Happy Thursday, y’all!! My sister Rachel and I had this post planned for maybe a month now, so I thought, why not go ahead and post it?!! If this is something you aren’t interested in currently, then go ahead and save it for when you feel comfortable having pictures made again!!
I’m so excited my sister let me collab with her and share some of my top photography session tips. I hope these will help you at your next photo session!
1. Show up early
My 8th grade science teacher used to say, “Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.” I totally took this to heart, plus I can’t stand to be late. It causes me anxiety. To help eliminate stress, plan to leave EARLY for your session. Even though you may not think it takes as long as it does to get ready, something is bound to happen before you pack up to leave the house. Every photographer is different, but my sessions are booked according to time. Sometimes I have 2, 3, or 4 sessions in a day, so time-management is key for me to not be late, and it always makes it easier when clients are early!
2. Communicate special needs
There are times I’ve had clients with kids that don’t respond well to what I’m doing, and I want you to pull me aside and tell me! You will not hurt my feelings. Constructive criticism is always acceptable. I’ve photographed several individuals that require diversion or quick work. Being a nurse, I’ve worked with every type of client. Communication is key.
3. Ask for a style guide
As a photographer I have a particular “look” I’m always going for, and in order to have that “look” in your images I always recommend my clients follow my style guide. You can always be yourself in your pictures and wear absolutely whatever you would like, but my style guide has my favorite color and pattern combos for on-camera. As a client, you are not expected to know how to pick out outfits! Pinterest is always a great help, but any good photographer can provide you a style guide to help make your experience easy, and the best!
4. Tip
Hairdresser, masseuse, the lady that does your nails… all of these are types of services. So is your photographer! Unlike the services I listed above, once those are performed on you, it’s done. With photography, I spend usually a good amount of time with my clients on session day. The work doesn’t stop there! I then have to upload and cull your images, spend time editing each individual one, pay a company to store your images for a couple weeks, and then back all your images up (twice) with two other companies. There’s a lot that goes into one session, and that doesn’t even account for wedding days (so much more time and effort day of AND post processing). If you enjoyed your session, pictures, AND service, tips are always appreciated!
5. Be patient
So, you just had your session, when will you get your pictures?! Like 5 minutes? No way, Jose. I should really give a true “behind the scenes” from a session to post processing just to show everyone how much goes into one session! I have my image delivery time on my website as well as the contract each client signs before their session. I love setting those expectations before-hand, but just know I always try to over-deliver! If you want to know when you’ll get your pictures refer to your photographer’s policy page or your copy of the contract.
Whether you book with me or another photographer, invest in capturing your life memories with beautiful, timeless images. It’s so important to document your life outside of your phone. See my website (www.rawimageswithrach.com) to inquire about booking your wedding, session, or next mini with RAW Images!
Thank you so much, Rachel, for sharing all of these tips with us! I’ll be honest–there were so many things I didn’t know about photographers before my sister became one. For example, I had no idea people should tip photographers. I’ve always tipped at the hair salon and nail salon because those people are providing a service, so it only makes sense to do that with your photographer. I heard that somewhere once and mentioned it to Rachel, and she said it was true! Also, her style guide is excellent. She really knows what photographs well and what doesn’t. Thanks again Rach!!!
