FAQ's

Here are the answers to the questions that I often get asked…

What is your ethos?
My aim is to help women celebrate and embrace themselves and to increase their confidence...because the world needs more confident women! All my shoots are focused around the woman and making them the star of the show. I encourage body positivity and self love and want to give women photos of themselves that they adore.

What do I wear?
Boudoir Sessions: I have a large collection of lingerie, heels and accessories that are available for shoots. I advise ladies to bring a selection of their own as well, to make sure the style and fit is right for them, and I think it’s an important part of the process, to treat yourself to some new lingerie! In your preparation guide, I will let you know what does and doesn’t flatter and what I think works well. 

Studio Sessions: I have dresses for ladies and little girls and casual suits for little boys. Plain light or dark colours are great and it’s best to avoid patterns and logos. 

Outdoor Sessions: It’s best to wear plain colours and have 3 base colours that coordinate well together or that tie in with your decor at home. It’s best not to wear patterns or logos. 

Will I have my hair & make up done?
Yes - if you want to! Some ladies would rather do their own or have a more natural look. I find that most ladies enjoy having a pamper and a makeover can help with their confidence levels and help them to feel more confident in front of the camera. Some ladies have never had a makeover before and are so excited to see how they look. When you arrive, the MakeUp Artist will discuss with you how intense you’d like your makeup. We usually curl or wave hair and add volume at the roots.  Makeover usually take 1.5-2 hours. We ask ladies to arrive with day old dirty hair (it will hold a style better) and with a clean, moisturised face. 

Should I tan?
I advise not to. Home tans can look streaky and often leave dark unnatural looking areas on the hands, elbows or ankles. Even professional spray tans can leave streaks and white bits and often ladies choose to go too dark and can look too orange or unnatural. If you have booked your shoot in the Summer, it’s best to avoid getting any tan lines as it is very difficult to retouch them.

Do I need to know how to pose?
There is no expectation on you to know how to pose or to have had any previous experience. I have spent a lot of time and attended many training courses to learn how to pose women, their bumps, couples, groups and babies. It’s my job to pose you and I will direct you from head to toe, often mirroring the pose myself so it’s easy for you to do. I pay particular attention to facial expression, hands and feet as these in particular can make or break a shot. Some poses are more physically  difficult than others, I will check with you before we start if you have any injuries or conditions that may restrict you, and I’ll work around this. 

How do I overcome my nerves?
Please keep in mind that it’s perfectly normal to feel nervous, uncomfortable and out of your comfort zone when it comes to having your photograph taken. It isn’t something that happens very often, and for some people never at all. I try to reassure ladies ahead of their session that they will be fine once they get to the studio. The truth of it is, I can say this until I’m blue in the face but you won’t know how fine you’ll be until you get there. All my ladies have been pleasantly surprised by just how comfortable they’ve felt during their sessions and most really enjoy the experience and can’t wait to do it again. I encourage ladies to focus on feelings of excitement, and imagine that it will be a positive experience. 

I’m worried that I won’t look as good as the ladies that I see in your photographs. What if I don’t like mine? 
A lot of ladies feel this way. Then I show them their images and they say ‘Wow, I can’t believe that’s me!’ I’ve photographed hundreds of ladies and it has only been a rare occasion when someone hasn’t liked their images. They have been clear that this hasn’t been due to the photography, but more about how they feel about themselves. If you haven’t already, please check my reviews and the stories from other ladies on my Boudoir Group on Facebook.

I’m awkward in front of the camera and don’t like posed shots. Can we have a natural shoot?
There always has to be an element of posing even when capturing natural interaction, because otherwise it may not be flattering and I need to make sure that I can see everyone’s face and have everyone lit correctly. My sessions are always relaxed and I don’t ask for cheesy, awkward smiles :) 

What is your availability like?
I photograph on weekdays during the day. I use natural light for Boudoir Sessions so I tend to book these for 930am as in the Autumn & Winter the light fades in the afternoon. I’m usually booked 2-3 months in advance. I sometimes have last minute bookings come up that I advertise on the Facebook pages. 

