Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About ‘Our Family’.

This is a collection of questions we hear most about this project, although we don’t claim it to be conclusive!

If you have a question we haven’t answered here, please feel free to call our studio on (02) 9665 0800 or email us at info@israelsmith.com.

What is the ‘Our Family’ Project?

The project is a fundraising initiative to raise money for Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. Families pay a small fee to be photographed and included in a Limited Edition Book celebrating family, and all session fees and proceeds of subsequent book sales go directly to Sydney Children’s Hospital.

The project aims to raise $50,000 for Sydney Children’s Hospital, and gives families the chance to support the Hospital, and the unique opportunity to be professionally photographed by the Official Photographer and Bronze Partner, multi award-winning studio Israel Smith Photographers.

Combining beautiful portraits with each family’s words about what family means to them, the book will be an instant collector’s item, as well as an historic volume for families to record their financial support to Sydney Children’s Hospital.

Why is it called ‘Our Family’?

As Israel Smith Photographers, we relate to our clients as one big family, and also take a lot of enjoyment from our relationships with our own personal families. At Sydney Children’s Hospital, the same feeling has come across through their publications about supporters, patients, and staff. And obviously, every child who enters their doors is part of a family.

We all agreed that a title of ‘Our Family’ would beautifully symbolise what this project stands for – a representation of Our Family of supporters, friends, clients, partners, staff, all part of the family that support and are involved with Sydney Children’s Hospital.

How does the project work?

Each family must register to become a part of the ‘Our Family’ project. Along with registration, each family must pay a small session fee of $50 for a Standard Page or $125 for a Designer Page in the ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition Book. 100% of these session fees go directly to Sydney Children’s Hospital.

Within a week of registering, you will be contacted by Israel Smith Photographers to book your portrait session with one of the Israel Smith team photographers. This phone call will also be used to learn more about your family and determine what portrait locations might suit you best – at the beach, at the park, in the studio, in an urban setting, or even at your home. (Conditions on locations apply – check FAQ details for more info.)

Once your 1-hour portrait session is complete, the team at Israel Smith Photographers will prepare the edited best selection of your portraits for a special presentation in our studio.

You will be invited to a Viewing & Purchasing Appointment, where you will choose the image you want included in the ‘Our Family’ book. This appointment is also your opportunity to purchase any additional portraits from your session. Our friendly team are more than happy to explain our prices and different presentation options with you.

Your chosen image will be printed in the ‘Our Family’ book along with your words about “What Does Family Mean To You?”, and the ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition books will be available for sale. All proceeds of book sales will also go to Sydney Children’s Hospital.

What are the aims of the project?

To raise $50,000 for Sydney Children’s Hospital. With your help, this amount of money could fund a part-time Fellowship position for one year.
To create a stunning Commemorative Book of families who support Sydney Children’s Hospital, and help ensure it continues to be a leader in children’s health.
To give your family the opportunity to have beautiful family portraits taken at the same time as making a difference to the Hospital.

Who is running this project?

The ‘Our Family’ project is owned and administered by Israel Smith Photographers, in conjunction with Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation – a separate entity which exists solely to raise funds for Sydney Children’s Hospital.

What does Sydney Children’s Hospital get out of this project?

When we reach our target of $50,000, the Hospital will receive a big cheque for some much-needed funds! This money will come from 100% of your session fees, and all proceeds of sales of the ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition book. The money donated to Sydney Children’s Hospital at the end of this project will go directly to continuing the amazing children’s health care and research done at the Hospital.

The Hospital will also receive a signed copy of the ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition book as a commemorative volume of families who support the Sydney Children’s Hospital in 2010. This book will form part of the hospital’s archives.

What does Israel Smith Photographers get out of this project?

As existing Official Photographers and Bronze Partners of Sydney Children’s Hospital, our studio gets to continue its support of this amazing organisation. We are committed to supporting our local community, and since we photograph so many children, we want to ensure world-class health care is available through Sydney Children’s Hospital to provide for our local children.

We are also excited about meeting new families who want to be photographed and who want to purchase portraits from us to present in their homes. Since we are donating our time and resources for your portrait sessions and the design and layout of this book to support the fundraising, we gratefully appreciate your support in choosing to order portraits from us.

