THE STEPHANIE NEWMAN
Senior Experience
I am so, so excited to officially have you as a Stephanie Newman senior!!! I have been photographing seniors for almost 8 years, and it is truly my absolute favorite work that I do. Photographing each of my seniors is such a huge honor, and I can’t wait to have a blast together and capture some beautiful images!
My goal with this Senior Style Guide is to help you prepare for your shoot and get the MOST out of your experience. Your senior session is SUCH an exciting memory and a huge investment…so it’s my job to be sure you are fully prepared! In this guide you will find everything from suggestions for outfits, hair and makeup, ways to customize your experience, what to expect the day of your shoot, how your final gallery will work and everything in between! Please take the time to read it thoroughly to ensure you have all of the information you need to make your shoot the absolute best it can be!
My promise as your photographer is that I will make you look and FEEL like the best version of YOU! I want your shoot and your images to reflect exactly who you are, and I’m here to help ensure we make that happen. Use the content in this guide as suggestions, but feel free to reach out to me at any point in the planning process to chat about how we can make it personal to YOU and create images that you will look back on and love for years to come.
Can’t wait to see you!
xo, Stephanie
I'M STEPHANIE!
Now that we've gotten to know each other, let's dive into the good stuff!
I fell in love with photography a long time ago, and never have stopped taking pictures since. I've always taken pictures of my kiddos when they were babies and even now, as they are growing up capturing these moments in their life; even though they try to hide from me.
I live in the Twin Cities with my husband and tech support, Matt and our 3 very energetic, silly, and smart boys whose age range goes from a high schooler all the way down to elementary age.
in case we haven't met...
What to expect
Now that you are booked and things are officially official - let’s talk through the entire senior experience, step-by-step! Your senior experience starts NOW, and I want you to know what’s around every corner as you begin to prep for your shoot day!
01
This guide is chock full of information from what will happen before, during and after your session. As well as location and outfit help. Please read through this thoroughly and don’t be afraid to refer back to it for help.
the style guide
02
the week before
As we get closer to the day of your shoot, you can expect to hear from me with our meeting time, location, and final check-in! I photograph senior portraits at “golden hour” - either 2 hours before sunset or the 2 hours after sunrise. We have likely already decided which time of day we will shoot! These times of day have the most amazing, glowy light, cooler temperatures and less crowds at popular locations. Because of this, I like to wait until we are 1-2 weeks from your shoot date to lock in an exact meeting time based on the time of the sunset. If there are clouds or rainstorms in the forecast, this also allows me to plan around the weather to ensure we get the best lighting possible! So, if we planned for around 6pm…it may end up that 5:30pm or 6:30pm is actually the best time to meet. That is super normal!
03
the shoot day!
This section of the style guide could be its own book in itself! SO many fun things to talk about on the day of your shoot! Your shoot will be 1.5-2 hours in total.
Let’s dive into what to expect each minute of your senior session:
The importance of being on time
First things first: being on time for your shoot is VITAL. And I don’t just say that because of my time…I say that because we are on the SUN’S time. Since we plan your shoot around the ideal time for golden lighting…being late means that you lose that time off of your shoot. Even being 15 minutes late means that we’ve lost 15 minutes of light. Once the sun goes down…we can’t shoot anymore! So, try to plan to be 15-30 minutes early for your session. That way, even if you hit traffic or a delay…it doesn’t eat into your shooting time! If you are more than 30 minutes late for your session, we will have to reschedule for my soonest available date (which is typically 2-3 months out).
the first 15 minutes
When you arrive at your shoot, the first thing we are going to do is look through your outfits together! Even if you send me photos beforehand (and I hope you do!), we will run through them together on the day-of to map out exactly where we will photograph each look and when you will change. This helps us to go in with a game plan and decide which outfit will look best in which location. Sometimes there will be flowers in bloom that coordinate with a specific dress or a prop that we want to use at a specific spot…so there’s some strategy that goes into this!
