Frequently Asked Questions

Booking

How to book

Click 'book now' to choose from available dates at a location near you. Our licensed photographers offer Pop-ins during special events just once or twice per month. We have Pop-in locations available all over New Zealand.

Booking online is essential, by creating an account on our website our photographers can easily upload and send your digital portraits after your shoot.

Payment is due at the time of booking online to secure your spot. Our events sell out quickly so make sure you are booked in advance to avoid missing out.

Book new Pop-in™
How do I know when the next Pop-in™ session is going to be?

Check out the calendar on your homepage for all upcoming events, use the filters to see the most relevant information for you.

Where is my Pop-in™ session held?

Your Pop-in™ is held in a photography studio, home studio, or temporary studio at a community centre. Check the details when booking to ensure you are booking at a place near you.

I want to add extras to my shoot, how do I do this?

You can add extras such as close ups during the booking process, or to add extras once you've already booked go to My Pop-ins and click on your upcoming appointment. If there is space left in your timeslot you will see the option to add extras, you can pay for these with your saved credit card or a coupon.

I want to book a sibling portrait of my children together but I can't see the option to add this on?

Each child's individual monthly portrait is $25 a pop, sibling portraits are unavailable at the monthly Pop-ins (twins are no exception). Look out for our next Sibling Special held during the school holidays.

I didn't receive my confirmation email?

To double check you've booked successfully, log in to your account and visit the "My Pop-ins" tab, your new appointment should appear here - by clicking on your appointment you can find all of the information you need to attend. If not, then your booking has not been successfully made. Try again, or contact us.

My baby is two weeks old, is the Pop-in™ suitable for him?

Babies and children of any age are welcomed at Pop-ins.

We recommend waiting until your baby has had immunisations before attending your first Pop-in™, as other children in varying states of health will be present at your shoot. That said, this is a recommendation, not a rule, and we welcome littlies from day dot.

Furthermore, newborn babies are precious little gems, and they take specialist handling to capture beautiful portraits at this early age, they need lots of time and patience to make sure they're relaxed and happy for their photos - time is in short supply at our super speedy Pop-in™ sessions. Most of our host photographers are highly skilled newborn specialist photographers and would love to photograph your brand new baby in a private, full priced portrait session. Many of our hosts offer a free 'first pop' at your private session, allowing the time and patience required for this age group. Don't miss the opportunity to capture this amazing stage in your family life with a private newborn portrait session.

Payment

Payment is made at the time of booking to secure your time slot, we take payment via Stripe so have your login or credit card details handy. Payment via cash or bank deposit is not available.

I don't have an appointment, can I come along anyway?

Please ensure you have booked in advance before coming along to the Pop-in™ day - we book time slots so that we have a maximum number of appointments each hour to avoid overcrowding. If there are no time slots showing up, that's because we're fully booked - make sure you grab a spot in advance for the following month!

On the Day

To prepare

Once you've secured your booking the only thing left to prepare is your child's special outfit, see our Popaholics group for outfit inspiration! Our photographers are experienced professionals and know exactly how to get the best out of every poppet, you're in safe hands.

On the day

When you arrive at Pop-ins, log into your online account and check in online. You'll be added to the remote waiting list and you'll receive a text or email to let you know when it’s your turn to Pop-in. If there is no online check in available simply come on in and give your name to the person at the desk, once you've checked in you can find a comfy place to wait your turn. If your baby is due a feed or a change there's no rush, just let the next in line go ahead of you so your baby is at their happiest for their photo.

At Pop-ins up to 20 other babies are booked for the same time slot. Each child takes only a few short minutes to photograph. Your timeslot is super flexible, come along any time within the hour. You can expect to wait for around 5-15 minutes for your turn. Please avoid the last 15 minutes of the event to ensure you still have time to get your shot before your photographer needs to pack down.

I'd love to have a family portrait taken, can I get a photo of me and the kids at my Pop-in™?

Pop-ins are for individual kid-only photos that we always take in the same style each month, for more range in your portraits check out our great range of special events available during the year.

How long will my appointment take?

Each Pop-in™ portrait takes only a minute or two to create. Because we only need one cute photo of your child, as soon as that has been captured we move on to the next baby. You are welcome to turn up at the studio anytime within the hour you've chosen for your time slot, you may need to wait for a few minutes for your turn as up to 20 other poppets will be scheduled for the same hour time slot.

Remember if you're in a rush, let our staff know so they can move you to the front of the queue.

Do I need to bring anything?

Please leave your buggies behind when visiting the studio to avoid congestion in the waiting area. Many parents choose to bring their baby's 'photo outfit' along to change into at the studio. When you arrive check in with the photographer (or their assistant) and write your details on one of our Little Annie whiteboards. Many poppets like to bring a toy, blanket, small prop or milestone cards along to their session as a marker to show how much their baby has grown month by month.

