A letter to the mom's of high school Juniors,
This may seem a little weird coming from a senior photographer - I mean, can you really trust anything I am saying if I am really just trying to get you to hire me? Well, to be honest, I cannot photograph every senior this year, no one photographer can! And being your photographer is hugely important to me as its not a task I take lightly. I just really believe that being your photographer, starts now. I am ready to start helping you here all the way at the beginning!
So, first of all, I have to say congratulations. You have made it through all of elementary school, middle school (which might seem like a blur now but dang did you weather those storms and here you are, looking back on that time!) and you also made it through almost 3 years of high school. You have worked so hard to raise up an incredible teenager who isn't just existing but who is out there contributing and making the world a better place. Your blood, sweat, and tears do not go unnoticed - thank you for all you have done and will continue to do to get your student out into the world with the best chance they have at changing the world for the better!
But I also know that you didn't do that alone and I can image the village it took to be so successful. at raising up a teenager in this world The coaches and teachers, the mentors and neighbors, the best friends and sometimes total strangers, we have to learn and grow and lift each other up. I love that as a teacher I get to come alongside my students and their parents and I also love doing this as a photographer. This passion of mine to support the parents and to celebrate and honor their seniors has driven me to create an experience that is unlike any other photographer out there. But I know what I am offering doesn't match the needs of every family and there are so many different photographers out there. So here are some things to consider when you are out looking for your senior photographer.
#1: Do you like the images they are producing?
Be sure to do some searching and get a feel for what the photographer can do. A professional photographer should have a website as well as social media links so that you can check out and get a feeling for what their images look like. Keep your eye out for a consistent color and editing feel - this will help you better understand what to expect in your session. Also check out their vibe - how they speak to seniors and about seniors. How are they writing their comments and posts? Can you get behind their message? If you are not a fan of their images or who they seem to be online for whatever reason, do not over look that. You want to make sure that you are investing in a photographer that will be able to give you the images and experience you want and need.
#2: How much are you going to invest?
This is definitely a tricky question, one that only you can answer, and the range of prices is huge. For a professional photographer you can expect to spend between $500 and $2500 for senior photos. You will be able to find someone with a camera for just about any price range by using google or jumping on Facebook garage sale groups. You will find dozens of photographers who will do your session for a fairly small budget. One thing I would caution you though - like with most things, in photography you often get what you pay for. A super cheap photographer is often cheap because they are not investing in education, are not giving a great experience, or are not able to offer you a way to showcase your images with high quality, heirloom products. You will only get to capture this milestone once - these are the images that you will have in your house for decades and that people will flip to look at in the yearbook for years and years to come. Make sure that you are getting the images you want and a trustworthy way to show off your images even if it means you have to save up for a few months to be able to afford it. My advice would be to make sure you know how much you will be investing and what you will get for that money. Are you left with just digital images and now you will have to design and print and put lots of work into getting them to a place where you will be able to share them? Are you only getting a handful of prints without much else to show for your investment? You want to feel like every dollar you are investing in this experience is going to get you what you need.
#3: Do you want digital images or do you want products?
Now this really is a dividing question. You will find photographers who offer many different things. Some will do the session and then send you a gallery of images for a certain price. Some will charge a session fee that then will allow you to select a certain number of digital images from a gallery. Some photographers will do the session and then invite you to come back and check out the images so you can decide how you want to showcase your favorite images. The main question is how much do you want to be left alone to figure out and how much would you like to have someone walk alongside you to sort through? I think we can all agree that in this day and age, digital images are important and valuable. But I also know that we sometimes have the greatest of intentions in getting them printed and just struggle to tackle all the questions and get it done. Be sure you know what you want and to select a photographer who will really help you in the process if that is what you are wanting.
#4: How do you want this experience to impact your senior?
I don't know about you, but being in front of the camera is really hard. For whatever reason, I get that camera turned on me and I kind of totally forget how to be a human. In this day and age, I can only imagine the stress that these seniors put on themselves to put on a perfect photographed face on social media. A senior session has the power to lift up or tear down a senior and its important to find a photographer who is able to do the later. You may want to find someone who has been able to communicate their process and how it will support you and your family in capturing, honoring, and celebrating all the amazing parts of your senior. A great photographer will have designed a process that will set you and your senior at ease, will help showcase their awesome personality, and will help it all feel effortless. Make sure you are able to connect and trust this person to provide these images that will capture such a huge milestone in their life.
#5: How much help do want in planning and setting up the perfect session or showing off the best images?
This goes hand in hand with the last question. Showcasing someones personalty, passions, beauty, and dreams can be really tricky! So many people are looking for unique sessions that are unlike everyone else. This takes some creativity but also some great experience and resources. Your senior photographer should be able to walk through the whole process with you to help you in setting up the perfect session so you can make sure that your images are as incredible and unique as your senior is. But I also know that some people may already know exactly what they want so make sure your photographer is listening to what you want and need. The last thing here is help with showcasing your images after the session.
I know that is a whole lot of information to throw at you at once. But do know that I would love to help you navigate this process anyway I can. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you might have. You can also <<<head over to my website>>> to check out more about a senior session with me! Can't wait to talk more here soon!
--Larissa