Why are you trying to raise $50,000?

Why not?!

Apart from being a fantastic round number, and a huge wad of cash, we feel that it is completely achievable with a combination of corporate sponsorship and the support of each family involved in ‘Our Family’.

When we asked our colleagues at the SCH Foundation to give us some ideas of what different levels of donation would provide for the Hospital in real terms, we assessed the options and felt that we should aim for $50,000. Here’s some examples of what your support could help provide:

$25,000 could fund two brain-injury rehabilitation camps – Camp Go Ahead and Camp Think Ahead – for one whole year
$30,000 could fund a research study in the Epilepsy Service – e.g. helping teenagers with epilepsy improve their knowledge and better manage their epilepsy
$40,000 could fund a Play or Music Therapist for one year – These therapists are integral in addressing a child’s physical, emotional and intellectual needs, and help normalise the environment.
$50,000 could fund a part-time Fellowship Position for one year – The Fellowship Program trains and develops young paediatricians across all medical disciplines.

What sort of families can participate in the ‘Our Family’ project?

‘Our Family’ is open to families of all types. If you want to support Sydney Children’s Hospital, and you’d also like the chance to be professionally photographed, then your definition of ‘Family’ is OK with us.

To us, family can mean anything from the conventional “Mum & Dad & kids” idea, through to single-parent families, same-sex families, couples, couples with pets, individuals with pets, pregnant women, grandparents and grandkids, dogs, cats, goldfish, etc!

If you’re unsure, call us. We’re happy to help, and more than that, we’re happy for you to be involved and support the Hospital.

I am a Mum/Dad/Grandparent/Couple/Same-sex Couple/Individual/Pet-lover/etc… Can I participate?

Absolutely! Check the answer to What sort of families can participate in the ‘Our Family’ project? above.

How do I participate in ‘Our Family’ and get in the book?

First, you must register your family by using the Registration Form. Or, click on the big pink button below:

Once you’ve registered, you will be contacted to pay your registration, and to book your portrait session. For further information on what happens next, check out: How does the project work?

How much does it cost?

The cost is only $50 per family for a Standard Page in the ‘Our Family’ book, or $125 for a Designer Page. By registering and paying your session fee, you are guaranteed a place in the Limited Edition book, which includes your photo and your answer to the question “What does family mean to you?”.

A Standard Page in the ‘Our Family’ book means your family portrait and words will appear on a shared page with 2 other families and their words.
A Designer Page means your family portrait will be featured across an entire page. For examples, check out What’s the difference between a Designer Page and a Standard Page in the book?

The photographic session is for 1 hour at one of our beautiful outdoor locations, or at a location we agree with you.

What’s included in my registration fee?

Your registration fee covers:

A telephone Design Consultation to plan your family portrait session
A 1-hour Portrait Session at one of our beautiful outdoor locations, or at a location we agree with you.
A Viewing & Purchasing Appointment (up to 1.5 hours) where you can choose which image you’d like in the ‘Our Family’ book, and where you can purchase additional portraits for your own home or as gifts. This is held at Israel Smith Photographer’s homely studio in Coogee.
ONE guaranteed image of your family to be printed in the ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition book.
One paragraph of 100 words or less to be published alongside your photograph in the book.

100% of your registration fees will be donated to Sydney Children’s Hospital.

Please note: While we may capture a wide range of photographs at your session, no additional prints or photographs are included with your session fee. These may be purchased directly from Israel Smith Photographers. We do not offer electronic files.

Is my registration fee tax deductible?

No. Your registration fee covers your photographic session and your page in the ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition book. However, 100% of all registration fees will be donated to Sydney Children’s Hospital at the conclusion of the project. Also, all proceeds from sales of the ‘Our Family’ book will be donated to Sydney Children’s Hospital.

What do I get out of participating in ‘Our Family’?

You get three very important things from participating in ‘Our Family’:

The chance to support Sydney Children’s Hospital and support the leading provider of children’s health in NSW;
A place in the historic ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition book, which will be a collector’s item and a treasured heirloom in years to come; and
The opportunity of being professionally photographed by Israel Smith Photographers, multi award-winning studio and Official Photographers and Bronze Partners of Sydney Children’s Hospital.

Not bad for a measly $50 or $125, eh?

