The first step to booking an appointment is deciding which type of session you would like. Click here to see what we offer. Then check our calendar. Mini-sessions must take place on pre-determined dates. If you would like to book a beach, park, or full studio session, please contact Mitzi to arrange a date.

Contact Mitzi via phone (661-755-2242) or email (mitzi@photobymitzi.com) to set up an appointment. Space is limited. Mitzi tries to limit her sessions to one day per week so please try to book as far in advance as possible.

Your session fee is due within one week of booking your session. You may mail a check, call with your credit card information, or pay securely with a credit card using the link below.

Newborns are best photographed under two weeks of age, preferably around one week old. After two weeks, they are less likely to sleep or curl up.

If it's possible, Mitzi is just as excited as you are to view your proofs and get your portraits hung up on your walls. Usually, your gallery is available for viewing the day following your session. During the holidays or after a special event, it might take a couple of days. Once you place an order, CDs can be ready within a day or two and prints take about a week and a half. Specialty items such as canvases and framed collages take a little longer. Mitzi knows you are anxious so she does everything possible to get your memories to you quickly.

The calmer you are, the calmer your child will be. In most cases, you can sit back on the couch and watch. Let Mitzi interact with your child. If she needs your help, she'll ask. If there is a meltdown, we will take a break, get a drink, and try again. Remember that your child is loudest to you. Mitzi can handle any amount of excitement from a child! The comment we hear most often is, "We left thinking we had nothing and now there are so many great images, we can't decide what to get!"

Since each session is different, it is impossible to know ahead of time how many images will be shown in your online gallery. It depends on the number of subjects and how the session goes. Full studio sessions typically have 20-35 images. Beach and park sessions usually have 15-30 images. Mini-sessions typically have 10-20. There is not a guarantee on the number of images shown in your gallery. Mitzi will include every portrait that she feels captures the subject(s).

A gallery cd contains the high-resolution, printable images from your online gallery. Each file is sized to 4x6 at 300 dpi. This size will print nicely up to 11x14. Your cd will also include a release that gives you the right to make unlimited copies for your personal use. You may print them at home, have them printed at a lab, or share them online with family and friends. You will also receive lab recommendations and tips for making back-up copies of your images. Your CD will not include collages, storyboards, or cards. Those must be ordered separately.

Your cd will include lab recommendations and simple instructions for uploading your images to a lab. If you are ever confused, Mitzi is here to help!

During a themed mini-session, the first part is spent capturing "that" portrait. Once we have it, if time permits, we will keep shooting and try for individual or sibling portraits. Let Mitzi know what is most important to you at the start of a session.

Most Sundays, subsribers to our newsletter will receive an email announcement about special events or pricing. Spaces fill up quickly so sign up for our newsletter to be one of the first to know.

Yes! In fact, Facebook fans enjoy special discounts and offers only available on Facebook. Fans also hear about specials before the newsletter is sent. They see previews of their sessions before they are on our website and can tag themselves in photos for their family and friends to enjoy forever. Click on the image below to check out our fan page.

If you need to reschedule your appointment, please contact me at least one week before the session so your deposit can be applied to another session. If you do not call to re-schedule or you do not show up to the session, you will forfeit your deposit.

Please don't bring your child to the session if he/she is sick. You won't get the kind of image you want. If your child becomes sick the night before or the morning of your session, please call to re-schedule and your deposit will be applied to another session.

Newborns and Babies
Newborns and babies up to 9 months old are mostly shot in their birthday suits. For these sessions, parents should wear black to help pose the baby while blending with the background. You may also bring along a special outfit, blanket, or toy for your baby.

First Birthdays
Please bring several outfits for your baby. If you plan to have a cake for your baby to eat, remember that whatever he/she wears for that portion of the session will get messy (we hope)!

Studio Sessions
When selecting clothing for your studio session, think simple, solid, and similar. During a full studio session, there will be plenty of time for clothing changes so bring several choices. Ideally, something light for the white background, something dark for the black background, and something fun.

Park and Beach Sessions
Again, think simple, solid, and similar. Jeans and solid tops are great for the beach. Although white is easy and popular, Mitzi actually prefers a color because eyes are drawn directly to the subjects' faces in the portrait. Please browse the gallery and samples on the website to get an idea of what you like.

When you purchase the digital files on cd, you are buying the rights to reproduce the images for your personal use. You are free to print those files and share them online. Mitzi still owns the copyright to your images which means you can not change them, claim them as your own, or submit them for publication. If you do not purchase a cd, it is illegal to scan prints either in a store or on your home computer. It is also illegal to take images from the website. Mitzi knows how fun it is to share your family photos and has her own personal blog and facebook account for this purpose. As a courtesy, any image that is purchsed as a print is available to you as a low resolution file suitable for sharing online. Just ask, and she'll email one to you.

No. She specializes in babies, children, and family portraiture. She will be happy to refer you to photographers who are experts in other areas.

Online galleries will be posted a couple of days after your session for your friends and family to enjoy. They stay online for several weeks.