Changing Outfits + Locations
I frequently get asked where my seniors will change outfits on their shoot day…and the answer is almost always in your car! Typically, the locations that we shoot don’t have public bathrooms…which isn’t ideal. But you can take a break in your car for some heat or air conditioning in between each outfit! If you’d prefer to have a bathroom to change, just let me know ahead of time and I will be sure to select locations that have this option.
Posing + Shooting
The BIGGEST and most important thing that I want you to know about your shoot day is this: I am going to tell you what to do the ENTIRE time! You do NOT need to have any posing or modeling experience. I’ve actually never photographed a real model in my entire 10+ years of being a photographer! Part of your investment in your senior portraits is my experience and ability to pose you and make you look (and feel!) your absolute best. So, there’s no reason to be nervous at all! I will guide you through every single pose and I promise the BIGGEST compliment I get from seniors is that I make it so easy. It’s going to be a blast!
After we look through your outfits together, we will start shooting! We typically spend 20-30 minutes photographing each outfit before changing and moving to the next spot. I try to always save the BEST outfit for last…so keep that in mind when planning your faves!
Who to bring with you
I request that at least one parent or guardian joins us for your senior session. But, whether they join us for the entire shoot or wait in the car is totally up to you. The most important thing to think about is what will make you feel the most COMFORTABLE in front of the camera. If you tend to be more shy and will feel awkward having your mom or dad watching the entire time…we can ask them to wait in the car. If you LOVE having a hype squad and want everyone to follow us as we shoot…let’s do it! I just ask that we are still able to keep your images as the top priority with minimal distractions. Bringing a large group of friends can sometimes mean that you get distracted while in front of the camera…and that can mean you don’t get as many images or time is taken away from shooting. So, I recommend only bringing 1-2 people along…this ensures it won’t take away from your focus as we shoot!
Another frequently asked question is “who do I bring with me!?” And this has a two-part answer!
Deciding who you want to be PHOTOGRAPHED with! One of my favorite additions to any senior session is your favorite people. If you want to have your best friend(s), significant other, parents, pet or anyone else join in your photos…they are more than welcome! I just request that they wait to meet us until the last 25-30 minutes of your shoot. This way, we can make YOU the focus for the majority of the session with minimal distractions…and still capture photos with your favorite people as the grand finale! More on this later in the guide!
PART 1:
PART 2:
LET's talk locations...
are they a big deal?
Aside from choosing your outfits (which we are diving into next, don’t worry!) - choosing your LOCATIONS is a huge part of what will determine the overall style and aesthetic of your images. It also takes a little bit of logistical planning to map out where we will shoot and the travel time between locations. Overall, there are a few things to keep in mind when picking where to shoot:
It’s actually not the location that matters most…it’s the LIGHT!
YEP. This is hard to understand if you aren’t a photographer but hear me out: if you have the most beautiful garden location in mind with tons of fluffy flowers and manicured walkways…but it’s in the DIRECT sunlight all day long…it’s actually not an ideal place to shoot. It would be better to have the session in a random field on the side of the highway with gorgeous back-light coming through the trees…because the LIGHT is what makes the biggest difference in the whole world! Trust me on this one!!
Try to think of an overall “feel” or “vibe” for your shoot…and let this guide your location choices!
While the location of your shoot totally matters…it may not matter quite as much as you think. The majority of the images in your final gallery will be close-up images…meaning you can’t see a whole lot of the background. What you CAN see is the colors, light and overall “feel” of the location. For example, if you want a pastel, colorful feeling gallery…we probably don’t need to photograph every section of Rainbow Row or have the entire street in the background...we just need one small section of one pink building to give your images that overall feel. If you want tropical, beach-y vibes…we don’t need to photograph every image on an empty beach. We can do some in the water, some in the dunes, some with palm trees nearby…you get the idea! The point is: don’t get so caught-up and stressed over one specific location. Choose a “vibe” that you want…and I can help
you pick spots that will make that happen!
