Day In The Life Of A Senior Photographer | Photography Business BTS

As a senior photographer, there are a lot of things I love about my job. One of the things I appreciate most is the flexibility and freedom it brings into my life. No two days look the same, but the beauty is—I get to design my own path.. Join me on a breakdown of a typical day in my life as a senior photographer and see behind the scenes with a business owner!

My Hatch alarm (ocean noises, thank you very much) clock goes off before the sun. I love getting a head start on the day — there’s just something about that hour that feels like you’re ahead of the ball, and for a business owner, there’s hardly a better feeling!

I'm loving taking pilates classes in the morning, or heading to the gym for a little strength training. I call this input/output time — input in the sense that I use this time to listen to a podcast, training or course. Output in the sense that I'm getting blood moving in my body, which helps fresh ideas pop into my brain! Some mornings, just a quick walk outside is all you need to get the creative juices flowing. Once I'm home, I read 10 pages of a non-fiction book (every single day!), make a cup of coffee (Nespresso’s maple flavor is currently my fav), set my action items for the day, and get ready for calls and photoshoots.

As a business owner, every day is different. Mondays are my consultation days, where I meet with potential clients and design their sessions with me. Tuesday through Thursday are photoshoot days, most often, but since sessions are either early morning or late afternoon, the middle of the day is spent editing, designing artwork for clients, creating content, or coaching other senior photographers. Then on Friday I play the role of babysitter for my nephew Bennett, which is one of my favorite perks of making my own schedule. I'll spend a couple of hours playing with him while my sister gets to catch up on work or get some alone time, and then the three of us will go out for coffee and a walk by the beach. The dream! 

I wrap up the week by planning the next week every Friday afternoon. That's a must for me! I have an hour reserved every Friday for what I call "time block planning" (cuter name coming soon but… you get the idea) where I refer to my master to-do list, and pull out certain tasks to drip into the next week's schedule. As a business owner who relies on her calendar to keep things running smoothly, this is probably THE most important hour of the week!

Depending on what’s going on that day, I sometimes start work at 9AM and finish around 8PM since I’ll often take photos at sunset. For that reason, I always try to take extended breaks during the day, maybe for a few hours, to balance out the workday and make sure I'm taking time to connect with my friends, family, & self! 

When you really enjoy what you do, those days that seem long on a calendar absolutely fly by. As the gal in charge, I’m also able to block off days at a time, take a half day, or travel the world for a month if I feel the need! As a business owner, you get to decide when to work and when to play, without needed pre-approval from upper management. The fact that I happen to love both work and play is just the cherry on top of it all! 

When it comes to work/life balance, my husband and I are definitely in a season of building as we say. We know that every day of intentional work is laying a brick into the foundation of our future. And, to be honest, it feels really good.

So in that sense, the work/life balance does tend to lean into the work side more often, but it also feels like a part of our life too — we both work in "the people business" and get to spend our days with so many great people. Our clients keep us energized and we both work in beautiful, outdoor settings (I mean, I listen to waves crash on the sand for a living). So right now, we're actually thankful that work and life harmonize so well for us. 

My favorite ways to unwind are travel, sushi dinners with my girlfriends, reading a Kristen Hannah book, watching Survivor with my husband (we've seen every single season), spending time with my family, and beach days with my surf-obsessed parents. Even in our season of building, it’s important to have some downtime! 

On the work side, having help is such an important part of growth. I realized lately there’s a whole village in my life and business now! I have a Pinterest/blog manager, a virtual assistant, an editor, interns & in-person assistants, a print lab team, a senior rep team (grab my freebie to learn more about having your own rep team), an accountant & bookkeeper, business coaches, and a financial advisor. Asking for help isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength for any business owner.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jenna Lesoeur | Senior Photographer (@jenrenpro)

I've invested tens of thousands of dollars in coaching & mentorship in recent years, and the return on my investment always comes back in multiples. I spent far too many years in my business completely alone, sort of "white knuckling" this whole business thing through trial and error. Hiring experienced mentors I trusted, with proven track records, basically pushed me forward years (and, when taking compound interest into account, decades) in a matter of months.


Specifically, I've been trained in sales skills, entrepreneurship, life coaching, messaging, sales events, and, of course, photography! To be honest, I don't think I'll ever be without a coach or mentor who is several steps ahead of me. It's the best way to grow.

When it comes to growth, remember that roots grow down before they grow up. Growth downward is still growth! For the business owner working so hard and/or searching for clarity in your business, you can appreciate the fact that your roots are growing down. Same goes for an investment, risk, sacrifice or leap into a decision — roots grow in the dark, where no one can see. The longer and stronger the roots, the stronger and more durable your growth. Water it, grow down, and repeat. “Fruit“ will be your natural byproduct.

