Cinematic Narrative Photography
Novella "Day in the Life"
A Novella session is a four-hour, multi-location portrait experience designed for people who want to see their life reflected with clarity and detail.
It creates a connected body of images with continuity and context, shaped by where you go, how you spend your time, and the way your connection carries through each environment.
The result is a cinematic, story-driven gallery that feels complete, personal, and specific to you.
What are Novella Portrait Sessions?
Novella Portrait Sessions are playfully crafted around things you love to do, natural movement and maybe a little novelty.
If Narratives illustrate a chapter, Novella is the feature film.
Novella Sessions Might Look Like
- Taking the Wolfe Island ferry, photographing the crossing itself. Leaning on the rails, wind in your hair, skyline behind you, before exploring wherever you land.
- Starting at the Memorial Centre Market, filling a tote with fruit and bread, then driving out to a quiet field for a late picnic that turns into bare feet and windblown hair.
- Bowling a full game at Splitsville under neon lights, hard laughs drowned out by arcade noise, then wandering toward a downtown patio as the evening cools.
All are welcome and encouraged to reach out; individuals, couples and families.
Lumenali is an inclusive and friendly space to be your honest selves.
Who Novella Portrait Sessions are For
Novella sessions are immersive and experience-led, shaped through movement, place, and presence over time.
They draw people who understand that meaningful images come from what is lived, from the decisions around where to go, how to spend the time, and how fully to step into it, allowing light, weather, and environment to become part of the record.
These sessions resonate with couples who carry full lives and choose to be intentional with their time, shaping days into something worth remembering and creating space for what holds weight right now to be captured as it exists.
How are Novella Portrait Sessions Different than Narrative Portrait Sessions?
Narrative vs. Novella
- A Narrative Session offers a focused, two-hour chapter, often centered around a single outing, walk, or shared activity. Novella expands on that framework with a 4-hour experience meant for more context and depth.
- Where Narrative captures a moment within a setting, Novella captures movement between settings.
- Where Narrative holds a scene, Novella traces progression throughout a day in your life.
Both of these portrait sessions are intentional. However, they serve different seasons.
Novella is chosen when two hours would feel incomplete.
When the experience matters even more than the photos.
It allows for more experiential and creative range:
A full afternoon instead of a single outing.
Time inside meaningful spaces before stepping outside.
Natural transitions from late afternoon light into dusk and blue hour.
Room for movement between locations — a coffee stop, a short drive, a reset.
Wardrobe changes that reflect different sides of your life.
Unplanned moments that appear when time isn’t tight.
A two-hour Narrative session documents a chapter.
Four hours allows the story to progress through changing light, shifting energy, and the unpredictable, spontaneous in-between moments that make the experience feel fully lived in.
Testimonials
"You gave me so much confidence, I didn't feel nervous at all.
We had so much fun because You made it feel so natural. Also, you had everything planned, so we were not improvising...the way we see each other from your perspective helps us acknowledge how much care, love, and sweetness we have for each other.
The photos make us smile so, so much!
Alison will be ready to capture what you like of yourself and YOU'LL discover Even more! She´ll make you feel so COMFORTABLE, it WON'T even feel like a PHOTOGRAPHY session."
- Karen & ALan
Testimonials
"Alison was very thoughtful, professional and logical in planning our creative portrait session...she is a Professional Communicator, who loves to think and implement her creative thoughts in real life.
We were able to relax and joke around while alison brought the vision to life. I never had to worry about the outcome because Alison made sure she got all angles covered.
We really enjoyed working with her and after the session, were so excited to see our photos!"
- Tiffany & Daniel
Testimonials
"The first time we saw any of the photos we were blown away by the colours. Greatly enjoy how you were able to bring out all of the natural hues of the sky.
Being two individuals who are very much into nature, the location was perfect.
We seriously gushed over these photos."
- Rachelle & Stuart
Testimonials
"I knew Alison would be keen and creative.
She was very personable, funny and light.
Keep doing you and creating this wild, beautiful thing you're doing.
Your images are flawless, and real and raw.
I just love that."
- Shayna & Jared
Testimonials
"I love every picture! You are amazing!
We are really impressed at how well they turned out. It is going to be tough to narrow down.