I have one request: pretty please TRUST me on this part!
When I tell you that some of my most AMAZING images have been created in the weirdest locations…I mean it! The two photos on this page were taken on a tiny piece of concrete right on the Mississippi River. I’ve asked my seniors to crawl into random floral bushes and sit in crazy positions to get the right angle. And they all got some of the BEST work I’ve ever created because they TRUSTED me as their photographer. I may have an idea or location suggestion that sounds crazy…but it’s because I have years of experience finding the lighting and composition that will create stellar images. Even if it sounds insane! So, my biggest request is that you trust me even if I sound crazy…I promise you’ll always be glad you did!!
Now for the most FUN part and hands-down the most frequently asked question: WHAT DO I WEAR!? Choosing what you will wear for your photo shoot is a huge decision that can make or break your senior portrait session! I know that sounds intense... but, if you wear something that you don’t feel confident in or that doesn’t photograph well on camera...it can ruin the experience for you! So, the Senior Style Guide to the rescue! This section will break down my best tips for what to wear and how to style your senior session outfits (plus LOTS of fun inspiration!)
WHAT TO WEAR
1. be comfortable
The NUMBER ONE, most important thing to remember when planning your outfits: if it’s not comfortable to wear in real life, it won’t make you feel confident on camera!
If you do not like fitted clothing (super tight dresses or pieces that fit awkwardly) then leave them at home! Personally, I try to steer clear of items that are fitted in the tummy area (don’t we all?) just because it makes me self- conscious and I’m constantly wondering if it looks bad. So, if there are pieces in your closet that make you feel self- conscious or uncomfortable, don’t include them in your senior portrait wardrobe! I also recommend trying to steer clear of anything that you have to constantly adjust or is at risk of being revealing. You’ll be doing lots of moving and posing, so if the outfit is super low-cut…you’re at risk of things slipping while we shoot!
2. be yourself
At risk of sounding cheesy…staying true to yourself with your outfits is so, so important. When you look back at these images in 20+ years…you’ll want them to truly reflect YOU! If you aren’t someone who ever dresses up or enjoys being fancy…don’t feel like you need to go buy a fancy dress just for photos. If you don’t enjoy being girly and wearing frilly dresses or lots of makeup…then leave them at home! Don’t feel pressured to buy anything new or outside of your usual style just because you are getting photos taken. This entire shoot is meant to be about who YOU are in this exciting season of life…so don’t change a single thing about ya!
3. Be bold + consider using color
Use this shoot as an opportunity to have a little bit of fun with your outfits + colors!
On camera, solid black + white can make skin tones look washed out and unflattering. When choosing outfits for your senior session, try to choose colors that POP and that compliment your hair + skin tones! Primary colors like royal blue and yellow photograph beautifully as well as jewel tones like emerald green, bright purples, pinks, oranges and any other colors that really POP! Sometimes, color combos that may seem odd in-person end up photographing BEAUTIFULLY on camera! Don’t shy away from color!
4. add layers
In the cold months (fall + winter), adding layers to your outfits always looks STUNNING in portraits! A sweater with a flannel underneath paired with a vest + statement earrings or scarf adds so much dimension to your images and makes for super fun posing options! Even in the warmer months (spring + summer) you can add these layers + dimension by wearing a tank top with a cute sheer cardigan or by throwing a denim jacket over a dress!
5. play with textures
Sometimes textures like feathers, furs and 3D florals can be considered too extra…but, in portraits, they are the BEST! Adding texture to your outfit can make a huge difference. I also love to photograph pieces with MOVEMENT: long, flowy dresses with epic trains or fun feathers that move when you twirl. It adds a super fun element to your pictures!