Every business owner starts somewhere — I know what it’s like to look around and realize I’m capable of more. I can pinpoint the moment I knew I could create a life where I got to make my own schedule, make a living being creative, and serve others well in the process.

If you’re looking for more flexibility in your life by building a successful senior photographer business so your days can look a little more like mine, there are ways I can help you! 

Check out my new challenge, the Shoot Less Make More Challenge — 5 days to give you a head start on mastering the art of creating predictable financial stability in your photography business.

Also make sure you’re following me on instagram @jrpuniversity for ways to improve your craft, increase your impact, and invest in your future.

Twin Senior Pictures 101 | Senior Photo Ideas

What’s not to love about twin senior pictures?! I get to work with not one but TWO seniors in one day? Two seniors who know each other better than anyone else? It's the most fun, fascinating, third-wheel experience there is in my opinion. Twin senior pictures sessions have similarities to solo sessions, but by nature, they’re double the fun!

More than anything, what's unique about twin senior sessions is experiencing their bond and their dynamic. I absolutely love asking mom or dad (whoever is at the session with us) how each twins' personality differs. It's so fun learning about it from the parent! I'm always curious who is taller, who is more outgoing, who is more shy… the concept of twins is just so cool in general, so to meet so many pairs of siblings who have so much in common yet are still so independent is such a cool part of my job as a senior photographer.

If you asked me what the hardest thing about shooting twin senior pictures was, it’d be an easy answer — remembering who is who!! Especially when they are identical. Fortunately, initial necklaces are really popular right now, which definitely helps me put names to faces in the first few minutes of the session. You really need to study their features at first because once they change outfits, you have to start over! You originally thought, “okay, blue dress is this person, red shirt is this person" but that goes out the window when they change clothes. That's why it's important to know them by their features rather early on in the session.

PHOTOGRAPHER TIP:

It's so important to know a client by name, because you'll be using it throughout the session and it helps the client to feel special, seen, known, & relaxed. Did you know the brain reacts in a specific way when someone hears their own name versus hearing the names of others? So cool!

Speaking of twin senior pictures outfits, there are a few ways you can approach selecting outfits for a duo. In my twin sessions, I typically see a coordinating outfit, such as matching white dresses, one independent outfit so they can each shine on their own/express their own independent style or college choice, and then one more outfit that doesn't "match" as in being the same color or type of clothing, but rather their outfits  "go together." Examples of this are complementary colors, or a girl senior wearing a long dress while her twin brother wears a more formal look.

Posing is one aspect of twin senior pictures that needs to be handled slightly differently than solo senior sessions. There's a specific flow I'll follow when it comes to posing twins, and it's one that ensures we get enough solo time for each senior while still making sure we pause for sibling shots, too. That's often a misconception about twin sessions — parents either think they'll need to book two separate photoshoots, or that there won't be enough time to do both solo and sibling images. That's why I follow my PB&J flow that I teach to photography students in my Posing on Purpose course! 

Here are 4 twin senior pictures pose ideas to get you started:

Pose 1: Back to back or side to side

This is a fun way to see each twin and their features side by side.

Pose 2: Cap toss - of course!

Whether the seniors are holding their cap out in front of the camera, tossing the cap in the air, or walking away while holding the cap, they’re all classics in the world of senior photos!

Pose 3: Walking

Get them moving! Walking away or walking toward the camera, holding hands for twin girls, arm-in-arm for guy/girl twins, and a little space in between for twin brothers.

Pose 4: Piggy back

Not only is this a cute pose, but capturing one twin running and jumping onto their sibling’s back makes for an extra fun series, as well!

---

Even though we're working with twins, it's definitely important to make each individual feel seen and celebrated for their uniqueness as well. If one twin has a unique sense of fashion compared to the other, we'll make sure to give them a solo outfit moment to highlight it!

The most important thing about making sure we get it just right for twin seniors is having a video consultation call where I can get to know each senior virtually. That way, I can note who is passionate about what, who wants to avoid this, highlight that, etc. Pre-session calls are extremely important to the success of the session, which is why we do them with every client — not just twins!

If you're on the fence about getting twin senior pictures taken, remember that this may very well be one of the final seasons of your kiddos under the same roof. While they may or may not be best friends at this stage in their life, it will certainly be a memory they will share for decades to come. Just think of how often they'll pull out their senior photo album to show it to their kids and kids' kids in the future. No doubt about it — senior year will come and go. Take an afternoon to capture it!

If you want to learn more about posing twins and other seniors, check out my free 9 piece posing kit!

Are you a senior who wants to book your own twin senior pictures session? Apply here!

Busting 4 Myths About Senior Rep Programs

It is no secret that I believe a senior rep program is a game changer for any photographer looking to break into the high school senior photography business. But figuring out how to price your program so it’s actually profitable (and not to mention FUN for the students involved) may be causing you to second-guess whether a rep program is really the best way to work with more high school seniors this year. Today I’m going to debunk some of the myths surrounding senior rep programs so you can see why senior rep programs are the single best method for breaking into, and growing within, the senior photography niche!

