Photographer in Blue Mountains

Casual portrait shoots in public are usually fine, but many formal gardens, national parks, heritage sites and city landmarks require commercial photography permits — even for family sessions — with fees from token to substantial. Your photographer should know local rules; ask who is responsible for arranging and paying for permits.

Date, duration, locations, deliverables (number of edited images, resolution, delivery format and deadline), price and payment schedule, cancellation and reschedule terms, usage rights for both sides, and a backup plan if the photographer is ill. No contract, no booking — this protects both parties.

Portrait and family sessions: 1-3 weeks is standard, with a few preview images in the first days. Weddings: 4-8 weeks. If you need images by a hard date (visa, listing, campaign), put the deadline in the contract; rush delivery typically adds 20-50%.

Usually you don't need them. Raw files are unfinished negatives — large, flat, and unusable without editing software. Most photographers either refuse to sell them or price them high because unedited work carries their name. Ask instead for high-resolution edited JPEGs with a print licence, which covers almost every real need.

Mini sessions are 15-30 minutes at a location the photographer chose, often back-to-back with other clients, delivering 5-15 images at roughly half the price or less. Full sessions are 60-120 minutes, at your choice of location, with more posing variety and 20-50+ images. Minis suit updated family photos; milestones deserve a full session.

Look at full galleries, not highlight reels — ask to see a complete delivered set from a session like yours in Blue Mountains. Consistency across a whole gallery is the real skill signal. Then check turnaround time, what's included, and how they handle bad weather or reschedules. Style fit matters more than gear.

Rates run AUD $150-$450 per hour, with Sydney and Melbourne at the top and beginners near $100. A one-hour portrait or family session commonly totals $300-$700; minis run $150-$300. Full-day wedding coverage clusters at $2,500-$5,500.

Commercial photography on council foreshores, botanic gardens and national parks frequently requires a permit — fees vary by council and some enforce actively. Family portrait sessions by a paid photographer usually count as commercial use. Your photographer should handle this; confirm it's covered in the quote.