6. don't be afraid to Accessorize
There is a whole section dedicated to props and accessories coming up in this guide…but it’s honestly one of the most important parts! Adding accessories like jewelry, hats, fun shoes, purses, etc. to your outfits really makes them feel like YOU and adds a whole new layer of detail to your senior gallery. I’m a huge fan of statement earrings, a bright lip color, a super fun shoe, colorful bags, floppy sun hats…ALL of these things give us so much more variety with posing + create such beautiful pictures!
7. mix it up
When planning your outfits, make sure that you have a VARIETY of looks! I tell
all of my seniors to choose from these categories: casual, cozy, dressy, school- related, sports-related, preppy or edgy. I always recommend choosing 3-4 of those categories and finding outfits accordingly. This provides a beautiful array of looks during your senior portrait session, so each outfit looks drastically different and you get tons of variety!
Outfit inspo
Still need some inspiration? You can click the button below to see my style guide with clickable links to outfits and acessories!
click to see style guide
THINGS TO AVOID:
Now, there’s a few important things to AVOID that are worth having their own section of this guide! As a general rule of thumb, these are the things to stay away from…
1. Pieces that are sheer, too fitted
or potentially revealing
We already touched on this quickly…but it’s important! You will be doing a lot of moving throughout your shoot, so wearing pieces that have to sit juuuuust right or that are at risk of slipping aren’t a good idea. And, if pieces are super thin or sheer, it may be see-through in your photos or easily show sweat marks in the summer months.
2. The wrong undergarments
This is something that may slip your mind as you are planning your outfits…but it is SO important! Be sure to bring along multiple bras if you are wearing something strapless or that requires a sticky/backless bra. There will be an additional editing fee of $25/image to remove bra straps at the client's request. And wearing a neutral pair of undies is the best way to go to ensure it’s not showing through anything!
3. Pay attention to wrinkles
We will be doing a lot of moving around, sitting, walking, etc. at your shoot. If the material of your outfit easily wrinkles...you may want to be careful. Pay close attention to textures and remember that not everything is as easy to edit out as you may think! Editing out wrinkles from a dress can take hours PER PHOTO...which can result in your images taking a lot longer to get back or requiring additional fees for extensive edits.
Dressing for the seasons
Sometimes it can be easier to pick outfits for the spring/summer months than it is in the cooler fall/winter months. I also have some seniors who want to have a separate session during BOTH times of year to capture the different looks and styles that a new season brings along. So, this section of the guide is going to help you break down how to prep your outfits according to the time of year that we are capturing your portraits! Another important thing to keep in mind about the time of year is the SUNSET. In the summer months, shoots won't start until 5 or 6pm... but we will need to start much earlier (3-4pm) in the winter months to accommodate the earlier sunset. Last bit of information on dressing for the seasons, dress for the temperature. We live in Minnesota, sometimes it's 40 degrees one day in October and two days later it's 70. If you are cold, it will show in your images and also ruin your experience due to poor outfit choices. Best advice on this, if your session is in the fall, plan a few outfits ahead of time that you love for cooler temps and some for those rare days that it's almost 80 and sunny.
winter
spring
summer
fall
You may automatically think winter is a bad time for pictures...but it doesn't have to be! You can brighten up any dull background with bright colors, fun textures and lots of layers! Fun hats, scarves, gloves and even earmuffs can photograph SO cute!
My personal FAVORITE time of year for portraits...when all of the flowers are in bloom! Some people feel like they need to shy away from color so they don't clash with the blooming flowers...but I disagree! A bright pink against a white floral bush is a DREAM...try coordinating with the colors + add in pastels!
The only downside of summer portraits is the HEAT. You'll want to keep that in mind when choosing your outfits. Save the warmest outfit (i.e. layers or thick material) for the END of the shoot when it's cooler outside...and consider wearing BRIGHT pops of color to stand out against everything being in full bloom!
This is my second favorite time of year to shoot! I love the cooler temps, the fall color palette, and incorporating layers into your outfits opens up a whole new set of options for posing. Cute booties, scarves, jackets, cozy cardigans...I'm here for ALL of it!
