautiful, flawless and to your 100% satisfaction

If I want butterflies,

reflection of water or

any special editing on my

images

will it be an extra fee?

I always include at least one image with a reflection with most sessions, butterflies can be request in some of your images no extra charge.

Can I request specific

editing to my portraits?

Digital portraits received from Elsa Sainz Photography will always be on brand with my signature style. My goal is to perfect every portrait you receive. Editing with all my portraits include skin retouching, removal of blemishes, stray hair removal, slimming down (if wanted*), glow of the skin, hair volume, etc etc. Any personal requests of editing that is not included such as, but not limited to tattoo removal, wrinkles in clothes or editing full makeup ( those are SUPER hard edits, please make sure your clothes is wrinkle free and that you come prepared with makeup and hair as those are stuff i CAN NOT edit on photos <3 Never the less, my goal is to provide you with quality portraits with my style. I can, if requested , go easy on the editing, but If you are a person that LOVES and wants 100% un-retouched, natural, images, I am not the photographer for you… Even if slightly, my images need to be retouched to a certain degree, besides the actual person, I also take a lot of time editing the colors, backdrops and every single part of your image. I would not want images out there in the world with my name on them that don’t represent my full work/brand.

Can you edit out myTattoos?

While I can edit out a very small tattoo here and there, without making your skin look fake and lose its natural texture it’s almost impossible for me to do that with many tattoos, specially if they are large and located on hard to edit part of the body. If you have a lot of tattoos and want them to be edit it out please message before you book your session and send me a picture so I can send you a quote for an additional charge to do so. Editing out tattoos is really hard and very time consuming, but if you REALLY don’t want them in your photos I can always hide them while posing you or you can chose a gown that can cover them to your liking.

Is make-up

and hair styling included?

Make-up or hair styling is NOT part of your packages, I can however provide a list of preferred professionals that I recommend to work with or you may hire your own styling team.

Can I bring

someone along to my session?

I always encourage all my clients to bring along a friend/mom/ significant other to their session! You may def bring along someone to help you during the session, make you feel more comfortable and just there for cheering purposes! for maternity sessions i always recommend you bring someone to help you in case you feel unwell during your session, Please limit to one or two extra people at most.

Do you do

any events

(weddings,quinceañera,

baby showers, etc)?

At the moment I am super booked and busy for the year of 2024, so I do not do events of any kind. But I have a list of amazing and talented photographers I can refer to you for your event needs!

Where will

the photography

session take place?

Depending on the experience you select, locations will vary. Elsa Sainz Photography's Studio is located in Winston-Salem.

Do you

do a photography

session within

the US or outside the US?

This is a new service I OFFER! I am excited to travel any where in and out of the USA for sessions! Pricing all depends on location and session.. l have done sessions in Jamaica and Paris!! so lets plan a COSTA RICA or GREECE Maternity or engagement session!

Do you do new-

born, kids, family sessions?

At the moment I am NOT doing MANY new-born, kids or family sessions. I will, however, do a few dates per year where I can do kids (older than 4 months), family and kids OUTDOOR Sessions. I plan to have a wait list for family/kids and if I have any last minute cancellations for my maternity sessions, be able to call and fit people into these spots.

Can I arrange a call with

you if I have any questions?

If you have any further questions that may not be here in the FAQs. Please send me your questions using the “Contact” button on the top right of the page. If needed we can definitely arrange a call!

What happens

if there is bad weather?

I always wait to see what the weather decides to do a week before sessions. If it looks like horrible weather for our scheduled date, i will give you the option to reschedule or to change it for studio session (price may be different) Usually I am pretty good at predicting the weather situation and stay on top of it! If it rains the day of the session we can reschedule at no extra fee.

Is there a late fee?

Yes. If you arrive 15 min after your session time the late fee is $60. During the booking process I always recommend for you to arrive 15 min your session. I am booked back to back all day on weekends, I usually do 10-15 sessions and I am on a tight schedule. Please make sure to arrive on time, if you are more than 10 minutes late your session may be canceled and you will not be refunded a deposit.

Why is there a

separate fee

for Horse sessions?

Working/ handling/ prepping horses is a very hard task and the ranch and parks I work with charge their OWN fee to help out with the session and the handling of the horses. I make ZERO commission from these locations and the fee you are paying its for the horses. It super hard to do photos with horses/ animals and it takes a lot of patience and hard work while I do the photoshoot and also while editing your horse images. Editing out the cords and the horse handlers out of all of your images takes me hours more than what it takes me to edit a standard image. These sessions are more pricey but they are worth every penny as they are unique and beautiful!

Do you offer any mentoring?

I do not offer any mentoring at the moment, but hopefully in the near future once my schedule slows down I would be able to offer this service and create videos and content for anyone interested, feel free to add your self to my list of emails that want info on this later on.

Do you need

an assistant

or do you have one already?

A few months ago a great long time friend of mine, started helping me out and now is my full time assistant! She is amazing, and the reason why my messages no longer take weeks to get replied to haha. We make an awesome team, working together in all aspects of my bussiness. She is super friendly, professional and kind and will assist you all during the session, helping you change into your outfits or anything you need! She is present at all my photoshoots and helps me make you feel comfortable and helps me with anything you or I might need! She is my right hand woman and the greatest perk is that she is an artist her self, so you can be assured that your outfits will be styled perfectly and your session beautiful!

Why is it extra

to add on partner/family?

Photographing and editing more than one subject add lots of additional time to my workflow, it is not the same editing one mom with hair and makeup professionally done, than editing a mom and a child that has red eyes from crying on the way to the session or a dad that showed up right after work with wrinkles in his pants haha. I LOVE working with kids and families and the small add on fee is def worth the beautiful, flawless images and memories you will have with them forever!