FAQ for Pittsburgh Portrait Sessions with Missy Timko Photography

Thank you for your interest in booking a session with me! I’m sure you would like to know what exactly happens during a session and what you can expect!

My visual style is clean, simple, and timeless, and my shooting style is fun and active! Please see examples here of my style so that you will know what to expect from your images if you choose me as your photographer.

A Custom Session is a full-length photography session with me and works best for most of the shoots I offer. Since they are custom, every session is different! We will work together to choose a location (studio, home, or outside), clothing, styling, activities, posed vs. more candid portraits, etc. Custom Sessions are usually one family (mom, dad, and kids), but it may include grandparents or pets. This may be an outdoor family session that is mostly focused on mom during her pregnancy, it may be a studio session with the focus on a group of siblings, a full-length maternity session with wardrobe styling and hair & makeup, or it may be an in-home newborn baby with mom, dad, and siblings. There are all different types of families, and I have many ideas and lots of experience with most situations! We will spend around 1 1/2-2 hours capturing your portraits, and you will have 30+ gorgeous images to choose from.

Little sessions are 30 minutes long and result in a collection of about 20 images. These work well for the following:

These sessions take place in my studio in Mt. Lebanon. Little Sessions are not practical for families of more than three or for sessions that need a little extra time–newborns, seniors, pets, or multiple toddlers for example.

That depends on the type of session, the ages of your children, and what feel you would like to have in your portraits. For families, I like to shoot outside if possible! Your home is also a great place for a lifestyle session and is my preference for newborn sessions. I have a list of favorite outdoor locations I like to shoot, so we will discuss before we pick a spot. I also have a beautiful, modern studio that is suitable for all types of sessions.

MTP Studio is a very large, beautiful space located in the uptown Mt. Lebanon neighborhood of Pittsburgh. For more info about the studio, click here.

We will start with session-planning information, a shopping guide, & tips that I will share with you once you book with me. Then we will go over your outfits by email, text message, or Zoom. Not a fashionista? We can bring in professional wardrobe styling and personal shopping services! To get started, check out my Pinterest pages.

My goal is to create a fun and happy environment for your child so that we will get genuine expressions and happy faces. Please explain that they are going to have a fun day with the family and that I will be joining you to take pictures of all the fun. I encourage you to avoid bribes or threats because this may take away from the concept that the session itself is a treat! Please bring anything that is entertaining to your child and for older babies or young toddlers, you might bring toys that he or she loves that might look nice in a picture (wood toys, blankets, classic toys, wagons, and blocks all look great). Avoid plastic toys or items with characters on them unless you want them in your portraits.

I am pleased to offer custom design consultation and in-person ordering for all session types. Following your session, we will set a date to get together at my studio to pick out just the right set of joy-inspiring portrait display items just for you. We are currently offering ordering appointments on Zoom as an alternative to studio meetings.

Missy Timko Photography is a full-service portrait studio, so we will assist you with every step from styling to professional prints and even hanging your portraits in your home. Most of my clients hire me to create custom wall art and albums for their homes, though I include digital image files in some of my packages. I will help you to design the best products for your specific style at your in-person viewing and ordering session. I encourage all of my clients to design something printed so that they will have an archival piece of artwork to keep forever!

I certainly understand the need to share portraits with friends and family, so once you have purchased your collection of images, I can create for you digital products such as a custom photo app that you may share and email to friends and family and view your portraits anytime.

Portrait session spending varies widely, but you can see some general info about spending ranges for different types of sessions on this page about pricing for your portrait session.

Of course I do! My baby plan includes a custom newborn session, 1-3 baby sessions (usually one at 6 months and optional 3 and/or 9-month sessions), and a custom family session to commemorate the first birthday. More details about our Baby Plan here.

Yes! See my Photography Education page.

Click here to sign up for my email newsletter! Also… follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

The first step is for us to share your vision with us so we can present to you the options and ideas that are perfect for you. Let us know what you're looking for by filling out the form below.