Winter Minis
C L I E N T L O U N G E
Welcome to your Client Lounge!
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Important Information
This is the location for all of your questions to be answered! Refresh your brain on turnaround time, the schedule and any other important information! You will also receive email updates if anything in the Client Lounge has changed. No worries, we will always send you an email directly to you as well, just as little reminders!
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Inspiration
Collect outfit inspiration for your session, read past client reviews and melt the stress away with the tips and tricks that have been discovered by years of experience. There is no such thing as a stressful session with me. I will make sure you have every opportunity to make this mini session unique to you and your family.
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Ed-ju-Ma-cation
Listen… I had to make it rhyme. Learn the exact ways my Clients are able to relax and get the photos they are hoping for every single time! You would be surprised what the secret is… Spoiler Alert: It has a lot to do with being present and ready to have fun ;)
OUR SESSION DATE TOGETHER
NOVEMBER 27TH, 2021
OUR CURRENT SCHEDULE
MORNING
UNAVAILABLE
AFTERNOON
3:00 PM - The Evans Family
KEYCODE / QR CODE
These will be available the morning of! Come back here to be able to enter the Studio door!
O U T F I T I N S P I R A T I O N
Got the Outfit Blues?
Browse my Winter Outfit Board to see fun styles, classic color combinations and unique ideas for your family to try! If you have any questions at all, here are a few simple tips to follow below -
O U T F I T T I P S
Strut your stuff!
+ NEUTRALS: I will always be a huge fan of neutrals. Soft, gentle colors are classic, non-distracting and look great displayed on the wall for years!
+ Avoid neon colors: busy patterns and large logos. Neon colors look scary through a camera lens and have a bad habit of reflecting crazy colors onto your skin. Patterns can be done well, as long as there are other solid colors to compliment them. Small Logos are just fine!
+ When in doubt, lay it all out! Place your outfits together on the bed or floor. That way you will see exactly what I will see behind the camera :) If you need any additional help, email the photo to info@jessabalough.com and I can give you my honest opinion.
+ BE YOURSELVES! The whole point is to represent who you are and what you enjoy. If you want to dress up, awesome! If you would rather be more casual, I love that, too! I don’t ever want my client’s to feel pressured to wear things out of the normal or something that is uncomfortable.
+ Accessorize! Brings hats, jewelry, props that mean something to you and more. I will never be shocked to see a suitcase roll into my studio! lol!
F A M I L Y T I P S
Got Kids?
+ Pack Well: If you are a parent, you know the necessity of a favorite toy, snack availability or even a change of clothes. Bring anything you think will keep your child happy and entertained! An extra outfit is always a smart choice for littles (spit up and spills, oh my). Toys are wonderful comfort items when being talked to by a weird lady with a camera. And… I will never judge you for pulling out an ipad. Just do whatever helps keep your family happy and safe :)
+ Lower your expectations: I will NEVER expect a child to sit still for portraits. It is just not in their nature. In fact, I want them to run, laugh, be silly and have fun! I am fast, shoot efficiently and will most likely invite you to be silly, too. Some of the best photos I have ever taken are when the parent’s are brave enough to get on the floor with their babies. When kids are allowed to be themselves, the portrait possibilities are endless!
+ Breathe: We will always respond differently than everyone else whenever our kids are having a tough time. I can promise you there will be moments when your child is bored, unhappy or just plain tired. Take a deep breath when this begins! Their behaviors may stress you out from time to time but I will never be upset or bothered by it. They are people, too. People with much less emotional control and understanding… but, still people. Big emotions are always welcome in my studio space <3
C O U P L E T I P S
This is for the Lovers!
+ Think about your style: Can’t keep your hands off of each other? Goofy? or absolutely hate PDA? Cool! Make sure to let me know what comfort level you carry before our session together! I will never make you do anything you aren’t comfortable with and want to stay true to who you are as a unit!