Poppets under 4 months should bring their own blanket, which should be a plain, light coloured blanket which is bassinet or cot-sized, which they can be safely laid on for their portrait.

My baby isn't sitting unassisted yet, is that ok?

Yes certainly, all ages and stages are welcome. Our Pop-in™ chair is perfect for supporting little ones who are not sitting yet and our photographers are pros at making sure your baby is comfy no matter their skill level. We can’t wait to see your baby develop through their milestones!

Can I bring a toy along?

Yes! In fact we recommend it, a toy or prop of your choice is perfect for showing how much your baby has grown month by month. Feel free to get creative, if you have a cool idea that will look amazing once your full set is put together, go for it!

A couple of notes: please ensure your prop fits within the Pop-in™ chair (alongside your baby aka, no bicycles...), please do not bring cakes or other messy props, balloons etc should be filled with helium and no larger than 30cm to fit into the photo, props that take a lot of setting up or don't support themselves are usually not worth the hassle.

Also please note that we are aiming to get a great photo of your child, not their teddy bear, while we will do our best to get teddy smiling too, sometimes the one great shot of your baby has teddy's bad side... and that's just the way things go.

Do I need to do anything before I leave?

Once your shoot is finished you are all good to go, you'll receive an email from us very soon! Once you've been photographed, kindly make your way out of the studio to leave room for others.

Rescheduling

How do I reschedule?

You can cancel or reschedule your appointment online, just log in to your account and click 'Reschedule' on your upcoming appointment. Fees and conditions may apply. Remember your session fee is non-refundable if you cancel, so use the reschedule option to transfer your payment!

If you have more questions, view our rescheduling and cancellation terms and conditions.

I've booked a Pop-in™ time slot but I can't make it now, darn!

No worries, you can cancel or reschedule your appointment to next month by logging into your account and clicking 'My Pop-ins'. Please note that cancelled Pop-ins are not refundable. Rescheduling your appointment will transfer your session fee to your new booking, and may attract a rescheduling fee. The option to reschedule closes before your appointment time.

Check out our rescheduling policy here.

I've booked a Pop-in™ but my child is sick on Pop-in™ day, darn!

Please DO NOT attend the studio on pop-in day with a sick child, consider those around you, newborn babies, pregnant mums or immuno-compromised children may be at the studio at the same time as you.

Unfortunately your session fee is not refundable in this instance as you have still booked a time slot that another baby might have enjoyed.

If you know you won't be attending ahead of time, logging into your account and clicking 'My Pop-ins', or click 'Reschedule' at the bottom of your confirmation email. This will transfer your session fee to your new booking date.

Check out our rescheduling policy here.

It's Pop-in™ day and we're running super late, argh, what do I do?

No worries, the Pop-in™ day is pretty flexible, you can come anytime within your hour time slot, or if things really go pear shaped, we can usually fit you in to another time slot. Double check the closing time for your event (click on your appointment under 'My Pop-ins') and if there's still time, come on down.

After My Shoot

When will I get my portrait?

You will receive an email from us within 7 days of your shoot with a link to download your portrait. You can check your account any time to view your portraits new and old.

Your photo is high resolution and ready to print/share, just click 'download printable' or 'download shareable' to download the copy/s you need.

If you don't receive an email or your photos aren't showing when you click through to view, please contact us.

I would love to see more shots from my Pop-in™, my baby was being so cute! I'm happy to pay extra.

You can request alternatives or alterations to your Pop-in portraits using the 'feedback' feature. You have two weeks after you receive your Pop-in to request another. Fees may apply.

Our Pop-ins can only be so affordable if we make them as efficient as possible, sharing alternate frames, billing and emailing is time consuming for your photographer, as such it is just not possible from Pop-ins. You can trust your photographer’s judgement to choose the best photo for you, we've been known to throw in a spare here and there for free if there are multiple photos worth framing.

If you're looking for something a little more, you sound like the ideal person to invest in a custom portrait photography session with your host photographer. During your private session your photographer will create a full array of gorgeous portraits for you to choose from. Contact your photographer directly to learn more about their pricing and options for full portrait sessions of your poppet.

Photo delivery

Your photo will be delivered to you digitally, just log into your account and click 'My Pop-ins'. You will receive an email within a week of your Pop-in™ session to let you know that your image is available.

If you haven't received your portrait within 7 days, please contact us.

Technical Support

I have two or more accounts for one child in my account, how can I merge/remove them?

Under My Account, click the edit icon ( ) next to your child's name, and you'll find the option to edit their details or merge that child with another in your account. Help us to keep our information accurate, so we don't email you about things that are of no interest to you, by merging incorrect child details as soon as possible.

How do I send my friend a gift voucher?

You can order gift vouchers here.

Any other questions? Contact us