What’s the difference between a Designer Page and a Standard Page in the book?

A Standard Page means that your family portrait and your words about “What Does Family Mean To You?” will be printed on a shared page along with 2 other families, in a layout chosen by our designers.

A Designer Page gives you the chance to dedicate an entire page to your family, so that your photo and words are printed across an entire page, in a layout chosen by our designers.

The images below are for illustrative purposes only, to give you an idea of what Standard and Designer Pages can look like.

Designer Page left, Standard Page right

Both Designer Pages

Standard Page left, Designer Page right

When will the book be published?

The ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition book will be published once all 250 places are filled, once the layout and design has been approved. We anticipate this to be in the second half of 2010 at this stage, and definitely in time for Christmas 2010. You will be contacted as soon as the books are ready for purchase and/or collection if you have pre-ordered copies.

How much will the books cost? Can I pre-order them?

Each copy of the ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition book will retail for $195. You may pre-order copies of the book at the same time as registering for ‘Our Family’, or at any stage up until when we announce the pre-orders are closed.

You will save money by pre-ordering your copies. Prices are as follows:

Pre-order 1 copy for $155 - (save $40)
Pre-order 2 copies for $300 – (save $95)
Pre-order 3 copies for $400 – (save $185)

If you need help pre-ordering copies of the book, please contact our studio on (02) 9665 0800 or at info@israelsmith.com.

NOTE: All Pre-ordered copies of ‘Our Family’ will be signed by Israel Smith, Creative Director and Principal Photographer of Israel Smith Photographers. Pre-order yours today!

What does “Limited Edition” mean?

Limited Edition means that the ‘Our Family’ books will only be printed once, with a strictly limited print run. This is a way of ensuring the value of the books over time, and making them into collector’s items for your family history and the history of Sydney Children’s Hospital.

Each book will be individually numbered, so you know exactly which number in the edition is yours.

Where can I buy my copy of the book?

The ‘Our Family’ Limited Edition books will be available through Israel Smith Photographers. Please call us directly on (02) 9665 0800 or email on info@israelsmith.com. (The books may also be available through a leading book store in future – stay tuned.)

When can we have our Portrait Session?

You may book your Portrait Session during our regular shoot times from Monday to Saturday. Our regular shoot hours depend on the time of year (sunrise/sunset times) and the chosen location.

At outdoor locations the early mornings or later afternoons tend to give the best light and conditions for portraits, whereas studio/home locations are usually fine anywhere from mid-morning to early afternoon.(Outdoors are best around 9am for mornings, or around 3-5.30pm start for afternoons, depending on sunset times throughout the year.)

Saturdays are a very busy day for bookings, and all outdoor locations are more crowded regardless of the time of year. We are happy to offer a Saturday appointment – assuming they’re not booked out – although we recommend you do everything you can to accommodate a week-day session as the outdoor locations (Beach, Park, etc) are much less crowded, and we are free to shoot wherever we like without an audience!

How long does our portrait session go for?

Most portrait sessions go for roughly 45 mins to 1 hour. We allow up to 1 hour (and sometimes a little more) to allow really shy people to get to know us and warm up for their photos. Often we are finished in less than 1 hour, as we are skilled, fast, and know how to get just the right images in the best time for everyone.

If you have special family requirements, please ensure you read these items:

What about our elderly, less mobile, or physically/intellectually handicapped family members?
We’re really shy/don’t usually like photographs – will we be OK?
We have a newborn baby and they might need to feed/sleep. Is this OK?

What is the best time of day for portraits?

Portraits, like most photography, depends on the best light to make a photograph really come to life.

The best light for outdoor portraits is either in the morning (around 9am) or late afternoon (anywhere from 3.30pm to 5.30pm depending on sunset and time of year.)

The best light for studio/indoor/home portraits can be anytime from 9am through to late afternoon. It’s often easier to book these sorts of shoots from mid-morning (10.30am) through to early afternoon (2-3pm) because our outdoor shoots rarely book these timeslots.

Notes: Newborn babies tend to be best around mid-morning either just after their morning feed or just after their mid-morning sleep.

If you’re uncertain, call our studio and we can give you some advice on what might suit your personal requirements.

What locations are available for our shoot?

