You have toiled away over the last 11 years at school and it has finally arrived, it’s YOUR SENIOR year! While you still have classes to complete before graduation, this is a year of fun celebrations, last time memories and full of nervous excitement as your plan for college becomes clear. It is natural to have mixed emotions at times. Live in the moment, set your nerves for the future aside and soak up the joy. Relish in the success. Nurture those friendships that you will treasure for the rest of your life–seriously, some of my closest girlfriends are still from my days at ol’ Klein High School.
5 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Senior Photographer:
A senior portrait session is one of the most quintessential senior celebrations. Your senior portraits are a visual of your success, your accomplishments and where you can show-off all of the beauty of YOUR senior year. Houston has a wide variety of senior photographers to choose from, so that begs the question, “How do we choose?”
Number 1 — Seek A Photographer With Experience
Artists are not born over night. Photography is a craft that takes time and endless hours to perfect. Find a Senior Portrait Photographer who has at least 3 solid years of experience. Look through their portfolio. Do they have a consistent style or does it vary from session to session? Ask them to share a full session gallery with you if concerned. Do they specialize in high school senior portraiture or are they a jack/jill of all trades? How many senior sessions do they do in a year? Do not be afraid to ask a LOT of questions! A photographer’s experience is vital for such a BIG moment in your life. Your Senior Portraits only happen once!
Number 2 — Find a Photographer Who Listens to You
Are they excited to work with you? Are they pushing you to fit into their mold or is the focus to create a combined vision between everyone, most importantly…YOU. Do you connect with them? Keep in mind, a huge part of your big day is being outside and on-location for several hours. You should be able to relate and have a blast with your photographer. Does the photographer have a lot of ideas prepared for your shoot? Again, the potential photographer’s experience goes a very long way in this regard. Can they talk you through the progression of how your big day will go?
Number 3 — Decide if Professional Hair & Makeup is Right for YOU and if the Photographer Provides/Requires it.
Your Senior Portraits are an experience! They should be as big and fun as prom, homecoming and your grad party! Are you ready to go glam or is a more natural look right for you?
Going PRO for you hair and make-up can get you feeling your absolute best and confident as you step in front of the camera. You should look and feel like a Rockstar! If this is RIGHT for YOU, can your studio provide this for you or have hair and make-up artists that they partner with that truly understands camera ready make-up?
BUT, if false eyelashes, pouty painted lips and bombshell curls are NOT you. You should not feel as if donning a costume is required. Your senior portraits should not look like someone you are not. Full on glam is not sensible for everyone.
Number 4 — See And Touch Prints And Products
Senior Portraits are a once in a life experience. What do you want in the end? Are digital images the end all be all for you? Are the hours spent in prep and at your portrait shoot only for an Instagram post? The final prints and products are crucial in making your decision. Most people do not think about the fact that photo/portrait printing is an art that takes experience to master. Be sure your photographer has had a long line of happy clients, before you. One of the best ways to see this is to examine their canvases, albums, wall portraits and professional art products. Ask about the array of products that they offer. If they cannot show you examples of each of their products, there is a good chance that they do not have the experience or expertise that you deserve. Remember that printed products last forever. Insist on a full-service photographer, who gives you prints instead of a just a CD, that is just going to end up lost, at the bottom of a drawer. There is only one chance to capture your senior year. Make it count!
Number 5 — Is your Potential Photographer a True Professional?
Be sure to ask how many years your photographer has been in business. Is he/she a member of professional industry organizations? Have they been featured by industry collectives? Do they have liability insurance? Is there a systematic way that they conduct business or does it feel like they are “winging it”? Do they require a contract be signed? It sounds so overly cautious, but it is for YOUR protection. There are a TON of photographers out there, who were given a camera and suddenly decide that they are a professional. Demand that your photographer is a pro!
Holly Davis Seniors is a high school senior-only focused brand in Houston, Texas that serves: The Woodlands, Cypress, Montgomery, Conroe, Kingwood, Conroe, Magnolia, Montgomery and beyond. Holly Davis has been a professional portrait photographer for over 5 years. Through those years in the industry, she has created a bold, fresh and distinct visual style that translates remarkably for high school seniors looking for the best experience in town. Holly truly seeks to create a three part vision for each and every senior portrait session. She will work to combine the classic for mom/dad, the editorial fashion look for teens and combine them all within her professional knowledge and artistic style.
