Planning you senior shoot with Paul N Carter Photography
Where do I start?
The reason that I am doing this, “Planning you senior shoot with Paul N Carter Photography,” blog is because things have change A LOT from when most parents today were graduating high-school and or college. If you look through my portfolio you can see that I have done a lot of both over the past 20 years and I have seen a ton change as well.
So it is normal to not know exactly what you should be looking for and expecting in your Senior Photography, but you are here and I plan on straightening all of that out for you over the next few minutes.
It is all about YOU!
Let’s start out by talking about YOU! Your senior year only happens once! In a lot of cases you could say it is a lot like a Quinceañera or a wedding. It should be celebrated. Your photos should reflect that celebration.
Your senior has spent the last 12 years looking forward to this day. The Seniors and their families have also been collecting memories over that time period. Some play sports, band, choir, debate, theater and many other things. No matter what your story is, it is YOUR story.
It's more than just a picture.
As you probably already know, my moto is “It’s more than just a picture, It’s a Statement. It is not just something that I like to say. I believe that it is one of the things that make my work stand out from others. I not only believe it. I practice it. Not only meeting you and being your photographer, but learning who you are. What you like. What you want to see in your images. What makes you laugh. It is most definitely more than just hiring me and taking your pictures. It is a fun experience that starts the minute that you sign up with me.
There are tons of options
First thing first you want to know what packages that are offered. I can not speak for everyone, but I can tell you about what I offer. I try to keep it simple. I typically offer 2 packages. The first is a Senior day package. It is exactly what it says it is. It is also a version of what most photographers are going to offer. Mine consist of 3 outfits. I do not count a letter jacket as an outfit. It is a freebie. It can consist of 3 locations and one of those locations can be a studio shoot. Now, when most people hear studio shoot they think of the old school, boring, studio shoots and trust me, mine could not be further from that. I have fire, smoke, colored lighting options. The possibilities are end-less. I treat each client like the rockstars that they are. I offer hair and makeup for any and all of my shoots. It is not required but I have a lot that really enjoy that. It is part of the Rockstar thing. There is also a video element that is added. Video is a whole other topic that I will cover in another blog but it is super fun and super cool. Again, all of these shoots are always based around you.
For the Seniors that want more!
I mentioned that I offer 2 packages and this next package is the one that most of my seniors do! I have a Senior Year package. It includes 4 shoots spread out throughout the year. 1st sessions in at the beginning of the year, 2nd typically in the fall. The 3rd session is typically the studio session during the winter months and the 4th is the spring. I know I said 4 shoots but there is a freebie that I throw in that is the Cap N Gown wrap shoot. That typically happens closer to graduation for the simple reason that your senior does not have the cap n gown in until then. This package gives you a chance to see your senior grow and change throughout their final year in high-school. It also gives us a chance to really dive into different locations and or events for shoots. I give first availability to my Senior Year Seniors for prom shoots. If you are in sports than it gives us a chance to concentrate on that sport as well as other things throughout the year. As you can imagine, you end the year with a ton of images and you have access to them for things like invitations and banners and whatever else you may need. I think that you are probably seeing why it is my most popular packages. Again, I am not going to go to far into the video option here but there are some really cool video add-ons that are amazing keep sakes that we can do as well.
The sky is the limit.
As you well know, you have many options out the when it comes to picking your senior photographer. Weather it is me or someone else, the most important part of the equation is YOU! Look for work that you love. Make sure that they are a good fit for you and that you get exactly what you are looking for. In todays times there is zero reason to not get what you want. When it comes to me, 99% of the time the answer is yes, I will not promise you something that I can not deliver. I like to explain to people, taking pictures is the easy part. I have been doing that for over 20 years. It is crazy to say that but it is true. If taking the picture is not the easy part by now, I probably should bow out. The fun part for me is you. Meeting you, learning what you really like and want. What is important to you and figuring out how to bring that to life in my way. With Paul N Carter Photography it is more than just a picture. It is an experience, It is a vide, it becomes a family thing and it is a Statement. Come join the Paul N Carter Photography family and lets do something cool for your senior!
