Finding a Graduation photographer for your Highschool or college senior
Finding the perfect photographer for your senior can be super difficult with the wide variety of price points, and packages! California and Hawaii are especially difficult with the density of photographers! So I will go over everything from prices to deliverables and legalities for you to think about when it comes to booking your senior photographer!
.1 Price Points
Many Senior portrait sessions pricing is based off a combination of number of locations, outfits, hours in front of the camera, and your photographers personal experience and ability!
$50-$100: typically a very new photographer with little to no experience. This photographer will more than likely not have contracts, insurance, or a concrete booking plan
$100-$300: This photographer is usually a bit more established and perhaps a bit more polished in their work and their pricing may not necessarily reflect the quality of their work, rather their experience and professionability… but not always. This is still not a livable wage for most photographers so it is usually a side gig price point!
$300-$800: This is a pretty average price range for a wide range of established and talented photographers who are going to be generous!
$800+: More than likely, you are receiving a luxury photography experience and are working with a real pro!! But, be sure to see their portfolio; work that they did themselves to ensure that you will be receiving the best of the best!
.2 Contracts
This is a more difficult subject to cover, as every photographer has a slightly different contract, but here are some things to look out for in contracts.
Make sure they have a contract, if they don’t this could be a major red flag, because the photographer should be educated on this subject and want to protect you and themselves!
contract should inlclude what you are receiving and how much it will be. You should only pay for what is laid out in the contract, this includes possible charges for last minute add on’s like additional hours if they are willing, and everything you are getting like a proofing gallery, number of finished images, time in front of the camera, number of outfits and locations, and if there are any physical prints included
there should be a cancellation and re-scheduling policy
there should be a refund policy
.3 Portfolio
A Photographer MUST have a portfolio and should know the difference between a portfolio and inspiration board and inspo pics. They should be able to provide a website, instagram, or Facebook link to showcase their work or, all three!!!
.4 The Dreaded Call
Once you have reviewed your photographer’s portfolio and website, it’s time to schedule a call! UGH! I know, so scary! But, if they are the right photographer to you, they will not make this scary! They will make it fun and full of information for you to decide on them! If they are unwilling to hop on some sort of call, they may be a scammer!
My Reccomendations
Check out Alexandria’s Photography for ALL your photographic needs! Alexandria’s Photography is a mid-priced, pro photographer who makes everyone feel comfortable!
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