family
portraits
here's everything you need to know about Booking your
I graduated from Rhodes University in Grahamstown at the end of 2005 with a degree in Fine Art and my practical major in Photography. I'm inspired by art history and love to travel - and when it comes to editing, I'm fuelled by Lindt chocolate, and strong, sweet Five Roses tea.
I live in jeans, because I'm that photographer chasing your kids through the long grass, jumping in puddles with them, adventuring and exploring. I have a relaxed and documentary-style approach to my photography to help you feel at ease in front of the camera.
Your Johannesburg Maternity and
Family Portrait Photographer
I'm LEIGH
am so excited you're here! I'm a professional photographer in Johannesburg with more than 15 years experience photographing portraits and weddings.
I
real families • real life
The #leighbensonphotography
Experience
Families are special, each with their own unique dynamics, traditions and quirks. It's why I'm not a "cookie-cutter" photographer - because you aren't a "cookie-cutter" family.
When it comes to something as important as your photographs, it's not just about the investment. It's looking back on your most special moments and remembering how those moments felt, not just how they looked.
I have one base package (the Classic Collection), with the option of adding hair and make-up styling, dress rental, additional hours, extra images or printed artwork.
YOU DO YOU!
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Everything I do is custom.
Start with the Classic Collection, and simply add from the additional products and services I offer.
Optionally, Add More Hours of Coverage
First, start with the
classic collection
THE FINE PRINT
An exact number of images from your shoot cannot be guaranteed. Typically, solo maternity shoots and regular family shoots will have ±60-80 images in your selection gallery for you to choose from. Extended family shoots typically have 100+ images for you to choose from.
*** Travel fees may apply to locations outside of a 30km radius from Craighall, Johannesburg.
*** BOTH a signed contract and 50% deposit are required to secure your booking.
*** Wherever possible, studio and/or location fees are covered by your Collection cost.
1 Hour Shoot
20 Digital Images
Online Gallery
R1 000 per hour (optional)
includes 10 additional images
go luxe with hair and make-up & dress rental
hair and make-up - R1 500 per person (optional)
make-up only - R850 per person (optional)
dress rental - R1 500 per dress (optional)
Feel like you're the star of your own magazine feature and get the full Luxe treatment! Have your hair and make-up done by one of my professional make-up artists and/or add a beautiful designer dress.
Prints, wall Art albums & digitals
see the products menu below for pricing
purchase all the images from your shoot and receive a complimentary printed album
The decision to purchase products is handled after your shoot day, and it's 100% optional. You can order additional digital images from your session, purchase ALL the images from your session, and/or purchase wall art in the form of canvasses, frames, block-mounts or acrylic mounts.
Don't Want the Extras?
No problem at all! The Classic Collection covers your 1 hour shoot and 20 images delivered via an online gallery. You can order any extra images or printed artwork after your shoot - your gallery remains active for 6 months from date of upload.
Yep, It's That
Easy
R3 500
Q: So, What's the Investment?
A: Totally Your Call!
Recommended for Extended Family sessions where multiple families will be joining the shoot, so we have time to capture everyone in multiple poses and pairings.
R100
R7 200
Each
Full Shoot
digital images
Loose prints
R1 500
R2 500
R4 500
R7 500
R6 250
20x30
30x40
40x60
60x90
Panoramic 30x90
wall art
albums
Choose either 30x30 (square) or 25x34 (landscape)
Choice of cover options (linen, soft-touch leather)
20 spreads / 40 pages
Lay-flat pages
Fuji Archival photographic paper
Select a minimum of 50 images for your album
All* the digital images from your shoot
R20
R30
R50
R80
10x15
13x18
15x20
20x25 & 20x30
Matte Paper | White Border Optional
Choose your finish:
Canvas
Block Mount
Framed Print
Acrylic Mount
10% discount when purchasing more than one item in the same size
R7 200
ALL SIZES REFERRED TO ARE IN CM
Purchase all the images from your shoot and receive a complimentary printed album
a la carte
Client Reviews
& Kind Words
delta park | johannesburg
The Lodge Family
The process from booking to the final output was quick and efficient. Leigh worked with our family including our pets to create a memorable photoshoot. I would definitely recommend Leigh and will be using her services for future photoshoots.
- Clinton Lodge
delta park | Johannesburg
Walters Families
Just the best and absolutely most talented family photographer! If there were extra stars would give you those too!
- Ingrid Sunshine nee Walters
SHEFFIELD BEACH | SALT ROCK, KZN
The Boyce Family
Leigh was absolutely amazing making us feel very comfortable in front of the camera, especially my Dad and his grand daughter. They definitely aren't keen on photographs but with a professional like Leigh, everything went perfect. The results were amazing. I would highly recommend her.
- Warren Boyce
Have Questions? here are the Answers
Common FAQs
Q: How long have you been a photographer?
A: I first picked up a camera when I was about 4 years old - my grandpa had given me an old Kodak Instamatic that no longer worked. I use to wander around the house taking "photos" of anything and everything. When I went to study Fine Art in 2002 I fell in love with film photography (yes, I learnt my craft in an actual darkroom!). After I graduated, in 2006 I starting working in a family portrait studio and haven't looked back since.
Q: what locations and outfits do you recommend?