HAIR & MAKEUP
THEY ARE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS
When you are investing in a professional photographer, you want to make sure that the images look their absolute best. Professional hair + makeup artists are TRAINED to do hair + makeup so that it photographs well. While your makeup may look AMAZING in person, it can look completely different on-camera, and these professionals are trained to know the difference! They will conceal spots you don’t like, contour your face so it looks the best at every angle, use colors that compliment your skin to make it look flawless, make your eyes POP with false lashes + shadows, manicure your eyebrows to perfection and more!
I highly recommend all of my senior clients invest in professional hair and makeup. If it is in your budget, hiring a professional for your hair and makeup will make a huge difference in the quality of your photos and senior portrait experience. You are already making a large investment in your senior portrait experience…so why not make it the best it can be?!
Let’s talk about why it can be such a big game-changer for your experience:
LESS STRESS
Preparing for your senior portrait session can be stressful in and of itself. Trying to do your hair and makeup by yourself can make things even harder. Professional camera equipment is designed to pick up every little detail in an image (even details that the eye can’t see) so hiring a professional makeup artist is the best way to go.
WHO DOESN’T LIKE BEING PAMPERED!?
I don’t ever want my seniors to feel like their portrait session is just simply “taking pictures”, I want it to be an EXPERIENCE. So, if my seniors arrive after an hour of being pampered + beautified, the entire experience has already started on a good note! If a senior arrives flustered or stressed after trying to get ready themselves, it can affect the entire experience, including the way you look in photographs!
my RECOMMENDATIONS
Here is a list of amazing artists that I recommend in the Lakeville area (they are available for travel, too!)
Ashley Parshley
Michelle Arevalo (hair and makeup)
If this is not in your budget, that is COMPLETELY okay!
You can use these tips to make your makeup look camera-ready yourself:
Plan to wear slightly heavier make-up than normal, including blush and lipstick or gloss that are at least slightly darker than your lip color. I also highly recommend false eyelashes. These can be purchased for very affordable prices at CVS or any pharmacy in the area.
These are a few of my staple makeup items that I love for every day use and can be great to "glam up" your session if you're not usually a make-up wearer.
Don't neglect the nails
And one last tip!! In all of the chaos of senior session prep... don’t forget to pamper your nails! During your shoot, a lot of the poses we do will have your hands close to your face and in the frame, so make sure that your nails look just how you want! Try to avoid any chipped polish or crazy patterns. French manicures, light/natural colors and even nails with no color at all photograph best!!
Items Shown Above:
1. Concealer
2. Foundation Brush
3. Foundation Stick
4. Mascara
5. Under eye brightener
6. Eye Shadow Palette
7. Lip Shine - this doesn't exist anymore, - Maybelline Super stay is also a favorite.
8. Cheek Squad ( I generally only use the blush and sometimes the highlighter, but you can definitely use all three!
Make it feel like YOU!
This is clearly a theme of this entire guide! The goal of adding in props or accessories is to make the shoot feel even more like YOU. Try to think creatively about the things that make you who you are. What are your hobbies? Favorite colors and styles? Extracurricular activities? Do you LOVE bright, girly colors and want to have a ton of florals in your images to compliment that? Are you an athlete with medals and trophies that you want to highlight? Do you already know your plans for college and want to have celebratory images to share about your next steps? Let’s do all the things!!!
Hats + jewelry + #allthethings!
One of the best parts about bringing extra options for props is that it gives us VARIETY. If you bring things like hats, purses, extra jewelry, shoe options, etc...we can mix and match these pieces throughout your shoot to give you a TON of options in your final gallery. For example, if you bring a floppy sunhat with you...we may throw it on for a quick 2-3 minutes in each of your 3-4 outfits. Instantly, you have a ton of variety in looks and images just by adding and removing that one piece!
Fluffy Flowers, anyone?