Thank you so much.
I’m so happy we decided to do this."
- Kirstin and Brendan
Testimonials
"We were so happy with the gallery, as the photos were beautiful, soft and romantic! I would highly recommend Alison to anyone looking for a romantic and fun photoshoot.
It was a wonderful experience and we are counting down the days that we can collaborate again!"
- Jill and Menno
Testimonials
"...I wanted photos that were professional, impressionable and interesting. Alison guided me and found the best locations and natural light. She helped me feel more confident in front of the camera.
If you enjoy fun and creative photos, I highly recommend booking a session with Alison.
You'll have a great time and love the photos!"
-Thomas
Included in Novella Portrait Sessions
Up to four consecutive hours of on-location photography so we have the time and energy between locations to allow for the unexpected
- Collaborative planning and location consultation so you're feeling prepared and comfortable leading into our session
- Movement across multiple nearby environments to allow your personalities, interests and environments you love to shine
- Direction and pacing guidance throughout to help ensure you enjoy yourselves, don't burn out and so you love the end results
- Priority turnaround: curated proof gallery delivered within 2 weeks because you'll be dying to see what we created!
- Client selection of 130 final high-resolution images, or upgrade to the full album, so that you get exactly what you hope for in your gallery (or defer the gallery curation to me)
- Final gallery delivered within two weeks of image selection/confirmation because you're going to want to print, share and relive your session asap
- One-year online gallery access and print shop for super-simple sharing and printing access
- Five-year archival backup of JPEG gallery on manual hard drives... to keep your memories safe and sound, juuust in case.
Novella Portrait Session Pricing
$1800 + HST
Feel what's unspoken. Be curious.
A lot of us postpone these things (myself included!). But I've got to tell you, you are already totally photo-worthy.
I bet there are a million things that make you interesting to others that you can't even put your finger on.
Imagine what a fly on the wall would see if you spent a morning together with zero technology.
What might it look like as you browse a boutique shop and find cool treasures?
What nostalgic activity did you LOVE as a kid or teen?
You probably have a guilty pleasure that partially defines you.
I'm sure you've tried a new hobby over the years that totally inspires you.
This is where my mind immediately goes as a cinematic-style photographer. I get completely curious about how your session can truly represent you in the most beautiful and creative ways so that you connect deeply to your gallery in ways that gorgeous posing lists just can't compare to.
Don't worry. You don't have to dream this up entirely on your own. This is what my questionnaire and getting to know each other is for.
I am a master at pinpointing little things that you may not have thought of that make incredible photo session concepts, while feeling entirely YOU.
Realistic Movement + Activities + Playful Light + Space + Layers = My Style.
Blog: Dude approved photoshoot ideas that inspire excitement and participation.
Take Novella on the Road
If you’ve been wanting to hike Rock Dunder and cliff jump at golden hour, explore the nearby Tyendinaga Caves, spend the afternoon in Algonquin Provincial Park, wander through Ottawa's Ornamental Gardens during cherry blossom season, or cruise downtown Montréal galleries before dinner, this format makes that possible.
Four hours allows us to anchor the session around an experience rather than a backdrop. We can meet where you are, follow the pace of the day, and let the environment shape the images.
Travel-based Novella sessions are planned intentionally and scheduled as dedicated production days.
If there’s somewhere you’ve been meaning to go, we can build the session around it. Travel rates may apply.
Still Have Questions?
Reach out and I'll happily send you the pricing guide that compares portrait session offers so you can choose which is best for you.
These Sessions are Proof.
Proof that your life,
this season,
Proof that your life,
this season,
this version of yourselves
is worth documenting before it shifts again.
If you are even a little bit curious, reach out and I'll help you figure out what kind of session fits, and what is possible.
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About Lumenali Photography
I’m Ali, a Kingston, Ontario-based photographer, but my work follows where your story leads. I offer cinematic portrait sessions designed for couples, travellers, and daydreamers who want pretty pictures that tell a story. Every session blends storytelling, real connection, and meaningful locations that bring you back to life. That’s where personal narratives and meaningful locations intertwine. I scout, plan, and shape the entire experience so the setting amplifies the story you’re telling. Read more here.