FAQ’s FOR SENIORS

I usually talk or text with the senior or parents to find out what style of photos they like. Many send me screen shots of photos they’ve liked.

Then we pick a location based on their style and ideas. Sometimes for the full-sized photoshoot it is a combination of a nature spot and an urban spot.

If you don’t have any ideas, don’t worry. I have plenty of location & photo suggestions for you! In fact - I have dreams of locations that I am DYING to use!

A week or two after our shoot I will email you a link to an online folder. The shared folder will have all the finished photos in full resolution.

It will also have a sub-folder labeled “Yearbook” with the yearbook options cropped and sized according to your school’s yearbook specifications. You just need to save your favorite and submit it to the school.

If you read the “Editing” drop-down then you know you do not need to worry about any zits or cuts that might show up on photoshoot day. I will take care of that.

Just be sure to:

• brush your teeth

• wash your face

• dress yourself (and everyone involved) for the weather! If it is cold but you want to wear short sleeves in your photos, please bring a jacket or blanket to wear during downtime.

• wear unwrinkled clothes

• keep your cell phone and other items out of your pockets ( I can put them in a zipped pocket in my camera bag if you like)

• if you’re bringing snacks please bring items that don’t show up all over the teeth.. treats like gummy bears, string cheese, grapes, fruit snacks work great. Goldfish & other crackers tend to show up in smiles. This mostly applies to kids but I know seniors like their snacks too lol

• other than that the key is to get any prep done ahead of time so you can be relaxed and have fun!

First off - you do not need to worry about that at all! That is a big and important part of my job! And the more years that go by, the better I get at helping people pose. I love posing! I read books about it, have taken classes on it and love to play with a variety of poses. So please be assured that I will tell you where to stand, where to put your hands & how to “pose.” Generally speaking I like to choose a neat little spot to sit, then have you sit comfortably and finally I will make a few little modifications as needed. (Like “move your arm a little to your left”)

I spend about 20 minutes per photo editing!

My general rule of thumb is that I eliminate everything on the subject that isn’t permanent like zits, cuts & bruises, fly-away hair, etc. I leave all of the permanent features alone like scars, moles, etc.

However I am happy to lighten or eliminate anything that bothers you.

My goal is for you to LOVE your photos. Just let me know!

I would tell you to pick clothes that you feel comfortable in, show off your unique style and make you feel your best but you probably already know that!

So here are my tips:

1) Think about the background. For example, if we are shooting at a grassy green park - do not wear green! Wear something that goes well like navy or white - or something that POPS like orange or red!

2) Wrinkles are super hard to edit because of light + shadows. So please don’t spend time and money on a photoshoot only to show up with a wrinkly shirt or pants!

3) Have fun! Play with accessories like shoes and belts to make your photos stand out.

4) Call or text me when you’re planning if you need help making a decision. I love that stuff!

5) Bring options! If you are doing the full sized photoshoot - it never hurts to bring lots of options. When we first arrive we will take stock of what you brought & what spots in the location would be a fun match to your outfits! (for example - “you should totally wear that blue dress near the sunflowers” or “that brick wall would be an awesome backdrop with your football jersey”

That depends on where we are! Oftentimes there is a bathroom at the park or a starbucks nearby. Or seniors will sometimes use the middle row of my mini-van with dark tinted windows while I stand guard (with my back turned of course) outside. We have gotten creative at beaches and wrapped a large blanket around seniors…

Will you post my photos on social media? In my experience some people love it and some people hate it. My number one goal is having you LOVE your photos and your experience with me! If you do not want any of your photos on social media - that’s fine with me! Just let me know. No big deal!

Unless the weather will break my camera or lights, I will shoot through most weather. A lot of times weather can bring DRAMA to photos (which I love!) That said - if you want to cancel because it is too wet, too hot, too snowy, too windy, etc. Give me a call or text and we will pick a new date!

Do mom and dad come to the shoot?

Totally up to you! Here are some pro’s and con’s to help you decide!

PRO’S: Sometimes it helpful to have an extra set of hands to help carry clothes, gear, etc. (I usually bring a wagon though so we be just fine on our own too.)

I also sometimes ask mom/dad to act like a stylist and keep an eye out for wrinkles in clothes, loose hairs, etc.

Some parents are really good at getting their kids to laugh, smile, relax!

CON’S: If the teen is angry or annoyed, it can be hard to keep their emotions out of their expressions in photos (I get it! I have two teens :)

Sometimes if a parent is there, we do more of what the parent wants in the photos than what the senior wants… (that can be a pro or a con depending on your goals of the session!)

You will receive your photos in a week or two after our shoot, maybe a little longer if it is the busy season.

I will email you a link to an online folder with all the finished photos in full resolution.

I can also give you the photos on a thumb drive if you like.

The finished photos are yours to keep and there are no additional costs.

If you go to BC or BE then your yearbook photo is due at the middle of October your senior year. The other surrounding schools (BA, DSHA, MUHS, Waukesha, Tosa, Etc) all have different deadlines and size requirements. I have most of them written down & will share them with you after the shoot. I size the photos according to the senior’s school requirements. However it is the student’s responsibility to submit their photo to the school!

I determine pricing by the time it takes to edit the shoot not by the duration of the shoot.

It takes me a minimum of 20 minutes to edit each photo.

I like to be up front about my pricing so it is all listed on my web site.

Rather than charging customers for more photos or prints, I provide the full collection of edited digital photos for you to keep and print where you like.

A 50% deposit is required at the time of booking. You can pay online while you book your session. If you wish to book via text or email, you can pay with cash, check, Zelle, Venmo or PayPal.

Pets are welcome to your shoot… but please let me know if you are bringing your pet as some parks and locations do not allow them.

Also please remember that the more moving variables we have, the more time we will spend on each photo... which means that we may end up with a little less variety of photos if you bring a pet. I do have a few good tricks though so hopefully that will help!

I also do Pet Photoshoots! Great for holiday cards and wall art.

You will receive an online gallery that contains all of your images in high resolution. It is linked to the professional printing services that I use. If you would like to order professional prints, I highly recommend this printer. Their colors are calibrated with my computer to make it the most accurate representation of my edits. However you are welcome to print your photos wherever you like!

Would you like to add a few headshots to your family photos? Or add family photos to your high school senior shoot? Or perhaps a few quick pet photos to your high school senior shoot? The add-on option has worked out really great in the past! And will save you money!

Please contact me with your needs and I will give you a custom quote.