One of my FAVORITE ways to elevate any senior session is to add in some beautiful florals. To my girly girls, this one’s for you! There are so many ways to incorporate flowers into your shoot. You can contact a local florist to put together a floral crown (paired with a long, flowy dress), buy some grocery store flowers to fill a purse, have a small bouquet as an extra detail or as grandiose as a floral installation at a location that you love. If you want to talk more about how to incorporate florals, reach out to me and I’m happy to help!
Friends + boyfriends + pets, oh my!
We talked earlier about how to decide WHO to bring with you at your shoot...and I just wanted to encourage you one more time to include the people that matter most to you! If you have a pet, a friend, a significant other or a family member that is a huge part of your life...they should be featured in your photos! You'll be so glad you did when you look back at your images 10 years from now. If you plan to bring a pup or a pet, I just ask that you bring someone along that can watch them for us when we aren't taking pictures with them!
PROPS & ACCESSORIES
Now that we have a better idea of the overall style for your session based on your outfits and locations, let’s add in the pretty details! First, let me clarify: this part is TOTALLY optional! If you don’t want to add any props or accessories to your shoot… you don’t have to! All we need is YOU to make your shoot amazing. But, if you want to personalize your shoot even further and add in some fun “extras”... this section of the guide is going to help you!
SPORTS + HOBBIES
One of the easiest + best ways to customize your senior experience is to add in some of your favorite things that you do every day! I've had seniors want to highlight the sport they play, their favorite foods, their love for reading, shopping or flying planes... I've done it ALL! Use this section of the guide to start brainstorming ways we can creatively incorporate what makes you YOU!
Athletics + Sports
If you play a sport that is a huge part of your high school career...we need to highlight it! You can bring along your uniform + equipment (volleyball, lacrosse stick, etc.) for some really fun photos. You can also consider adding in any medals, trophies or letters you have to highlight
Cheer + Dance
Let me just start by saying these are BOTH also sports...but they deserve their own section! I was a cheerleader myself, and it is so fun to capture these photos. Bring along your uniform + poms, or your leo and pointe shoes...we will get some STUNNING action shots for you, as well as the traditional posed images!
Hobbies + Artists
As a photographer and artist myself, I love finding creative ways to highlight your talent! If you paint, write, read or are a photographer yourself... let's show that off! We can find some really fun ways to highlight this, and I would love to have you bring along any pieces you are proud of to incorporate in your images!
Favorite Things
Incorporating your favorite things into your pictures can be really creative...and also really funny! Are you someone who can't live without your daily Starbucks Pink Drink? Have a Chick-Fil-A obsession? In love with your car or have a shopping addiction? Let's brainstorm together to find some fun ways to highlight these things at your shoot!
cap & Gown photos
If you already have your cap and gown before your shoot (or want to order a cheap one on Amazon) - we can get cap & gown images during a special mini session in the spring right before or after graduation.
Pick the right dress underneath!
Because the gowns typically look a little like a potato sack (let's be honest), I typically photograph my seniors with them un-zipped to be a bit more flattering! I recommend wearing a sundress underneath - something white or neutral looks really traditional and timeless underneath the gowns. I also recommend a neutral pair of heels! We will get images with it both zipped and un-zipped, as well as with the cap and without - just so you have tons of options!
Bring your tassel
+ decorate your cap!
Don't forget to bring the tassel for the top of your cap (most highlight your graduating school year!) as well as any additional cords, awards or elements that you want to highlight! If you choose to decorate your cap, doing it before your shoot allows us to get the cutest detail photos of it!
Bring along your college gear!
Because the gowns typically look a little like a potato sack (let's be honest), I typically photograph my seniors with them un-zipped to be a bit more flattering! I recommend wearing a sundress underneath - something white or neutral looks really traditional and timeless underneath the gowns. I also recommend a neutral pair of heels! We will get images with it both zipped and un-zipped, as well as with the cap and without - just so you have tons of options!
I've got you covered!
