Frequently Asked Questions

What do I wear?

Wear what you would normally wear!! This is especially true for the longer Day-in-the-life type sessions. Basically, what to wear is pretty much free reign, except for a couple of don'ts. These photos of your family are timeless. To keep that timeless feel, I recommend that you wear clothing without giant logos, wording or characters. Now if your daughter is obsessed with Frozen, and either Anna or Elsa adorns every article of clothing she has, then by all means, let her wear it as that is an important aspect of who she is right now. For day-in-the-life type sessions - Basically, if the clothing adds to someone's story or personality, its a go. Now for a one hour family session, it's a little different, as these tend to be a bit more formal and less what-I-wear-around-the-house-on-a-Saturday. For these sessions, keep with the no logos/characters/wording thing. My next (and last!) don't wear is: same color clothing!! We do not want everyone in black (or insert another color) shirts and khaki pants. Black may be slimming, but it doesn't photograph well when everyone is wearing it and all the family kind of morphs into one black (or any other color) shape. If you are worried about mixing prints, don't be! Just remember to throw in some solid colored clothing too and then mixed prints work. Seriously, I am all about embracing the eclectic. The colors do not have to "match" and I will leave it you mommas (and fashion conscious dads) out there to make sure the colors don't clash. That's it! Amanda Noel Photography's version of "What Not To Wear." Haha!!

Why do I need to pay for someone to follow me around for a day? Can't I get the same things by capturing my everyday with my cellphone?

Yes and no. You can certainly capture everyday moments with your cellphone, and they can be some great pictures. But they are not YOU. They are not you kissing boo-boos, and playing ticklebug, and playing catch with your son, or helping your kids "help" in the kitchen. They are YOUR kids, but the picture is missing YOU Momma!! Your pictures of this life you are creating and these blessings you are raising, should include you way more than the occasional (or even frequent) selfie. I am capturing you in your element! I am photographing the life and love that happen everyday between the four walls of your home. And I am giving you a beautiful legacy to leave to your children. It is difficult to accomplish all that with a cell phone.

What if my house is a mess?

So you have kids right? It's totally ok if your house is not pristine!! I am capturing your real life here. Real life includes toys on the floor and dirty dishes in the sink. It just does. Basically, I want to capture you in your space as it looks every day. So if you are a super neat person, and your house is usually spotless (or close to it), then that is what you want me to capture. If your house always looks a little more...lived in, then that is what I want to capture! Believe it or not, the toys on the floor and dirty dishes in the sink just add to YOUR story and you WILL want to remember those little details!

What if my kids act up?

Bad behavior just goes along with having kids. As does discipline with parenting. They are just part of life, you deal with it as best you can and move on. It is part of your story. You don't just want to remember the smiley ones, you want to remember the screamy ones, or the teary ones. More often than not, THOSE are the pictures that tug at your heartstrings and transport you back to that time in your life that you thought would never end and you surely wouldn't survive (but it did and you did, and now you can look back on it and smile, laugh and be thankful for the beautiful chaos).

What if it rains or the weather does not cooperate? 

If that happens, there are two choices. Embrace the weather and use it creatively. (think puddle jumping and dancing in the rain). Or reschedule for another day.  Both are options, and we will decide together what is the best course of action if that time comes.

Do you have a payment plan?

Yes! of course! I understand that photography is an investment. It is valuable as it is an investment in your future. And sometimes when you have something of value, you need to break it up into smaller chunks to make it work for your family. I totally understand that. We can work together to determine a payment schedule that you and I are comfortable with. Please remember though, that images will not be delivered until payment in full is received.