Time to Choose a Photographer for Senior Portraits

Is it time to start thinking about those important senior

portraits! It is hard to know who to choose with all that

"Junk Mail Advertisements" you get in the mail. It can all be a

little overwhelming and intimidating. Is there a good place to

begin?

Let Blair Photography help in making the process a little easier.

Step 1:

Most high school senior portraits are taken during the summer between the completion of the 11th grade and the beginning of the 12th grade. Senior portraits serve several purposes: They will go in the senior portrait section of the high school yearbook. You will probably share portraits with family and friends. And you want portraits to remember this important time in your child's life.

Step 2:

Before you can select the perfect senior portrait photographer for you, first determine exactly what kind of portraits you need. Pull out the senior portrait submission guidelines from your child's high school to review the yearbook's list of requirements. While some schools are very flexible and will include any photograph submitted, others are VERY specific and want a photo of a particular size that meets very particular criteria. For instance, some schools do not allow black or white backgrounds, outdoor portraits, hands in the picture, or props in the picture, just to name a few.

Step 3:

Once you know what the school requires for senior portraits, determine what you and your child need and/or want for senior portraits. Do you want something simple and casual, artistic, sporty, indoors or outdoors, formal or informal? You will want to match the STYLE of portraits you desire with the STYLE of photography a particular photographer specializes in. (see examples…)

Step 4:

Make a list of how many portraits you need and in what sizes. For instance, perhaps you want to give the grandparents an 8x10", siblings a 5x7", and send wallet-sized photos to all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Step 5:

Talk to your child about what senior portraits mean to him/her. Some teenagers spend a lot of time and energy on getting the "perfect" portraits, while others simply don't care about getting senior pictures taken at all. Will your child want wallet-sized photos to exchange with friends? Does your child want something specific they've seen out there, such as a collage, a portfolio, or graduation announcements personalized with his or her picture? Discuss your budget and
expectations with your child at this time, as well.

Step 6

Review all of the ads, flyers, and mailings you or your child received from area photographers advertising their services. Take notes and create a chart to compare what each photographer is offering. For instance, how much is the sitting fee? How long is the appointment time? Will this be for indoor or outdoor portraits or both? Does the photographer travel to specific locations? Does the photographer charge extra to include props in the portrait? Does the photographer charge extra for multiple settings, backgrounds, or clothing changes? Do you need to buy a package (and if so, what is in the package) or can you purchase portraits individually to get exactly what you want? Does the photographer charge a service fee for blemish touch ups, re-orders at a later date, or other services you may desire?

Step 7:

Look in the yellow pages of your telephone book (or you could do a search online, as well) for portrait photographers. Make note of any photographers in your area (or within the area you are willing to travel for photography) that shoot portraits of high school seniors. Call each photography studio to inquire about the services they provide and the cost of those services. Add that information to your chart.

Step 8:

If you have friends whose children recently graduated from high school, call them to inquire who did their son or daughter's senior portraits. You may find some excellent resources you might otherwise overlook. In addition, a personal referral from someone you trust is far more valuable than a yellow page ad or a catchy flyer. Ask questions about the cost, service, and overall experience. Add this information to your notes. Then call the photographers mentioned to inquire about current pricing, offerings, and availability.

Step 9:

Review the information on the comparison chart you prepared AND your list of needs. Look for a good match based on portrait style, the kind of portraits desired, cost, special offerings, packages offered, etc. Narrow the field down to one or two best matches.

Step 10:

Call the photography studio and ask if you and your child can come in for a pre-portrait consultation to see the photographer's work, the studio, and to get a feel for the photographer's personality. You may wish to bring in samples of photos you or your child like to show the photographer to see if that is something he can do. And you want your child to be comfortable with the photographer who will capture these very special moments in his or her life.

Step 11:

You may wish to visit several photography studios before you find a fit that feels write--meeting the needs of your school's yearbook, your family, your budget, and your child. There are many options for senior portrait photography--ranging from quick discount photo studios to very expensive, elite studios with big names. The important thing is to find a photographer that meets YOUR needs and desires and is willing to work with you to get the portraits you desire.

At Blair Photography we do Portraits Your Way!

Blair Photography: Recommendations for how to dress for your family portrait...

Blair Photography: Recommendations for how to dress for your family portrait...