Now, for the slightly less fun part...let's address a few quick things that could go wrong at your session. These are some frequently asked questions that I get about common problems that can pop up...and I want you to feel as prepared as possible! I've been doing this for almost a decade....so I've seen it all! And I'm confident that we will get you amazing images no matter what gets thrown our way!
frequently asked questions:
Here are some questions that I get often, and what to do if anything goes wrong leading up to your shoot date!
Click to view the answers to each FAQ.
This is by far the most asked question I get about things that could go wrong, which makes total sense...because bad weather happens all the time! If there is bad weather in the forecast for your shoot, rest assured that you have options and I am MORE than happy to reschedule! I typically wait until we are 48 hours out from the session to make a final decision about weather because it changes so often.
If there is a 50% chance of rain or LESS: It is TOTALLY up to you whether you want to move forward with trying to shoot, or if you'd prefer to reschedule to another date. If we shoot and it DOES rain...we will have to finish the session despite the weather (we can't do two shoots if you decide to move forward but the weather doesn't cooperate). But we can make some REALLY cute photos happen in the rain!!! However, if you have your heart set on glowing light and bright images...I'd recommend rescheduling to be safe.
If there is a 50% chance of rain or MORE: My professional recommendation in these scenarios is to reschedule. Even if it doesn't end up raining, it's always better to be safe than sorry, especially if you are really excited about bright, sunset light in your photos!
Wind: There has only been one time I've had to reschedule a session for bad wind...and it was CRAZINESS! Typically, we can shoot despite the wind if we are strategic with WHERE we shoot. But if there are crazy gusts and you would prefer to move to a day when we know your hair won't have flyaways... we can make that happen!
Fog: Typically, fog is only an issue with sunrise shoots.... but I've had it happen! If there is severely thick fog, it will impact your images because they will be cloudy and grey...which is not my typical shooting style that you booked me for.
Cloudy: I have a lot of seniors who get worried about cloudy days because they think their images won't be as bright and beautiful...but rest assured, that's not true!! Cloudy days are actually AMAZING for photographers...because it means there are no harsh shadows!! Unless it is a seriously grey day with heavy fog or severe storm clouds...cloudy days are our friend!! AND they aren't as hot!!
That is COMPLETELY okay! We will make the final call 24-48 hours before your session. Part of the reason I only take 2 senior sessions per week is to leave TONS of room open for rescheduling if we need to for reasons outside of our control (i.e. sickness, weather, emergencies). Typically, you won't have to wait longer than a week if we have to move your date!*
*This does NOT include needing to reschedule because of poor planning, running late or any other reason. These reschedules are required to book for my next available Tuesday/Thursday date - which is typically 2-3 months out.
My skin is breaking out like crazy...HELP!
Girl, we've ALL been there! Don't worry one bit. I am happy to remove any large blemishes in Photoshop - you won't even know it happened! Promise!
Where am I going to change my clothes?
I mentioned this briefly earlier in the guide...but it's a question I get a lot! Typically, my seniors choose to change their outfits in the car. A lot of the time, we are photographing at locations that do not offer public bathrooms, so it's the quickest option! I recommend trying to organize your outfits + accessories ahead of time to make this process super quick and easy. If you would feel more comfortable changing in a bathroom, just let me know ahead of time - I'm happy to select your locations based around which ones have public bathrooms!
GALLERY DELIVERY
YAY! It takes 3-4 weeks to edit your senior images, then you'll get an email with the link to your full gallery - AH!!! This is where you will be able to download, share and print all of your high resolution digital images. You can download individual images or the entire gallery at once. You can also individually save photos to your phone to start sharing on social media! The next few pages of the guide will walk you through how to use your gallery and the best ways to print and display your new favorite photos. Be sure to come back and reference this after your session!