A: I have a list of suggested locations around Johannesburg and Centurion. These are the venues that I love shooting at for their variety as well as ease of access and safety. In 99% of cases, the venue / location fees are covered by your Classic Collection, so you don't have to worry about booking the locations yourself. If you would prefer a studio shoot, I use a shared space in Parktown North in Joburg. Availability is subject to existing studio bookings on a chosen day.
Prior to the shoot you'll receive a styling guide with helpful ideas and references - or you can check out my blog for additional resources on planning your shoot.
Q: what is the best time of day for our shoot?
A: Late afternoons are best for that beautiful soft light - us photographers don't call it "golden hour" for nothing. For October through March I recommend shooting from 4:00pm onwards and April through September from 3:00pm onwards. If evenings aren't possible, an early morning session just after sunrise is also an option.
Studio sessions can be booked at any time of day (subject to availability).
Q: WHAT'S YOUR shooting and EDITING PROCESS?
A: During the shoot itself I take a mix of posed photos (with everyone looking at the camera) and candid images (with you looking at each other, laughing, playing, just being you). I also shoot a mix of wide angles to capture the location, and close up portraits. This gives you a variety of images to choose from. The candid images and wide angles are typical of my style.
My images are best described as bright and vibrant. My standard editing process includes cropping and colour-grading, so that your images are in line with my current portfolio. I also apply basic skin retouching to remove any non-permanent blemishes.
The colours in your images are influenced by the ambient light (time of day, whether the sky is overcast or clear etc) and surrounding location (forest, open field etc). This means that colours may differ slightly between sets of images in your shoot. It is not always possible to capture the exact colours as seen by the human eye.
Any advanced retouching e.g. head swaps, altering of body shape, scar/tattoo removal etc may be subject to an additional editing fee.
Q: how far in advance do i need to book with you?
A: Typically I shoot on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and book 3 to 4 weeks in advance, especially during the summer months (October - March) which are also my Matric Dance and Wedding seasons. Winter months are a bit more flexible. If you have a particular date in mind, let me know when making your enquiry.
Q: can i print my images myself?
A: Yes you can, although I do recommend ordering your prints and artwork through me.
The labs I work with are professional labs, and I take care to ensure that the printed artwork you receive is in line with the highest standard of quality. Self-service printers (the ones that you can use to print directly from your phone or USB) at consumer labs may not always have colour calibration in place, which means the images you print can differ greatly in colour and sharpness from the images you see on your screen. If you are going to print your own images, please do keep this in mind.
Q: how long does it take to receive our images?
A: After the shoot is done, I cull out and delete any images where I might have caught you blinking or talking. I also delete out any obvious duplicates. The remaining images are edited and uploaded to your online gallery 14 days from the shoot date. You can download your favourite 20 images straight away, and order additional images and/or printed artwork directly from your gallery.
Printed products vary in delivery time, around ±21-28 days.
A longer lead time for your digital delivery and printed artwork may be required over the Easter and December holiday periods - I'll let you know estimated timelines in advance.
Just can't wait to receive your gallery or would like to receive your images sooner for a special occasion? I offer a rush delivery fee of R1 000 for delivery within 7 days and R2 500 for delivery within 72 hours. Rush delivery is also subject to the Classic Collection balance being paid in full.
Q: How do I book you?
A: Just let me know 1) What date you are looking at 2) If you'd like to add any extras. Once I've got those details, I'll send over your formal quote for review and contract for signature.
Email is my preferred method of communication to keep everything in one place for myself and my assistant and wherever possible we'll respond within 1 business day. Office hours are 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and weekends are reserved for shoots and time with family.
Q: How much can I expect to spend?
A: How much you spend is totally up to you. The Classic Collection is R3 500 and you can choose to add on any extra products as services as needed.
Here are some examples of my most popular upgrades:
EXAMPLE 1: Maternity Session with hair and make-up and dress rental (1 dress) + 10 extra images = R7 500
EXAMPLE 2: Extended Family Session (1 hour extra shoot time) + Printed Album & all the images from the shoot = R11 700
EXAMPLE 3: Family Session + 3x 30x40cm block-mounts = R10 250
EXAMPLE 4: Family Session with 20 additional images = R5 500
EXAMPLE 5: Maternity Session with make-up only and dress rental (1 dress) = R5 850
Q: help - i'm still not sure!
A: That's a lot of information to take in all at once, I know. Why don't we schedule a call, zoom or better yet meet up over a coffee and chat about the ideas you have for your shoot. I can bring along some print samples, and we can go through the location and styling options together.
To book a consultation (coffee's on me!) here is the link: https://calendly.com/leighbensonphotography/pre-shoot-consultation
What You'll Get
Simply email me and ask! I'm here to help.
Have More Questions?
This guide is meant to help you decide on your collection, to get to know me a little bit, and to help give you an insight as to the experience you will receive when working with me. But as always, I am here to answer any questions for you at any time. Just send me an email and I'll get back to you ASAP.
Your Classic Collection covers your 1 hour shoot with me, any applicable venue/studio/location fees and 20 images - you don't have to make any choices on artwork or extra images until you've seen your online gallery.
Once the shoot date, time and location are confirmed, you'll receive your styling guide. To confirm your booking, a 50% deposit and signed contract are required.
A Simple recap
Let's do this!
Let's Make It Official!
Love what you've seen here? Don't wait! After all, the most important thing to do when booking your photographer is to simply BOOK!
I'm only one person, and so I only have so much availability.
Let's make it official!
