Dawn Solida Photography a Pittsburgh area Senior Photographer
Let's face it, this is a huge year. The biggest one you've had so far. Not only are you about to leave the nest and adventure into the next chapter of life, but you're also enjoying some pretty memorable moments. This is why senior portraits are so important for you and your parents. It's not just about a picture for the yearbook, these images will set the stage for where you're going, and they'll give you a frozen place in time to look back to and remember all the great things that happened this year. As important as this is, its also important to pick the right photographer. We're going to hash out exactly what you need to know for when you're getting ready to book your session.
1. Make sure they have a portfolio for you to look at even if it's just their Instagram feed! You need to be able to see the photographers work, plain and simple. Just because your mom's friend from yoga class went out and bought a new camera and a really expensive lens that doesn't mean she's qualified for the job. The actual picture taking is just a small part of the big picture.
2. Look for a photographer who shares your sense of style. If you're an off the wall trendy kind of teen that likes to stand out in a crowd, and you pick traditional style photographer chances are you aren't going to be happy. Find someone who's images feel comfortable to you and that you can see yourself feeling good about their style with you as the subject.
3. Word of mouth. Ask around, who did other people use last year. Were they happy with them, did they get great images, would they feel confident referring them to you? Don't be the first one to try out the new kid on the block unless of course it's free, or almost free, and you have time for a redo with someone else if you aren't satisfied.
4. What do they offer? Ask how they deliver their images. Make sure you know if they're all inclusive or do you pay a session fee and purchase your digitals and print products after you review your gallery. There's no right or wrong, better or worse, it's just all different. What kind of experience are YOU after. Some folks really like the catered to feeling of sitting down with the photographer and choosing a dozen images that are to be edited and included in the print package. Some photographers find that pretty time consuming and think it's just easier if they use their artistic abilities to choose the best images, edit them, and give you a larger gallery with lots of digital images included for one up front price. Again, no right or wrong, just a completely different experience.
5.Availability. Some photographers only open up so many slots for seniors and you're usually working with a 4-5 month window so it's best to start researching in the spring and get on the books as soon as you've made your choice. There will be lots of folks that wait until the last minute, sometimes that works out....sometimes it doesn't. Most photographers will let you reschedule for things like illness or bad weather so just commit and go from there.
6.Lastly, budget. Of course it's important. We all have different budgets, who cares. It's Ok if you can't afford the most expensive photographer in your area, and it's certainly great if you can. Typically, the ones with the higher price point are higher for a reason but are those reasons important to YOU? You need to choose a photographer priced in a range that makes you feel good about your investment. If every time you look at your senior pictures it makes you wish you'd saved the money for your first car, then maybe you needed to keep looking for a photographer that was the right fit for you. Like everything else in life, TRUST YOUR GUT!
Talk to the photographer, ask all of the right questions and see if you'll get along. It's always free to inquire.
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