After your shoot, my favorite part of the process is sharing your same-day sneak peeks! Yep, THE. SAME. DAY. I truly get just as excited about your images as you do…and I go home straight from your shoot to edit a handful of my favorites and get them in your hands ASAP! You can expect 3-5 sneak peeks to be shared the night of your shoot…and you are welcome to share them anywhere you’d like, too!
The Sneak Peeks
Editing your final gallery typically takes 3-4 weeks, and gallery delivery day is THE MOST EXCITING!!! I will send you the link to your final gallery in an email. This gallery is where you can easily download, share and print all of your high resolution digital files. Your gallery is SO easy to use, and my hope is that it makes sharing your images easy. Here’s a peek into what it will look like:
The Gallery Delivery
You will be prompted to log into your gallery with your name and email. This is for your safety and my records! This way, I know exactly who is viewing your gallery and downloading your images...and you know that random people can't get access to it without us knowing! Additionally, you can favorite images and I can see them on my end...which makes it easy for me to help you order prints and products!
Logging In
The top of your gallery will have a section called "The Highlights". These images are what I think are the BEST of the best...my personal favorites from your entire shoot. Whether it is an epic location, the perfect gust of wind-blown hair, a beautiful pose or a shot where your eyes look AMAZING...you'll start off your gallery experience scrolling through the best of the best! From there, the rest of your gallery will be in chronological order.
"The Highlights"
There are quite a few ways to download + save your digital images! When you are looking at your full gallery, you can click this button (the cloud with the down arrow) to open the download menu
DOWNLOADING YOUR IMAGES
It will open this menu where you can download a folder of ALL of your images, or just the highlights!
Lastly, you can click on an individual photo to download them one at a time!
printing your images
I truly believe so deeply in the power of printing your images and displaying them in your home. There is something so special about having a physical copy of these memories to cherish and pass down to other family someday. I have physical photo books of my engagement photos, anniversary pictures, family pictures, my own senior session from 2014... and I flip through them ALL the time! You took the time to invest so much money into your senior session...why not print the images and have a physical way to cherish them and share them?
As you know, I do not have any purchase minimums or requirements in terms of printing your images. They are yours to share and print from whenever you prefer! But there is the option to purchase professional-quality prints and products through your online gallery. This is the ONLY printing option that I personally and professionally recommend in terms of quality and durability. If you print somewhere else, I can NOT guarantee that the quality of the images will look the same as they do online, or that the products and prints themselves will be durable.
My honest suggestion is this: if you want to print your images larger than a 4x6…the professional printer through your online gallery is the best way to go.
In the next few pages, I am going to walk you through the "shop" portion of your senior gallery. This is where you can find prints, photo books, canvases, graduation cards and more directly through my professional printer!
Photo Books
Prints & Canvases
Grad Cards
accessing the shop
When you are inside your full gallery, you will see two options at the top: "GALLERY" and "SHOP". You can toggle between the two SUPER easily!
When you open up the shop, it should look like this! You will find all of the product options here. You can purchase prints, canvases, photo books, grad cards and more! I'll walk you through how to design each type of product over the next few pages!
When ordering prints, you will see all of the print TYPES in the left-hand column and all of the SIZES on the righthand column. Depending on which size you select, it will likely prompt you to "adjust crop" for each image.
It will open up a window that looks like this so you can customize the crop and be sure nothing important is getting cut off! I recommend centering the people in the photo for the best cropping. Please ensure your crops are correct. I will not be responsible for incorrect crops.
ALBUMS + PHOTO BOOKS
One of my personal favorite ways to print senior images is in an album or photo book. I have one of these of our engagement photos and absolutely LOVE having it on our coffee table to show guests! They are also the most customizable option - you can pick the cover material + color, plus you get to design all of the pages inside!
These make AMAZING gifts for family members, too!
GRADUATION CARDS
Want a super fun way to announce your graduation or invite people to a grad party? These graduation cards are absolutely BEAUTIFUL and the professional print quality means your images will look incredible featured on each card! There are TONS of amazing design options for these!
