The debate about having a second session after yearbook photos
Are you serious? With all the things I have to do for my childs senior year, booking a second session now has to be added to the list? The answer isn’t a definite yes! But it is something you should consider exploring and I will tell you why.
The yearbook photo while timeless with the black off the shoulder drape and the tilted pose, it is also uncomfortable! These photos are typically shot at a high-volume studio where they are doing back to back sittings and just looking to the next customer. While they are good at what they do, taking headshots and maybe few studio shots, they are not interested in getting to know your teen or you. Now this is all I am going to say about these studios because I am not here to bash a competitor I am here to tell you why both of us can be part of your senior experience.
Take a minute to consider both. If you are looking for something a little more personal for your teen then I would strongly suggest you look into booking a local photographer who specializes in senior photography. Senior sessions typically lasts 2-3 hours and include hair and makeup but the experience doesn’t begin at the session it begins weeks or months prior with the photographer getting to know your teen and working closely to develop a session that expresses everything about them.
I will usually meet with my senior at least once before the session and have several phone consultations to go over outfits, locations and overall mood of the shoot. The purpose of this shoot is to encapsulate your life up until this moment. I tell all my teens I want you to look back in twenty years and instantly be transported back to who you were back then. I want their kids or grand kids to look at these photos and right away be able to know what you were like at 18!
I also want your kids to be able to see these photos. This is another reason to go with a local photographer that offers products. You will get a wide array of boutique heirloom options for printing your beautiful artwork. Because just like DVDs have been removed from computers someday so will USBs. It is a disservice to our clients to only hand over digital files when we have access to some of the best photo labs in the country to print at professional quality anything you can imagine.
These local photographers are not a high volume studio, they typically only shoot a few handful of clients a month in order to focus their time and energy on them. This means you will get all of their attentions and a VIP experience. Like I said previously it doesn’t just begin and end at the shoot! There are emails, calls, edits and making your client feels special. All of these things combine makes investing in a local photographer worth the money! Lets talk money!
A local photographer can cost anywhere between 200-$2500 depending on the experience you are looking for. Some photographers are hobbyist and are doing this because it is their passion and may need some extra cash for yearly vacations. Other’s do this as a full-time job and need to pay insurance, taxes, business license and a million other things that it cost to run a business and then on top of that their mortgage and to live! Again, neither option is better but I will speak on the latter since this in the boat I am in. Not to go into too much detail, this can be its own post but because I am premiere award winning full time photographer I treat my clients as such. You are supporting my small business and because of that I am going to put extra attention into my clients. Some weeks I work more than 40 hours and those hours are solely focused on my clients and growing my business. Just remember that sometimes it is worth paying more to support a local and get a premium experience. I know that whenever I need a service done I always look to Folsom Chat on Facebook to find recommendations for locals. I know I may be paying more but I am also boosting the local economy.
You will also have the chance to shoot your session at anytime of the year not just summer!