We offer a range of locations – outdoors (see below), in our Studio, or in your own home/backyard. This choice depends largely on who we are photographing – i.e. age & number of people – as well as what your desired outcome is from your portraits.

We will discuss this with you in more detail once you book your portraits with us. If you are curious about some of our outdoor locations, here are the ones we regularly visit and that are considered “in our local area”.

Eastern Suburbs Beaches:

Coogee, Bronte, Tamarama, Bondi (VERY crowded, so we prefer not to go here), Maroubra, Malabar, Little Bay, La Perouse

Eastern Suburbs Parks:

Bronte Gully, Centennial Park

Lower North Shore Beaches:

Clontarf, Balmoral, Chinaman’s.

We are able to travel to other locations besides these, but additional travel outside our regular spots may incur a travel fee. Please check with our studio on (02) 9665 0800.

Can you do our portraits at <insert favourite spot> instead?

We certainly can! One of our favourite things is to revisit a spot that is very special/sentimental to our families.

Give us a call on (02) 9665 0800 and we can discuss the location with you and make sure it’s suitable for the high quality of portraits we create. If it is outside our regular areas we may need to charge a small travel fee.

What should we wear?

An excellent question! Clothing is one of the most important parts of your portraits – it can express personality, accentuate your best physical features, and can also contribute to the mood of an image.

If you want to all match (i.e. white shirts & denim jeans / dark shorts & skirts) that’s fine – but please don’t assume that’s the only way to get great portraits. Some families have a history of this kind of portrait and want to continue it. Others prefer a more individual approach, with each family member given free reign to wear what they like.

Our clothing guidelines are as follows:

PLEASE DO:

Wear comfy clothes that are appropriate to your location (e.g. An evening dress with heels at the beach? Maybe not.)
Stay true to your own personalities (e.g. If you wear collared shirts & shorts all the time, don’t feel like you should change.)
Dress it up a bit if you want to – remember that these portraits will take pride of place in your home for years to come!
Ask us or bring alternative options to your shoot if you’re uncertain.
Choose clothing with simple, neutral tones – e.g. pastel colours, lighter whites, or darker browns/blacks/etc.

PLEASE DON’T:

Wear clothing with loud or fluoro colours – they are visually hard to look at in professional portraits.
Wear clothing with STRIPES/SPOTS/LOGOs or BRANDNAMES – these features clash and distract us from your family’s expressions.
Wear anything you are uncomfortable with – your discomfort will show in your facial expression.
Use makeup any heavier than you normally would – there is no need to “wear it heavy for the photographs/camera”. What you see in the mirror is what our camera will see, and if you think it’s a little heavy, it will be a little heavy in your portraits.

As always, if you are uncertain, call our studio on (02) 9665 0800. As a last resort, bring some options to the shoot and we can give you our expert opinion on the day!

Who can be included in our portrait shoot?

As this project is all about family, we are expecting most of our families to be the “conventional” family of Mum & Dad and the kids.

However, we’re just as happy for you to bring your own interpretation of family along to your portrait shoot. Check out What sort of families can participate in the ‘Our Family’ project? and if you’re still uncertain call us on (02) 9665 0800.

If you want to do an extended family shoot, or a shoot with more than around 5 or 6 people, please let us know as we may need to allocate more time for your session.

What about our elderly, less mobile, or physically/intellectually handicapped family members?

We regularly photograph grandparents or people who have trouble getting around, and we are very patient. Please inform us in advance of your session so we can plan your shoot with mobility needs & additional time if required.

If you or member(s) of your family are physically/intellectually handicapped, that’s fine. We are very friendly, non-threatening people, and we want to ensure you have the memories of your family that you deserve through some beautiful portraits. Simply let us know in advance of your shoot and be as open as possible about what special requirements you have. If there are specific triggers or challenges then please tell us so we can manage that with how we work.

We aim to be 100% accommodating for everyone’s family group, and are only too happy to help or work around certain things to help you get the photos you want.

We’re really shy/don’t usually like photographs – will we be OK?

You’ll be FINE, we promise.

There are 6 people who photograph well 100% of the time, and they are called SUPERMODELS and they get paid to do it.