Tips for Choosing a Photographer for Your Pregnancy Portraits

Blair Photography recommends the following when choosing a Pregnancy Photographer:

Tip #1 Look for a pregnancy photographer who understands the essence of pregnancy. Having kids does make a difference. Understanding the essence of pregnancy, seeing the beauty of it and recognizing the glow of pregnant women is primarily dependent on the individual’s perspective of pregnancy and life’s experience does play an important role in understanding your unique needs.

Tip #2 Experience is very important. A photographer with the desired expertise won’t waste your time committing various mistakes that a first-timer is notorious for. Ask for the photographer’s portfolio and samples from their work to evaluate whether she has the required experience or not.

Tip #3 Look for a pregnancy photographer with a style that matches your preferences. It’s all about style and since you’re the client, your preferences matter.

Tip #4 Pregnancy can be a difficult and uncomfortable process: the changes to a woman’s body many times are unfamiliar and burdensome. As much as possible, make sure that your photographer is willing to adapt to your specific condition and situation. Is the photographer willing to shoot your session on location or in your home?

Tip #5 If you wish to have your photo taken with your older children, will the staff be able to accommodate them during the photo session? Will your photographer be able to conceal unwanted scars or stretch marks? What kind of actual and digital retouching do they offer and can they show you before and after photos?

Tip #6 Look for a pregnancy photographer that you’re comfortable talking to. It’s hard to get perfect photos taken if you’re not comfortable with the person taking your picture. Look for a photographer that you don’t have problems expressing your desires and cares to.

Tip #7 Last but not the least, consider the price. Compare and contrast rates offered. Does the pregnancy photographer offer packaged deals? What kind of payment methods is offered? Are there any discounts or promos you can take advantage of?

Remember this is an investment. These are fleeting moments; don’t let the thrill of low prices distract you from receiving a high quality product that will last a lifetime.

Take your time finding the right photographer because when you do, she will make everyone see just how beautiful a pregnant woman can be!

For additional resources: Blair Photography

Recommendations for how to dress for your family portrait...

BLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY
Recommends the following...

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

Choose clothes appropriate to the portrait's setting. An outdoor portrait with a backdrop of the ocean or at the beach lends itself to casual clothing like jeans or khaki pants and crisp white shirts, or sweaters. When in a studio portrait setting with a plain colored background will require more formal or semi-formal clothing chooses.

Match your outfits. Everybody in the portrait should wear items that complement each other. It is not necessary for all clothes to match, but there should be a theme that pulls it all together. The goal is balance: so if grandpa wears a suit and tie and grandma wears shorts and a t-shirt, the portrait will look unbalanced and poorly planned.

Solids are always best. Bold stripes, large designs, logos and polka dots stand out and tend to draw attention away from the subject. An eclectic mix of patterns can and will clash reducing the quality of your portrait.

Let your age and not the style of clothing you wear date the portrait. Dress in timeless clothing for your family portrait. This will help to make the portrait more of a timeless keepsake. Have appropriate shoes and socks. Many family portraits are full-body shots, so if you wear sneakers with your dress, you'll probably feel silly. If you plan to change clothes, bring shoes and socks to go with each outfit.

Large, baggy clothing make people look larger in photographs. Wear clothes that fit properly. In addition, skimpy or revealing clothes are inappropriate dress for family portraits.

Wear colors that translate well through photography. Dark colors like navy blue, black and earth tones look especially nice when outdoors. White clothing can get lost against a white background, and dark clothing against a pastel provides nice contrast. Bright shades of yellow, orange and pink can alter skin tones and are not preferred for ideal photographs.

Clean and iron all clothing before the portrait. If your clothes wrinkle easily, change just before the shoot. Bring wrinkle release spray and a quick detergent pen is a good idea for last-minute emergencies.














LADIES:

Women should keep jewelry to a minimum and wear natural-looking makeup. You may want to wear slightly more lipstick or blush than usual so it shows up in the picture. Take some spare makeup with you and ask the photographer whether you need adjustments.

MEN:

Men should shave before the portrait and trim moustaches or beards. Get a haircut at least (2)two weeks before the portrait. If you get a bad cut, a couple of weeks will allow your hair to recover.

At
Blair Photography

we specialize in LOCATION photography.

Call to make your appointment today.

(951) 663-8013

Or

Click

for more information

Artistic Quality Family Portraits of Inland Empire

Artistic Quality Family Portraits of Inland Empire

At
Blair Photography we specialize in LOCATION photography.

Call
to make your appointment today.

(951) 663-8013

OR

Click
for more information