+ Your relationship is important: Even if you are bringing your whole family, I make it a point to give Partner’s their own moment together. Your family wouldn’t be here without the two of you, right? The kids will have free-reign to play in the studio safely while we carve out even just 5 minutes for the two of you.
+ Don’t ever be embarrassed: Sometimes it’s hard to publicly love on our partner’s in front of strangers. Whatever your love language is together, is enough for me. Hold hands (or don’t). Kiss (or don’t). Body slam the other (or don’t). I don’t ever have expectations for the way my Client’s show love to one another.
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
CITY STUDIO
1531 WASHINGTON AVE. #3A,
ST. LOUIS, MO 63103
This is one of my favorite spots to make art with my Clients! It is a huge, open, natural-light loft in the heart of St. Louis, MO.
Parking: There is street parking right in front of the building! All meter’s take spare change or debit cards. I wouldn’t pay for more than 45 minutes of time unless you plan on browsing downtown. The most you can spend on a meter is $2! We will be right next to some restaurants, fun shopping areas and the City Museum! There is a parking lot directly across the street from the studio but the cost is unknown and could be anywhere from $10 to $20.
S T E P 1 : F I N D T H E B U I L D I N G
Instructions on locating the studio building, where to park and directions for navigating the inside of the building are mentioned in the video above! Please watch for any questions :)
Here is the front of the building: The door has a giant red accent, a high tech keypad and some cool, black and white tiles on the floor! It’s a little hard to see at first from the street so look for the ArtLoft & FDC Signs!
S T E P 2 : S E C U R E Y O U R C A R
This is a precautionary statement for liability purposes. This location is full of amazing city life. As a rule of thumb, anywhere across the globe - Hide all valuables out of site and lock your car doors. I love this location and have never had any issues, but theft is never planned and has happened to the best of us. Don’t have money sitting in your front seat or electronics within view. Double check that your doors have shut fully and close your side mirrors if they are able. Stow away all medications and bring any irreplaceable items into the studio with you. St. Louis is a vibrant city with incredible food, historical sites, unique people and art that lives and thrives. I cannot wait to share everything it has to offer with you :)
Neither City Studio STL, Art Loft Live / Work Units or Jessa Balough Photographer, LLC. are responsible for stolen, damaged or misplaced items. Extra worried about theft? When in doubt, stuff a decoy purse full of one thousand angry bees.
S T E P 3 : U S E Y O U R K E Y C O D E
MASKS ARE REQUIRED IN THE BUILDING. You will receive a keycode via email the morning of your session! You will need the access pin or QR code in order to access the building. Both will be available in your email! Make sure you favorite the email or have it open when you arrive. Place the square up to the screen or enter the code manually. Once successful, the door will unlock.
S T E P 4 : F I N D J E S S A !
Once inside, walk straight back to the elevator (or be brave and take the stairs). You will want to go to floor 3! Once you step out of the elevator, take a right to the door - you will see a big ol’ 3 on the wall. Open the door, take another right down the long hallway. We will be the last door on the left! DOOR #3A. Do not worry about knocking, walk right on it! If there is still a session going on, feel free to come in, set your stuff down in the lobby area and I will be right with you! Please remember to keep your family masked, unless younger than 3, until it is your turn to be photographed. As always, if you are feeling unwell, have a cough or fever, please stay home <3
WANT AN AMAZING SESSION?
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Have all outfits laid out the night before. Pack your snacks, accessories and any kid distractions in an easy to carry bag! Don’t forget masks, your keycode email for access into the building and your smile!
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If you don’t have any other plans - Stop by the City Museum with your partner or grab a bite to eat after your session! Maybe check out an escape room! Whatever you do, Make this day about you and your favorite people. You will already have pants on, so… why not?
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We all want pretty pictures to share with family and friends! But, Sometimes we get so worked up about looking PERFECT that we become self-conscious and stop having a good time. When you walk into the studio, I will guide you every step of the way. Your only job is to show up in something that makes you feel good. I promise you will be enjoying yourself so much that you forget we are even taking pictures.
Just remember to breathe and I will handle the rest :)
FAQS