As for the rest of us? Well, we photograph people every day and help all types of people with all types of personalities feel relaxed and at ease in front of our cameras. We’ve been shooting for over 6 years now, and so far haven’t photographed ANY supermodels – the results you see on our website are normal, shy people who don’t feel very comfortable in front of a camera.

Our skill lies in helping you feel as normal as possible in what is, lets face it, a fairly weird situation.

Everyone LOVES the portraits we capture for them, and often people are gobsmacked at how great they look in our portraits – because we make it fun, lots of laughs, and easy.

And when you’re having a good time, you look & feel fantastic, and that’s when we press the shutter.

We have a newborn baby and they might need to feed/sleep. Is this OK?

That’s totally fine. We’re parents too, so we understand that sometimes a baby needs to be fed or needs a nap before they’re happy. Let us know what your baby’s routines are, and we’ll do our best to accommodate sleep/feed routines into when we book your portrait session, and if we need to, we’ll allow more time for your portrait session.

Can we have some Black & White shots as well as Colour?

Certainly! We shoot digitally, so everything is captured in colour to begin with, and then we have the option of converting images into Black & White or even Sepia / Cool tones if you prefer.

This is something you can preview and choose at your Viewing & Purchasing appointment. (See below for more information about Viewing & Purchasing appointments.)

Can I buy some of these portraits for myself?

Absolutely. Everyone LOVES the portraits we capture for them, and almost every family we meet chooses to purchase additional portraits from their session.

We have a range of presentation options to display your portraits on the walls at home, on the walls and on your desk at the office, to give as gifts to family and friends, and put into hand-bound portrait albums for posterity.

Our portraits start at $185 for a mounted 7×10″ portrait, and range up to $1200 or more for some of our largest feature frames and canvases. Because of the high quality of images we show you, most of our clients invest around $1500-$2000 in their portraits.

We do not offer digital files, instead offering a large range of archival prints, frames, canvases and albums.

What sort of guarantee do you offer?

We have a 100% No-Risk Guarantee that you will love the portraits we show you from your portrait shoot, and we also have a Lifetime Guarantee on your actual finished products.

If you are unhappy with the selection of images we show you at your Viewing & Purchasing Appointment, we will gladly re-shoot your portraits to ensure we get the images you’re after. We have never had to do this, and don’t plan on making a start now, but it’s there for your peace of mind!

If any of your portraits show defects or problems in craftsmanship over time, we will happily assess them and arrange to repair or replace your portraits. Note: This does not cover normal use/wear & tear on albums or collections that are handled with fingers, and it only applies if portraits are hung in soft light – any portrait hung in direct sunlight will not last long at all due to UV deterioration.

How soon can we see our portraits?

Your portraits will be ready to view & order from as early as 2 days after your portrait session.

We will book in your Viewing & Purchasing Appointment on the same phone call that we book in your Portrait Session. This gives you the advantage of securing the appointment time you want, as well as giving you advance planning for your time with this appointment.

If you are unable to book your Viewing & Purchasing Appointment at the time of booking your Portrait Session, we will book it with you at the Portrait Session itself.

What times are available for our Viewing & Purchasing Appointment?

We offer Viewing & Purchasing Appointments Monday to Friday from 9-5pm, with a small selection of evening appointments also available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the occasional Saturday.

We recommend making a time during a weekday daytime spot, as these are often easiest to manage with children at school/day care.

If you are unsure, please call our studio on (02) 9665 0800 and we can talk about the different options with you. Make sure you have your calendar/schedule in front of you!

How long does the Appointment go for?

We recommend allowing 1.5 hours so you can choose comfortably and without rushing. In over 6 years of running these appointments, we have found that between 1 to 1.5 hours is usually what people need to choose their favourite images in a relaxed, un-hurried manner.

We ask that you are 100% ready and willing to make all purchasing decisions at this appointment, and that all decision makers (i.e. husband/wife/partner) are present at the appointment.

We are always heavily booked and so we can only offer ONE complimentary Viewing & Purchasing Appointment per portrait session. Additional appointments are charged at a rate of $150 per hour for our time.

Where is the Viewing & Purchasing Appointment held?

Your Viewing & Purchasing Appointment is held at our Studio in Coogee, at 228 Oberon St, Coogee NSW 2034.

