HI, I'M SAM - Your Family Photographer

Based in Round Hill, Virginia USA ... but will follow you just about anywhere

I'm trying to find the perfect word that encompasses those tiny moments you feel when you're truly paying attention. The little bubbles of effervescence that start fizzing when life slows down and you're in it for real. You can't really see them because you're so in the moment, but you can feel them, coursing through your entire body, giving you the very breath you need to survive.

Maybe you're a momma snugging up real close to her littlest little, breathing in that scent that only you know. Perhaps you have found your partner for life, and you just cannot get enough of one another. How about celebrating you, completely letting go - not for the camera but because you found you.

I am here to show you what you look like when you're head over heals for your life, absolutely smitten with your little loves, completely taken by your partner, and hungry for more. And just like magic, you're going to be able to relive those moments over and over and over again.

- Sam Schinsky, Round Hill Virginia

Photo Credit to Amy Williams Photography

WHY ME?

SESSIONS

FAMILY + COUPLE SESSIONS: We're on the hunt for all of the fun, engagement, movement, and joyful bliss - whatever that means to you. Whether its you and your crew or just you and your boo and whether you want a cozy in home session or an adventure outdoors - we're going to find the moments that speak to your souls and bring out those moments of contentment. Anywhere in Northern Virginia and beyond.
SOLO + SENIOR PORTRAITS: If you need a new headshot for your current or future career, or your graduating senior needs their final chapter documented for the books, we will find where you love to be and bring out the very best of you.
ELOPEMENTS + MICROWEDDINGS + VOW RENEWALS: Big wedding shindigs aren't for everyone. You may be headed to the courthouse or jet setting off to an island by yourself, I have the perfect four hours of documentary storytelling that naturally showcases how the day unfolded beautifully, perfectly, unscripted. I'm will to travel anywhere your nuptials are destined to go.
FINE ART CHILDREN'S PERSONALITY PORTRAITS: Personality portraits for children are the absolute best. Put a kid on a chair in front of a camera for 5 minutes and just watch the magic happen. Because you want to capture that child as they are, right now in this season of them - I never force a smile. We are going to get all of the phases from shy and what is happening to look at my best silly face and do you love my cool new shirt? This is a safe space for them to be themselves.

You can think of these as school photos adjacent. You may homeschool or you may just not love the photos that come back from the school picture day. Or, what if you want to document your babies annually before they are even in school?! From me, you're going to get many more image options with the same ordering process - to include your very own customer service rep (oh! Hi... that's me)

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TESTIMONIAL

Mommy + Me

Melissa Hughes

Sam is the absolute best photographer I have ever worked with.I feel comfortable and the photos she delivers are things we will cherish for decades. Capturing these moments with my family is priceless.

Round Hill, Virginia

MORE TESTIMONIALS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long are your sessions?: Full length sessions - Families with littles tend to want to be done asap because well... littles. Although I feel once I have momentum I could take photos all day, I try keep it right around an hour. If things are hard we can be done in as little as 45 minutes. It depends on the type of session but we are usually maxed out by 2 hours.

Half sessions are 30 minutes.

Coffee Shop Sessions are 20 minutes.

Solo sessions tend to take a bit more time to find variety and fun. These sessions can last anywhere from one to two hours but you can always let me know when you are done and we will find a stopping point.

School Photos shouldn't take any more than five to ten minutes per child.

Wedding coverage starts at four hours, while you can purchase more time - I will generally say 5 hours is my max.

All sessions allow add on time to extend the session length. Though weddings, I will only extend by one hour.
How many digitals do I get?: I tend to produce a minimum of 30 finalized images per hour of shooting. In about 90% of the sessions you're going to see around 70-120 images except Weddings and School photos. Weddings will produce 200-400 images and School Photos you should see a gallery of about 10 unique images per child.

How many images you receive depends on your session type. Full length sessions and weddings will receive all of their finalized gallery images. Half Sessions, Coffee Shop Sessions, School photos etc may offer a certain number of images included in your session fee with the option to purchase more/all of them. This depends on your package purchased.
What else do you offer besides Digitals?: Love this question, I offer albums and wall art, as well as other print products, including a handmade photo ledge to display your favorite prints. I am the person who will never stop yelling from the rooftops to print your images.
Are you insured?: Absolutely.
What are your travel fees?: For local distances, not requiring a half day of travel or an overnight, $1 per mile beyond 30 miles of my home.

I charge travel fees for beyond a 30 mile radius outside of my home, including lodging, expenses, and per diem if it is over 4 hours of total travel and 4 fours of total session time.
Do you offer payment plans?: For the full session fee you will book with a 30-50% retainer/hold fee and then pay on the rest up until the week before the session.

Payment plans for prints and products, it is a case by case basis but the fact is that Yes, upon request, to customers in good standing, I offer one month of a payment plan for every $500 billed. Late fees will be assessed if necessary and nothing will be delivered until balance is paid.
Can I get the raw files?: Nope. The finalizing of the image is part of my job, where I show half of my creativity, my craft, and my art (the other half is during the session and your experience). A painter would never hand you a blank canvas, and I will never give you a raw image.

Have another question?