First thing you to figure out is "what" you want your senior images to be? Or maybe more precisely, what will they be used for? Will you want a print, for hanging somewhere in your home? Will you be sending prints to family (grandparents, aunts/uncles, close friends, etc.) Do you and your classmates exchange wallets with each other or will you be sending wallets out with your grad announcements? Maybe a 4" x 6" of a different image with thank you notes for those who sent a graduation gift? Are you a social media devotee, and if so, will you want a collection of descriptive, defining images depicting who you've become that you'll be wanting to share online, or have adorn the wall of your first dorm room next fall?
Once you have the answers to those questions (as best as you can), you can then think about the kind of images you want to come away with. The last five or six years, we've been dividing senior sessions into two components: traditional and contemporary. Or: Mom's Pics and Students Pics. This allows us to get several beautiful, more traditional poses that mom wants (in an outfit that has her approval), and then, we switch to an outfit we have put together with the student, and we cut it loose and have some fun; with poses and props that more personally showcase the student "they" want to show to the world. (Note to Moms: your student will be a lot more engaged and cooperative with the pictures you want knowing they will have some pictures of their own!)
Now that you know the kind of images you want to make up your Senior Collection, it's time to choose your senior photographer. This process begins online. While we hope you will consider us and visit our web site at www.sacseniorpics.com Google "Sacramento Senior Portraits", and that should give you a good starting group to work from. But before you fire up your lap top, do one thing...
Figure out your budget.
There is a lot to pay for during your Senior Year. And because your pictures are (or should be) very important, they shouldn't require your parents to take out a second mortgage. So, while it should not be the deciding factor as to which photographer you choose, it will play a part. I've always found it best to know what your very top, hard line, max amount will be, before you begin your search. And then...stick to it.
Visit the web sites you found on Google, and the ones your friends have told you about, and the ones on the business cards you picked up over the summer. Make a list of the ones whose style and images you like. Have your mom / student do the same thing and share your findings. When you have a half dozen or so set aside, then look at their pricing structure and see which ones fit below your hard line limit.
There are basically three different price structures for professional photographers today.
IPS (In Person Sales): This format has the photographer charging you "x" for the time to photograph your pictures, and then selling you prints at an In-Person Sales (IPS) meeting, where the photographer will show you selected images they have chosen, from which you must then choose your prints, and pay for them, at that time.
Portraits Packages: Here, the photographer will offer you several different print packages, from the basic to the over the top, allowing you to choose the package that best fills your print needs and budget. Most photographers who offer packages also offer additional, individual prints from an ala carte menu. Beware, sometimes, the mark ups from the ala carte menu are outrageous. Take a few minutes and do the math. Look at all your options.
Digital Packages: This is a great option for the parents/families who are even remotely computer literate and can save you, literally, hundreds of dollars. Some photographers may offer you the option of purchasing retouched, hi-resolution digital images, instead of prints. They usually come either through direct download or via a DVD or flash drive. With these digital images, you can print any of the images in your collection, in virtually any size you wish, at your leisure, and in the process, depending on the number of prints you will need, can save you hundreds of dollars. It also gives you the images you need for your social media, should you be so inclined.
When visiting web sites, photographers using the IPS pricing structure may give you the cost of the sitting fee, but not always the cost of their prints. You may not those numbers until you arrive your interview, or at the IPS meeting, when you have no other options. Some will offer you a big print discount (to go along with their minimum purchase requirement), but make sure you get a written pricing sheet for the prints they want you to order, before you sign a contract! Similarly, many photographers who offer packages will not post the prices on their web site, preferring to have you on the telephone when you hear the prices, so they can give you their spiel. The caveat for either of these situations is, there must be a reason they do not want to post their prices upfront, so beware, and remember...if you are not comfortable with a photographer, there are always more from which to choose.
Now, once you have two or three photographers on a short-list (unless you have found the one you simply can't live without), call and set up interviews. Try and book the appointments within a day or so of one another (the closer the better), and when you walk into each one...know what you want. Know your absolute top spending limit. If you have some idea about what you want to wear, props (if any) you're thinking about, and maybe even have a couple of suggestions where you'd like to have them taken, that's great, but have a discussion on all of those things with your prospective photographer. They have done this a million times and should also have some great ideas.
Most importantly, don't stop this process until you find a photographer that you are comfortable with; one you feel is there to serve you and to make your Senior Portrait Experience and images everything you want and expect it to be, and isn't trying to push you into a contract that seems like the national debt.
Tips: Above all, remember these are your pictures. Don't let anyone tell you what you want, and what is best for you...because it's best for them. A good photographer will offer suggestions, and if he can't give you exactly what you want, he'll tell you why, and present alternatives. But if you feel you're being steamrolled and aren't really playing a part in your experience, or if they put a squeeze on you when you mention you have other interviews scheduled...say thank you and walk.
Over the past few years, some photographers have begun to offer payment schedules. This allows a student/family to enjoy a larger, fuller portrait/print package by breaking the fee into monthly payments. Normally you won't have access to the print/digital images until the payment schedule is completed, but it does give you far more options for your experience without the heavy weight of a large, one-time payment. Discuss this option during your interview.
Ask for the stars when you interview your photographers. Gauge their reactions. See how engaged they are with you, and how committed they are to working with you.
Are they fun? A boring photographer will give you boring images.
Any photographer who badmouths a specific photographer because of how they conduct business or how much (or little) they charge, is neither professional or trustworthy. Look for a photographer with a smile who is positive, creative, and genuinely thrilled about what they do.
That will be your Senior Portrait Photographer.
Comments? We'd love to hear your thoughts or experiences.
Questions? Let's talk...
Cheers!
Dennis Jones
Owner
Sacramento Senior Portraits
www.sacseniorpics.com
925.784.9989
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