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Spring 2024 Senior Photos
BOOKING YOUR SESSION
You will book your session down below by picking an available date and then following the prompts through a few questions and invoice. The invoice will be for the session itself, and the session fee is non-refundable. The session fee covers the cost of the my time and expertise involved in doing the photo session as well as the processing of the photos afterwards. It is a separate fee from any products, prints, or digital files that you may choose to purchase after the session. After confirming your session by paying the invoice, you’ll receive a confirmation email, as well as one more with a session contract that’ll need to be signed.
Below, there will also be some questions for you/your senior about locations, what ideas you might have an so on. It’s nice to have all these planning things done so the day of the session we can just get creative and have fun.
Any payments made, for the session, or products can be made via credit card, or cash. Sorry, no checks.
LOCATIONS
I love when you have a location in mind because that usually means it’s special to you in some way, but in the chance that you have no idea or just want some ideas, I have them! Some of the locations in the Northern Virginia area include, Leesylvania State Park, Old Town Alexandria, Historic Occoquan, Occoquan Regional Park, Rippon Lodge, Manassas Battlefields, Crystal City, Old Town Fredericksburg, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, the National Mall, and even some local vineyards/wineries have some wonderful photo opportunities. Do any of these get your wheels spinning?
ABOUT RESCHEDULING
If your session date is getting closer and we see some unfortunate weather in the forecast we will definitely be communicating with each other about our best options to reschedule at both of our earliest convenience. Unfortunately, as much as I’d like to, I cannot control the wrath of Mother Nature. Any other types of rescheduling due to your own reasons will be allowed up to 2 times, but beyond that it will be unlikely your session can be rescheduled.
For a senior session we can realistically do about 2-3 outfits. Of those, I recommend something a bit dressier to start with, something more “you”, and something that represents either a college you’ll be attending, sports or other extracurricular activities you’ve been involved in, or just something that represents you in general. (Do you love reading? Bring a stack of your favorite books. Do you love shoes? Load them up. You get the idea.) General tips for outfits…solid colors and simple patterns work best. Try to stay away from big logos or busy patterns…the focus should be on you. Consider what location you’ve chosen and what might look best with that. Don’t be afraid to accessorize with your favorite jewelry, hats, scarves, or anything like that. Those types of things give us options for looks as well as posing variety. And if you need a haircut or nails done, consider scheduling those the week of your session too.
A note on shoes…totally coordinate with your outfits, but bring a comfy pair to walk around in during your session. I like to keep the sessions moving along and we will, at times, have to walk a bit so to avoid any major discomfort, bring those comfy shoes with you!
I have had many clients in the past text me pictures of outfits they’re considering for photos and I absolutely welcome this. I am more than happy to play a part in helping you decide what will work best to show off who you are as well as what will photograph well for these important photos! One of the most important things is to create a collaborative and enjoyable experience for both the photographer and the senior, resulting in some awesomely memorable senior pictures.
what to wear
& how to prepare
Day of your session
After all the planning and getting ready for the session…the day arrives and the only thing left to do is have fun! We’ll meet up at the location you’ve chosen at the scheduled time and go from there. My sessions are relaxed, I like to keep things moving and fun so we’ll keep things going, stopping at many different spots, snapping MANY photos along the way. I am often times looking for cool backgrounds and good lighting, but I always encourage clients to point out a spot they’d like to try as well. I always say, “let’s do it! If it doesn’t work, we don’t use it.”
Posing
One of the biggest questions I get asked is, “Will you help me pose?” And the answer is yes. While I use the term ‘pose’ loosely because my sessions include a lot of movement, we also do plenty of classic shots as well. Sometimes I will prompt you to do something silly or say something off the wall only to get the reaction afterwards, so really…you just have to trust me. 😉
And if you’re worried about posing, there’s Reels on instagram you can watch, I even share them sometimes, or you can practice in your mirror at home but at the end of the day, I want to photograph you authentically so forget about perfection, and let’s not take ourselves too seriously. Be yourself, focus on the moment, relax, and have fun. High school senior photos are all about capturing your individuality, so don’t be afraid to let your personality shine. Laugh, smile, and express yourself as you normally would.
Editing
After your session I will cull through all your photos and remove any shots that have blinks, unready faces, and redundant shots, then I start the editing. My editing style, as I hope you’ve seen already, is true to color and vibrant. I do not change the way you look and will not photoshop your size, because let’s face it, we need to be a little nicer to ourselves…what I will do is remove any acne, or anything that would naturally be gone in a couple weeks. I will also fix things like stray hairs in your face, a bra strap we forgot to tuck away, hair tie on the wrist, etc. I will of course handle special requests on a per job basis (think, scar removal, or things like that).
ordering, pricing, &
products
By the time you’re at this point to choose products, you’ve paid for the session itself, but once your photos have been sent over in the online gallery, it’s time to decide what you’d like to do with your photos. If you need help or would rather do this part in person, I’m happy to setup a time where we can get together and do that. The most popular products for a senior portrait session can vary depending on individual preferences and trends, but here are some popular products that seniors and their families often choose after a senior portrait session:
Albums
Custom-designed albums or photo books that showcase a selection of the best images from the session provide a beautiful and tangible way to preserve memories. These include a variety of layouts and designs done by me to showcase your photos in the best way. These are keepsakes for sure, most popularly leather bound with a heavy acrylic photo cover.
Prints
Traditional prints in various sizes, such as 8×10, 5×7, or wallets, remain a classic choice. Many clients love having physical prints to frame or share with family and friends. Make a list beforehand for which family members would want one.
Announcements
Many seniors opt for custom-designed graduation announcements or invitations featuring their favorite senior portraits. These personalized cards are a great way to share their achievements with friends and family as well as an invite for open-houses and/or parties.
A quick note about the AI apps available to remove watermarks (unfortunately, it has to be addressed)…while I understand it’s nice to have the ability to do that, please remember this is my livelihood and take great pride in creating beautiful portraits for you to document this important milestone. If my prices don’t suit your budget, I completely understand, but we may not be the best fit to work together if you’re planning to use the apps to remove a watermark rather than pay for my products/services. Besides this just being generally not cool…it’s illegal. 😉
Most Common Selections
These three options are the most popular among all my sessions. As much as I love for everyone to order tangible items to enjoy your photos, I know the reality, so below you’ll see some convenient choices as well as a more detailed list of offerings available to download and peruse at your leisure.
Reminder, the session fee of $200 is completely separate from everything else. Everything beyond is additional.
Downloads Only (The total DIY)
$250
This option is for those who want to do everything yourselves. All photos will be downloaded from the online gallery for your to print and use as you like. Highly recommended that you save them immediately to a hard drive. You will get some suggestions where I would recommend printing as well.
*MOST POPULAR*
All photos will be delivered to you on a keepsake USB in a nice, custom box for safe keeping. Immediate downloads from the online gallery are available too while you wait for the USB to be ready. You can print and do with the photos as you like, but they’re already safely archived for you on your easily accessible dual USB (usb-c and usb-a connections). Printing recommendations included.
Keepsake Digital Collection + PRints
$500
Great for Gifting!
All photos delivered to you on a keepsake USB in a nice, custom box for safe keeping, PLUS 30 mounted 4×6 prints. These are beautiful quality and great to give as gifts as well as display.
let’s make it official
Your date isn’t sent through to me until the session fee has been paid. That’s when your date of choice is saved. Make sure to go all the way through to the invoice payment.
