Tell us what the event is, who will be there and where photographs may go afterwards. You do not need to explain the family's history or your reasons. We ask only for the boundaries that affect the camera: who is photographed, who is not, what stays private and who receives the gallery. Your written quotation records those limits.
A welcome celebration can mean many things: a baby's first gathering, a child joining a family, a new home for a child. This page does not ask which one yours is. It is for families who want the gathering photographed and who need the privacy limits to be clear and respected. It sits within our guide to baby and child-celebration photography.
What do we need to know, and what do we leave alone?
We need the practical boundaries. We do not need the story behind them.
| We ask about | We do not ask about |
|---|---|
| Date, place and who is hosting | Why the family wants privacy |
| Who may be photographed and who may not | The child's or family's history |
| Which moments are open, ask first or private | Legal or personal circumstances |
| Who receives the gallery and in what form | Who the guests are beyond what affects the camera |
If you choose to tell us more, we listen and note only what affects photography. We do not keep a record of reasons, and we do not use any family's details as an example elsewhere.
Who decides?
Name the adults who speak for the child. Usually that is a parent or guardian, but you may name one person to be our single contact. Tell us who can approve a change on the day, and who to ask if a guest requests a photograph. If responsible adults give different instructions, we ask them to settle it before the event. Our guide to photography instructions when a parent or guardian disagrees with another adult explains the principle.
Setting the limits for the camera
Think in three layers.
- People. Which guests may be photographed, and which should not appear at all, or should appear only from behind or at a distance.
- Moments. The welcome itself, the cake or blessing, group photographs, the child with relatives. Mark each as open, ask first or private.
- Places. Rooms or areas where the camera stays out, such as a bedroom, a prayer space or a changing area.
Write this as a short list and send it to us. The crew reads it before the day, and we keep to it.
Practical ways to keep faces private
If you want the child unidentifiable, there are still good photographs to take. Hands holding a gift, the food, the decorations, the adults greeting each other, the room before guests arrive, and the child's back as they walk in. We agree the approach with you in advance, and we do not photograph the child and "see what you think" later. Our guide to children's event photographs: questions authorised adults must resolve lists the questions to settle first.
Guests, signs and other phones
You can ask guests to follow the same limits, but we cannot control their phones. A short message in the invitation or a quiet word at the door usually works better than a sign. Our guest photography communication builder helps you write it without making the event feel formal. For a host's conversation with guests, see helping a host communicate photography arrangements without pressure.
After the event
Decide before the day how the photographs will be shared. A private gallery link, a small set of files for the immediate family, or prints delivered by hand are all workable. Our photo sharing and privacy plan records who sees what, and our guide to private gallery access and onward sharing explains forwarding and expiry.
Rules and permissions
Photographs of identifiable people, including children, can be personal data, and the rules do not depend on the label of the event. The Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2024 is published by JPDP, and we suggest you read it or ask a qualified adviser about anything specific. We do not infer permission from the fact that an event is private or small.
A hypothetical example
Imagine a family holding a small welcome lunch at home. The parents tell us three things: one guest should not appear in photographs, the child's face may appear only in the family group, and the gallery goes to two named adults. We plan a short coverage window, brief the crew, photograph details and the adults at the table, take one family group at the agreed time and deliver a private gallery to the two contacts. Nothing else is shared.
Checklist
- Name the adults who decide on photography and approve changes.
- List who must not be photographed, or must not be identifiable.
- Mark moments and areas as open, ask first or private.
- Decide who receives the gallery and whether it may be forwarded.
- Say whether any image may be posted, printed or shown beyond the family.
- Agree how a later request to remove an image would be handled.
Send us the date, the place and your boundaries in whatever words suit you, and we will tell you how we would cover the gathering inside them and confirm the arrangement in writing.
Set our privacy limits for coverageCommon questions
Do we have to explain why privacy matters to us?
No. A short instruction is enough, such as 'no faces of these guests' or 'gallery for family only'. We do not ask for background and we do not record reasons. The responsible adults decide, and we follow the instruction as given.
Can the photographer be told not to show the child's face?
Yes, if the responsible adults want that. We can plan coverage around hands, details, the room and the adults, or photograph the child only at moments you approve. Tell us the rule, and we brief the crew before the day.
What if a guest takes their own photographs and posts them?
Our crew can only follow your instructions for the photographs we take. For guests, the host usually sets expectations in the invitation or at the door. Our guest photography communication builder helps you write a short, polite note.
Who gets the photographs afterwards?
Only the people you name. Decide whether a private gallery link may be forwarded, how long it stays active and whether copies may be printed. We set this out in the delivery notes so nobody has to guess.
Can the photographer use any images in a portfolio?
No, not for an event like this unless you give separate written permission for that specific use. We ask separately and we accept a no. Permission to photograph is not permission to publish.
Sources checked
Set our privacy limits for coverage
Send us the date, the place and your boundaries in whatever words suit you, and we will tell you how we would cover the gathering inside them and confirm the arrangement in writing.
What happens next: You send your event details on WhatsApp. Our team reads the brief, asks what is missing, then confirms in writing whether the date, venue and coverage can be booked, with a quotation. Opening WhatsApp does not send anything, and a message is not a booking until both sides confirm.
Last reviewed: