We often get the question “Which month is the best month for senior grad photos?” and we have some considerations below to help you decide. The truth is that each senior grad has different goals for the location or season of their photo session. The key thing to know is...
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What's the worst month to schedule your portraits?
August. Why August? Because August has the very best weather. Everyone else wants the August dates for themselves!
Picture this...
There you are on a leisurely late July afternoon, lounging by the pool, sipping on lemonade, when it occurs that you still need to get your family portraits or senior grad portraits done within the next month...August.
You open your calendar while calling your photographer, and suddenly find yourself in the middle of a battlefield, with every available photography date fiercely contested. News flies in from the front. The 17th and 24th have fallen, and the 31st is missing in action. Victory over the 10th could be yours, but you can't rally the troops in time.
It's a showdown of epic proportions as families, couples, and high school students scramble to secure that coveted slot amidst the August chaos. Who knew that the very month synonymous with end-of-the-season relaxation would become a battleground for portrait bookings?
Am I exaggerating? Okay, maybe a little...but not as much as you might think!
Here's the point: If you're planning to capture those precious memories against the backdrop of August's sun-kissed summer days, it's time to channel your inner strategist, rally the troops, and plan ahead. In the unpredictable world of portrait photography, timing truly is everything.
Disclaimer: No clients were harmed in the making of this image. Never would we ask our clients to pose for a photograph with real dragons or deranged warrior elves.
Top 10 Questions Parents of Senior Grads Ask
How far in advance should we book a session for our grad?
About 2+ months in advance during the busy summer season.
What should we consider when selecting a senior grad photographer?
Does your grad like and connect with the photographer? Would the style represent them? If these things click, you will have much better success with the final portraits. The only way to find out is through an in-person meeting.
How much?
How much for what? No, seriously. Everyone's goals for the end results are as different as their grad student is unique. Some parents invest around $1000 and some invest $7000 or more. Know your end goals. Know what these memories are worth to you. With further conversation and understanding, your photographer can guide you to an idea of what to expect cost-wise.
Can we request a specific location for the senior grad photo shoot and are there travel costs?
Yes, we love to work with you whenever we can! Travel to nearby locations is included. There will be normal expenses for places a little further out. Travel inside the US is included with our Epic Destination options.
How many outfit changes are typically allowed during the session?
It is not about "what is allowed" as much as it is about how much time you want in front of the camera versus time changing. We generally recommend 2-3 outfits for a 2-hour session.
Can we include family members or friends in some of the senior grad photos?
Yes! We now allow parents to designate a portion of their grad sitting for family or friends if they like. Typically that looks like 90 minutes dedicated to the grad and 30 minutes to the family or friend.
Can we customize our package with prints or albums from the photographer?
Yes, we abandoned traditional "set packages" a long time ago. We are a full-service provider, meaning prints, albums, and framed artwork, and are all available to you. It is all about complete solutions for our clients. We also provide other amazing products you may not have seen yet and cannot get access to anywhere else! Our goal is that you purchase the images you love on the products you truly want in your home.
Are digital copies of the photos included, or do we need to purchase them separately?
We are very proud of the fact that we are among the few "Full Service" portrait providers in our region, meaning people choose us for the amazing art pieces we create for their walls or as keepsakes. We do appreciate our client's desire to show how proud they are of their senior grad online so we always provide complimentary social media-sized files of every image you order. You can also purchase full-resolution, fully-edited digital images, however, if you are looking for all the digital images for free, that is not what we do here.
What happens if the weather is bad on the scheduled day of the senior grad photo shoot?
If the weather looks bad, we will reach out to you in advance with some backup options at no charge.
Do you provide hair and makeup services?
Absolutely! And we have access to TWO of the best makeup artist pros in the area!! They are highly sought-after among photographers for their knowledge of how makeup must integrate with lighting and camera. Makeup makes a difference!
Did we miss something you want to know more about? Ask us! We are happy to help answer any questions you have. One of our deepest desires is that you understand the process with us before making any decisions.
Call us at 206.659.7468
Oh no, my senior grad and I do not agree on portraits....
Does this story sound a little familiar to you? Sasha, a junior in high school, is looking forward to the big 2023-2024 graduation year. A huge part of the year will be the grad portrait session and she is really excited about it! Her mom really is excited too but finds her ideas are shut down or met with opposition. Sasha believes her mom only wants a bunch of "the boring stuff." Mom thinks Sasha's ideas are "a bit much" and miss the point a little. Sasha only wants to post the images to social media for Senior Sunday, but Mom is thinking a little more long-term and wants something beautiful for the home. The discussions are going nowhere.
CONGRATULATIONS, you are officially the parent of a senior grad!!
Although both are seeking to commemorate the upcoming milestone, the goals are distinctly separate. Let's compare...
MOM'S GOALS
Capture the life milestone
Look like the competent and capable young adult they are becoming
Create a cohesive look that would fit in the home
Proud to represent them at their best
A reminder of their belonging to this family
Feel affirmed for all that went into raising them (fist-bump from me)
SENIOR GRAD'S GOALS
Showcase individuality
Look cool and different
Highlight personal talents and interests
Emphasize personal style
Use props and outfits to reflect their personal brand
Feel seen
Despite these differences, both the senior grad student and parent CAN achieve their own results with the help of a professional photographer who understands their unique needs. With 13 years of experience, and clients with diverse interests and from varying backgrounds, we know how to provide customized solutions to meet opposing desires.
We believe everyone deserves to have a portrait that represents them in the best possible way. We also know what it feels like to be a parent. We will work with you both to create the perfect portraits. With a professional, you can achieve the goals for each and have lasting memories everyone will cherish for years to come!
Here are the secret 1-2-3 steps to success...
Talk to your senior grad and affirm their desires for the portraits
See what they think of our grad guide with tons of tips, style, location, and clothing ideas (Get a PDF you can send to their phone)
Meet with us before you commit to anything, but let your grad drive the discussion (Remember, we know what you want too!)
Booking with an experienced photographer also means you avoid getting stuck for life with portraits that met only one person's goals, or worse, no one's goals.
Let's do this!
So, why not book a consultation with us today and let us help you capture this life milestone the right way? We guarantee we will create beautiful portraits that you will both be proud to show off. If you have doubts, ask us about our brand promise!
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Happy New Year - Something has changed...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
(but something has changed)
.
Something has changed in the world. Have you noticed...
Airbnbs are booked up solid across the nation?
Airlines are overbooked?
Concert tickets are gone 15 min. after release?
People are being turned away from the best National Parks?
You have to reserve a spot to go on the best hikes?
Campsite and RV reservations have all been snatched up 6 to 12 months in advance?
Your next available hair appointment is 6 weeks out?
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!
Likely, you have found yourself in one of two situations. (1) You aren't worried because you planned what you wanted WAY in advance or (2) you experience tremendous disappointment when you found out the people who planned in advance took the opportunity away.
The same is true for on-demand creative services like photography. Half the people and businesses are planning ahead and taking the dates. The other half finds out that, when the idea pops into their head, it is already too late.
Here are 5 things you do to avoid disappointment in 2023
Do you have a senior Grad? Begin talking about the plan for grad portraits now. They need to happen the summer BEFORE the start of grade 12. Most parents don't know this and wait until the last week in August or the start of school. They miss out on the best weather, the best locations, and the best dates. April of the Junior year is not too early to start researching your grad photographer.
Is this the year for family portraits? Spring is when to plan for summer. Families who wait until school is out to think about their portrait plans may be lucky to even get a date in the fall. Some years, the best summer dates can book out 8-12 weeks in advance.
Going on a special vacation? Know that all photographers are busy during the most beautiful months of the year. Take your photographer plans as seriously as you would your flights and accommodations because other people are.
Needing business portraits? Plan now for Q1 or Q2 because where will your team be in Q3? On vacation, of course! So then it gets bumped to Q4, but everyone is too busy through the holidays and it gets bumped to Q1 of next year. Yikes!
Take a moment now to consider what your portrait goals are for this year. Bring it up at the next family meeting or business meeting. It is a quick and easy discussion you can have right now that has the power to change how you feel about 2023.
If we can be of service to you in 2023, we look forward to connecting! We know how to help you plan and prepare.
Reach out to us at 206.659.7468 or info@jaredmburns.com
10 things parents of Senior students wish they had known before the Senior year
We polled parents to learn the biggest things they wish they had known about their high school student’s senior year. Here is a compilation of the top 10 things they said...
1. The senior year really starts before the junior year has ended.
Because the senior year moves at such an intense pace, parents must begin discussions and plans with students BEFORE the summer of their senior year!
2. Senior photos are one of the biggest portrait sessions of their life. It commemorates who they were, what they have achieved, and reveals a little on whom they will become.
The best professional photographers are guaranteed to book up early, even BEFORE SCHOOL HAS STARTED!
Research and choose a photographer no less than 3-6 months before the yearbook deadline.
Summer has the best weather for portraits. Summer is when the best locations are available. You have more flexibility in your schedule during the summer. HOWEVER, summer gets busy and will slip by you in the blink of an eye. Plan ahead.
Parents who wait until the last minute to schedule a photographer will often be turned away by the best photographer and have to settle for a low-budget or free friend photographer.
3. The deadline for the yearbook portrait submission is sooner than you think. Do you know when it is for your student’s school?
Most area high schools have a yearbook deadline within the first two weeks of October.
Most parents will wait until school starts to contact their photographer and will find it is ALREADY TOO LATE to book the photographer they wanted.
4. Start researching and applying for scholarships early or your student may miss out entirely.
Your student must take the PSAT in their Junior year to be eligible for National Merit Scholarships in their senior year.
5. Service projects and tracking service hours are a graduation requirement for most high schools. The easiest way to get them is through existing programs like…
Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts, or 4-H
Local service clubs in the community like Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce, Loins Club, Habitat for Humanity, and more.
Look into local festivals, non-profits, or government interest groups who need volunteers at their big annual events.
Missions work or service projects organized by your church or a local youth group
Common High School Clubs like Key Club, DECA, Future Business Leaders of America, Lions Club, Civil Air Patrol, and Junior ROTC, and many more.
Look into things that fit their passions like Adopt-a-Highway, Animal Rescue, Hospital Volunteering, Mentoring, Red Cross, Tutoring, Volunteer Fire Department, or the local community soup kitchen.
Check what the high school offers and check which service organizations operate in your community.
6. Check-in regularly with your student on what credit items are required for graduation and where they are at with their progress.
Senior year is a little different than the others and failing to stay on top of credits can effect a percentage of their grade or endanger graduation.
7. Plan ahead for the senior year costs...
Senior Photographer
Yearbook
Senior grad portrait keepsakes for yourself and relatives
Graduation items like cap/gown, grad card announcements, and graduation ceremony invites
Senior party with the school and Senior party or BBQ hosted by you
8. Begin mapping out some of the next steps after high school
Will they attend college, trade school, take a year off, travel, or do an internship? Don't necessarily try to choose their major now, but do have a working plan and timeline in place so key dates or application periods do not slip by.
There is nothing wrong with taking a gap year before college. Most colleges recognize it as a good and healthy step in the educational journey. It will not count against them.
Remember and be sensitive to the fact that they are beginning their life plan, not yours. It is okay if they want to do one thing before another. Your role is to guide them toward some assemblage of their own plan.
9. The big senior year goes by faster than you think.
Be intentional about being present with them.
Encourage them to reflect and savor the key moments and the activities. Remind them to take pictures, scrapbook, or journal if they are into any of these things.
Grades are important, but in the grand scheme of life, they are not everything. Overpressure may affect a student's health, rest, confidence, or ability to cope or maintain motivation more than you may realize.
10. Think about what the coming change means to you and your family
Are they moving out on their own? Are they going to attend a college out of state? The deeply bitter/sweet feelings you will experience cannot be overstated. This is last year you are all together under the same roof home as a family. What activities or vacations are left that you always wanted to do together?
When was your last family portrait together? Most parents realize all too late they forgot to update the family portrait since the kids were all little. The best time for a family portrait is the summer or early fall before the senior year or late spring or early summer before they leave for college.
We can’t help you with PSAT’s or college plans, but we can photograph the memories. It’s about your student’s last year of high school, their unique personality, and their biggest transition captured in one epic photography experience!