How long does a session last?
Outdoor sessions are around an hour.
Maternity, Family and Boudoir Sessions last 3-3.5 hours in total including the makeover and newborn shoots can take around 4 hours as they are totally baby led and I allow time for baby to be fed and settled.

How do I book?
When you’re ready to book a session, you can send me a message via the website or Facebook. I will then give you a call to go over everything and look at a date. A retainer is due within 24 hours to secure your date in the diary. 

Do I need to pay a deposit?
A £49 retainer is due within 24 hours of arranging your booking to secure your date in the diary. This comes off your final order, so if you choose for instance a £399 package, you will have £350 to pay. The retainer is non-refundable, so if you need to reschedule your session at the last minute, another retainer will be due. 

What are your prices?
The packages range from £199-£599 and include the photoshoot, use of lingerie / dresses / props / accessories. For £399 packages and above, makeovers are included free of charge. There is a £40 fee for makeovers for £199 packages. For £599 packages, you will receive £50 off your next session and £75 off wall art packages. 

What products do you offer?
£399 and above packages include a box of mounted prints. The prints and mounts  are of superior quality and are ready to go in to a 12x10 frame. They come in either a white or black box and matching gift bag. The USBs also come in a little ribbon tied box and the USBs themselves are sparkly and heart shaped. 
I have a range of stunning wall art products available to really showcase your images in your home.  They are of superior quality and are guaranteed to last 100 years, meaning they can be passed on through your family generations. Details and samples of these are found on the website under ‘Products’ and can be seen at the studio. 

Are payment plans available?
Yes, you can pay in up to 3 instalments for packages of £399 and above. 

Do you retouch the images?
I retouch responsibly, aiming not to change the image too much. The camera can show up some things a little too much, so I always smooth the skin and remove any blemishes. If you want me to, I can remove stretch marks and small tattoos. Tan lines can be difficult to remove or blend so please do your best to avoid them in the lead up to your shoot. Please tell me about anything specific that you’d like retouching and I will do my best within my ability. 

Where are you based?
I have a studio in Cattedown, near Plymouth City Centre. There is a room dedicated for makeovers, a large room for studio shoots and two rooms for Boudoir shoots. 

Is there parking at the studio?
There is 2 hour parking outside and I have a small courtyard for parking.

What do I need to do to prepare for my session?
After your retainer is paid, I will send you an email with details of how to prepare for your shoot

Is there anything you won’t photograph?
I don’t photograph weddings as I already cover a lot of genres. My ethos is about celebrating women so I don’t tend to photograph children on their own or cake smashes. 
For the Boudoir Sessions, I don’t photograph men (I haven’t trained to) unless as part of a couple. I also don’t photograph eroticism or full frontal nudity. 

Can I bring a companion to a session?
I am more than happy for companions to come to any sessions apart from Boudoir sessions. This is because from experience I’ve found that having another person there can be off putting for both the lady I’m photographing and for me, which can affect the results. I really believe Boudoir sessions should be an individual experience and it’s important for me to create a one on one rapport with the lady I’m photographing, so that they feel more at ease and comfortable. 

Will you share my images?
After your viewing session, I will send you a model release form, for you to consider giving me consent to share your images on Social Media and my website. I will not share any of your images without your consent and I totally respect your wish if you choose not to share. I am always grateful when my clients decide to share their images and I love showing them off as well! 

When will I see my images?
At your photoshoot, we’ll find a mutually convenient time for you to return for a viewing session where I will show you your images on a slideshow. It’s at this point that you’ll make your final decision about which package and any additional products you’d like to buy. The viewing session is usually 7-10 days after your photoshoot and take around 30 minutes. 

Why are you called Ruby Light Portraits?
I wanted to choose a name that wasn’t First Name - Last Name - Photography. I’ve always liked the name ‘Ruby’ and it is also my partner’s Mum’s maiden name. Light relates to photography and I chose ‘Portraits’ to best describe what I do. I also wanted to have quite a visual sounding name so that it was easy to remember. 

Feel free to get in touch if you have any other questions.
Rache x

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