On-street parking is available all day, and for most evening appointments. If you get stuck, call us on (02) 9665 0800 and we may be able to help you find a park.

For a map to our studio, visit our Location Map on our website.

What products/options do you offer?

We offer a very broad range of wall frames & canvases, portrait albums, mounted prints, desk/mantelpiece frames, and DVD presentations.

Everything we produce is archival – meaning it will last around 75-150 years if treated well and displayed in soft lighting (frames/canvases) or in dark storage (mounted print collections/portrait albums).

We do not offer digital files, instead preferring to offer our clients the finest handcrafted physical portraits for immediate enjoyment.

How much do portraits cost?

Our portraits start at $185 for a mounted 7×10″ portrait, and range up to $1200 or more for some of our largest feature frames and canvases.

Because of the high quality of images we show you, most of our clients invest around $1500-$2000 in their portraits.

We encourage you to think of your portraits as a beautiful investment in art, and an investment in your family history and your memories of this time in your life. How often have you looked at family photos from generations gone by, and thought how priceless they were?

In EVERY case, people’s portraits appreciate in value over time and mean much more to them in years to come, compared to the small amount of money paid to create them.

What payment options are available?

We offer VISA/MasterCard/EFTPOS/Cash/Cheque payments.

We gladly accept cheques, although we wait until funds have cleared before processing your order.

We can also offer you Internet access to make a direct deposit at your appointment (through Internet banking), although like cheques we wait until funds have cleared to begin processing.

There are some layby-type payment plans available which operate on a direct debit basis. If you think you’d like this option, please bring your bank account details to your appointment. Some conditions apply to these payment types, and we will be happy to discuss this with you at your appointment.

Can I have the digital files?

We don’t offer digital files for portraits, instead offering our clients a beautiful range of prints, frames, canvases and albums.

We want your portraits to last as long as possible, and we also want our creations to look their best. The only way we can guarantee that is by printing and producing all of your portraits ourselves using our highest quality materials, skills and expertise.

We commit to keeping your portraits stored archivally, so they will always be available for your future requirements.

When will our portraits be ready?

Most orders are ready within 4 weeks, depending on how complex your order is. Some of our more intricate presentations require a little longer.

We have very strict quality controls, and occasionally we need to reproduce something before we are happy for it to leave our studio with you.

We believe it’s better to get it right and have the best quality handcrafted products leave our studio, rather than letting sub-standard work out the door and having unhappy clients.

How long will our portraits last?

We use archivally stable materials in the photographic paper, inks, framing, matting and albums, which are all acid-free and designed to leave your portraits looking great without discolouration or deterioration for generations.

Your portraits will last 75-150 years if treated well, and if displayed in the correct lighting conditions. Only ever hang portraits in soft lighting. Direct UV sunlight is a photograph-killer.

How long do you keep our portraits on file?

We commit to keeping your portraits on file in our long-term archives FOREVER. As long as our business is around, and as long as you can get access to www.israelsmith.com you will be able to track us down and get access to your portraits.

NOTE: If you choose to order portraits AFTER we have moved your work to our long-term storage, we have an archival retrieval surcharge of 20% additional on the current price of whatever you’d like to order.

Offering an indefinite archive is a big call, but we offer it for two very important reasons.

At the latter stages of our careers as photographers, we want to be able to review our work and enjoy the progression from our early years to later years.
We want to ensure you have access to your family history for as long as you need it.

We have had clients who have returned for portraits for years, and upon a major milestone in their children’s lives, they have returned to us to compile a retrospective wall of framed portraits spanning 5 years. We have had families request copies of portraits of children for embarrassing events like 21st parties, or sad events like the untimely passing of those family members.

Regardless of the event, we view our role almost as custodians of your family history and memories, and encourage our clients to return often, and trust us to keep their archives safe and secure.

Can I refer other friends to be part of this project?

Of course! The ‘Our Family’ project is designed to raise money for Sydney Children’s Hospital, so the more the merrier (until we fill all 250 available places, that is!)

We love meeting new families and would LOVE to capture some beautiful portraits for your friends and their loved ones.

Please ask us for any additional information, and invite your friends to have an obligation-free chat on the phone about how we can become their family photographers, and have them become part of the ‘Our Family’ project!

Frequently Asked Questions