How to Choose Your Senior Portrait Photographer
Senior portraits are kind of a big deal. The final year of high school is a milestone that deserves to be celebrated (with something more than just selfies, of course). There are so many professional senior photographers and photography studios in Fond du Lac and the surrounding area, and searching for Fond du Lac photography studios will turn up many results which can be overwhelming. Choosing the right photographer for senior pictures who can best capture these important images can be a daunting task, so I’ve put together a few tips on what to consider when making this decision.
You should love the photographer’s style.
Style is often the first thing that draws someone to a senior portrait photographer. You should be sure that you love the overall look of the photos you see advertised, in regards to posing, backgrounds, lighting, color, editing, and skin retouching.
Does the photographer aim for that perfectly posed and smiling wall portrait, for those totally un-posed and candid expressions with lots of movement, or a mixture of both?
Do they capture the photos from a variety of interesting angles and perspectives?
Can they turn ordinary locations into amazing backdrops?
Are the photos primarily taken outdoors on-location, or in a local photography studio, and is the photographer proficient in both types of settings?
Is the work done using natural light, off-camera flash, or both? Does the lighting appear to be done well?
Do they use props, or are the subjects primarily interacting with their surroundings?
Do they edit the photos to look natural with realistic skin tones?
Do they retouch blemishes from skin?
Is the overall style consistent across all their advertised work?
A photographer is an artist, and each will have a slightly different signature look to their work. Because everyone has different stylistic preferences, there will always be a photographer for every high school senior. Ultimately, the style of the photos should be something that you can see yourself loving both today and still many years from now.
Look for consistency and quality.
The photographer's portfolio should be consistent in quality and style. Consistency is so important because of how custom portrait photography is. While no two sessions will ever look exactly the same, a consistent portfolio of previous work can assure you that your photos will have similar lighting techniques, colors, and composition. It means that the photographer is experienced in working in a variety of environments and conditions and will be able to repeat the level of quality for your session.
If the photos in their portfolio look like they could have been taken by several different photographers, steer clear! This could mean the photographer is inexperienced, or sadly it can even mean that the work displayed doesn't all belong to that photographer.
Photographers must be well-versed in different lighting techniques. Good photographers know how to use both natural light and off-camera flash in their work to produce quality images. Popular trends in senior photography today include a mix of organic, sun-drenched, golden light, as well as more dramatic use of off-camera flash for a fashion magazine look, depending on the location and aesthetic. Shadowy eyes, muddy skin, washed-out details, and blurry/grainy images should never be acceptable.
Find a photographer with a great personality and who is someone you feel comfortable interacting with.
Your senior portrait session experience is highly personal, and you’ll likely be interacting with your photographer multiple times. The photographer you choose should be someone you can trust to capture your best features, someone you can effortlessly connect with, and someone who will make you feel at ease and comfortable during your session. They should understand your needs and wants for your photos.
While you might be able to get an idea of the photographer’s personality online, conversing or meeting in person will help you confirm that they are the right fit for you. Make sure that your chosen senior photographer is truly excited and passionate about what they do, because this will be evident in your final images.
You should not be just a number on their list.
Your senior photographer should never make you feel like just a number. Your entire portrait experience should be personal and custom around your wishes. You should not settle for being told that you only get to go to certain locations that the photographer allows, be forced into using the same backgrounds as everyone else, or made to feel you need to fit a certain aesthetic. The photographer should get to know you on a more personal level, and then collaborate with you to develop ideas for your portraits. A unique experience will ensure that you not only have fun during the session, but that you get images that are totally YOU.
Verify that the photographer is a true professional running a legitimate business.
Hiring a photographer for senior portraits is something that only happens once, so you should also make sure that this person is a true professional and experienced at what they do. Experience and longevity in the industry will help ensure that the photographer can work in a variety of challenging environments and produce the same quality of work every time. Operating and sustaining a successful and profitable business indicates that the photographer has many satisfied past clients who have likely referred them to their friends and family. Photography is not a regulated industry like many other professions are, so there aren't any educational degrees or certificates required to become a photographer. When a photographer is running a legitimate business (legally registered, tax-paying, and insured) this provides assurance that they hold themselves to a higher professional standard, and that it’s not simply a hobby for them. While these factors might not directly affect you as a client, there are some very real risks of hiring someone who is not legally in business. Hiring one who is legitimate can give you peace of mind that the photographer takes their work and their clients seriously, and professionals have systems in place to ensure a positive and repeatable experience for every client.
In addition, photographers should have professional-grade camera equipment, carry backup equipment in case of a malfunction, and utilize redundant forms of data storage to protect your photos from loss. These factors can affect you, and smart professionals understand how important it is to have them covered so that you have a worry-free experience. You may be able to verify legitimacy from the photographer's website, but if not, don't feel bad about asking. A true professional will be more than willing to reassure you.
Make sure that the photographer you hire uses a contract.
Because senior photography is a highly custom service, it is also a good idea to sign some kind of contract or service agreement that explains in writing any considerations, expectations, policies, costs, and exactly what you will receive as part of your experience. Having this all in writing is essential to answering questions before something can become a misunderstanding. A good contract is designed to protect both the business and the client!
While having a contract is not a requirement for a small business, it’s just another form of reassurance that the photographer is operating as a professional. Think of the other services you use that require some kind of signed contract or require that you agree to their terms and conditions before moving forward. Typically these are services where you are making a significant financial investment, or the work being done is customized to your unique needs. Professional photography is similar in these aspects.
Understand and agree with the service, products, and pricing.
Just like style, services and pricing ranges vastly from one photographer to the next. There is no true industry standard when it comes to pricing, and searching the internet for “What do senior pictures cost?” gives some very inaccurate (and outdated) answers.
Generally speaking, a better overall experience and higher quality photography will demand a higher price. All of the little things can translate to better photos and a better feeling about the entire experience. While there are some photographers who are more hands-off, a luxury senior photographer will offer things like in-person consultations and ordering, custom session planning, styling and prep tips, a client closet, product design, hair and makeup artist referrals, and professional print products. When researching senior photographers in the area, you should find out what services or products are included in the session fee, what types of products will be available for purchase, and what amount on average clients spend on their portrait order. A professional should be transparent about pricing and policies. They should have samples of products featuring their own work, so you can see an accurate representation of what your finished products may look like. In the Fond du Lac area and east-central Wisconsin, you can expect to pay a few thousand dollars or more with a senior portrait photographer.
With all of the right information, you can decide if your expectations match up with your budget, or if you are willing to stretch your budget because you truly love a photographer’s work and know that you will not be able to get it elsewhere. As the saying goes, “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”
Roxanne Abler - Roxanne Elise Photography is a professional senior portrait photographer with a photography studio in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, serving the Fox Valley and East-Central Wisconsin.