We all know that saying Welly on a good day.. just as well as we know how unpredictable our weather can be here in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington. Sometimes plans for photo sessions may change if the weather is rainy or too windy for the desired location but I will help you navigate this! I have learned that checking the forecast days in advance before your photo session can only add to sometimes unnecessary worry. While it is best to wait until the day before (or the day of) to confirm plans there are a few options we can discuss when making your booking for a backup plan.
WINDY OPTIONS
Certain locations, like Whitireia Park in Tītahi Bay as the main example, are more exposed and vulnerable to strong wind forecasts as it is on a hilltop. This scenario can mean changing to a different location with better shelter on the day. I try to keep my day flexible on photo shoot days, so if we need to we can move our appointment to the morning we can. If clients are mindful of their commitments and other plans on the day of a photo shoot we may have more flexibility to pivot our plans last minute for a more suitable option.
RAINY DAY OPTIONS
With the weather forecast changing so frequently (and sometimes being unreliable in advance) we can leave it to the last minute to make a call about your photo session going ahead.
If it is raining on the day of your photoshoot
We can reschedule to a new date on a weekday with no additional fees, please note my weekend availability is limited and usually booked out weeks to months in advance so rescheduled appointments usually take place on a weekday. If moving your shoot to a new date on a weekday isn’t an option here are some ideas below for going ahead on the day of your photo shoot.
If rescheduling is not an option
Photos at home
Some clients like to move their photo sessions indoors into their own homes if it’s a rainy day. In your home we only need one or two spaces to create beautiful imagery, usually the living room for bigger groups or the master bedroom if you are a smaller family. We may need to change the time of day for your session if we originally planned a sunset session (a more ideal time indoors would be mid-morning or early-mid afternoon at home due to lighting conditions).
Parliament Buildings (permission required in advance)
When you think of Parliament don’t just think of the Beehive in the background, the photos I take here aren’t touristy and the surrounding areas are quite beautiful! There is a semi-sheltered area at Parliament Buildings near the old library that can be helpful for photos. There is a roof cover to be out of the rain but on a windy day, this too can be a little exposed, so I recommend bringing a warm jacket. This area is suitable for extended family groups and if the rain stops even for 5 minutes we can pop out to nearby garden areas for more variety of locations. For permission at this location, I can email security to pre-arrange this option in advance. This is a great option for those booking in for photos with extended family members who may be traveling from out of town.
Begonia House Wellington Gardens (permission required in advance)
At the Wellington Botanic Gardens, there is a fully enclosed glasshouse which is great for photos, however, it sometimes isn’t the best option for families. We need permission to take photos here and there is an additional fee that clients will need to pay directly to the Gardens/Wellington council for use of the grounds indoors and outdoors (these fees go towards their heritage plant collections and future projects at the gardens). In my past experiences the fee to photograph at the Wellington Botanic Gardens has been $105-$185 depending on the time of year and where we are (this fee also applies to outside areas) Their hours are limited to 9am - 3:30pm in the Begonia House and I recommend doing photos not during lunchtime. This information I’ve provided could change based on their policies updating over time and I can contact them well in advance for updated guidelines or you can reach out to them for bookings here at Treehouse@wcc.govt.nz
TIME-SENSITIVE PHOTO SESSIONS
If your photo session is time-sensitive, like a maternity shoot, and you would like some additional reassurance going into your booking please reach out as I may be able to reserve an additional weekday space as a backup option for your photo session.
THE BOOKING PROCESS
Once we have discussed your location and any backup plans that we may want to have, I will usually be in touch 1-2 days before your session for us to confirm our options and the weather forecast. Feel free to reach out before this timeframe with any concerns. I will be watching the weather forecast leading up to the day, however, we likely won’t know what the weather will do for us until the day before or the day of your photo session. On the day of your photo session if we need to change plans last minute I will contact you via text or call (as my email notifications are turned off and only checked at certain times of the day in my working schedule). You can reach out to me at any time via text message, I am here to help and make this process as easy as possible!
HELPFUL LINKS FOR PHOTOGRAPHER FRIENDS!
If you’d like more information on how to enquire about permission at Parliament see their website here. It is really easy to email the Speaker’s office and they usually reply within 1 business day. They will also sometimes suggest a suitable time based on any events taking place near or at Parliament like protests etc.