Myth 1: Reps join for free

The truth is, a senior rep team member gets exclusive access to added value — not reduced payment.

Group shoots, venue rentals, and your valuable time are certainly not free — so your program shouldn’t be either! A successful senior rep team that provides a great experience for your ambassadors AND brings in new, qualified senior leads to book out your calendar does not have to operate at a loss.

Knowing how to price your senior rep program doesn’t have to be complicated, either. In my course Rep It! I teach two simplified pricing & package models to follow for a profitable and effective program: Simple & Tiered.

Once you choose your model & apply your simplified package pricing, you can list your price on your application or share it confidently during your info meeting.

Then, you’ll reap the booked-out benefits of a healthy senior rep program without losing money in the process.

Myth 2: Each rep must refer at least one person

A common complaint I hear from other photographers about senior model teams is that the team members just “don’t do anything” or that it just “doesn’t work.”

After 6 consecutive years of running an effective senior rep program at JenRenPro, I’ve learned that there’s been a miscommunication in the photography world about what exactly senior reps are expected to do as a member of the program.

In reality, the best way to get a rep’s friends to book their senior photos with you is not to just expect the rep to do all the heavy lifting. It’s to work alongside your rep: they participate, you promote.

It’s not unlike the way the kicker on the football team works with the holder. The rep is the kicker — he or she is excited to be on the team, proud to wear the uniform, and ready to take center stage on the field for his or her chance to score in front of the crowd. You are the holder — you’re essential to the field-goal, and the kicker isn’t going to be able to succeed without you setting up the ball just right.

Use this mentality when you’re posting stories from your team events, sending graphics for your team to share, and designing branded gifts or merchandise.

Once you adopt a “what’s-in-it-for-them” mentality, any marketing effort you make will result in having more qualified leads checking out your senior photography services.

Myth 3: There can only be one Rep program in my area

Do these thoughts ever creep into your mind?

“The market is saturated!”

“There’s a popular program from a popular photographer in my area already!”

“I just moved here and don’t know anyone!”

There can be a hundred programs in an area, but there’s only one you. That’s why I tell photographers to build a STANDOUT program based on your journey, their generation, and creative separation. 

Incorporating YOU into your program is the easiest and most powerful way to attract the right students onto your team. 

The next time you sit down to design your annual rep team schedule for the year ahead, think about how to create photoshoot concepts, merchandise, & community give-back that makes your program naturally unlike any other.

Once you do this, you’ll not only feel more aligned and at-home with your team (your “people”), but you’ll also find it easier to attract not just MORE applicants, but the RIGHT applicants.

Myth 4: The bigger the better

In reality, it only takes serving one student to help you break into the local senior photography market.

There’s a term I use in Rep It! called the “Rep Ramp” which refers to the 3-step process to breaking into and growing within the senior photography niche in your area. Establish in year one, grow in year two, and refine in year three. 

It only takes one domino to start the fall. Your first representative might be a lot easier to recruit than you think — in your establishing year, having even one representative (whether a booked client or an actual team member) means you get secondary access to his or her friends, family, peers and teammates IF the client experience is word-of-mouth worthy.

When you’re looking to break into senior photography, start small with 1-3 reps. Pair a great client experience for them with the right marketing coverage, and you’ll find yourself with senior rep applications pouring in months before it’s time to recruit the next class’ team.

My biggest piece of advice for someone hesitant to start a senior rep program

Many photographers, myself included, begin photography as a creative outlet, hobby, or project. It’s one of those unique careers which are artistic and sensitive in nature, but yet, desperately requires business skills like accounting, customer service, and marketing in order to thrive. 

We’re notorious for obsessing over presets, camera gear, and shoot locations, but we actually should be more concerned with entrepreneurship, sales skills, and mindset.

Someone who believes that “there can only be one program in my area” or that “the market is too saturated” has a bright, neon sign pointing back to themselves that says “I’m not sold on me yet.”

Don’t let fear drive the decision-making in your business. You get to decide how far, deep, wide, and high you want to take your photography business for you and your family. Get sold on you, first!

Are you ready to learn everything you need to know about running a standout senior rep program? My course Rep It! is the all-in-one marketing roadmap for senior photographers. 

Click here to learn more about the program and how to join!

How to Audit Your Senior Posing Flow in 6 Steps | Senior Photography Education

Having a senior posing flow changed the game for me as a senior photographer. I used to get a bit nervous before sessions, print out entire posing sheets, and scramble through Pinterest inspo before a session — only to forget it all once we started. Leaning on shortcuts, like a posing app or storing pose inspo on my memory card, wasn’t cutting it either. Having a posing flow means being able to nail LOTS of different poses with a degree of speed that keeps the client comfortable (which should be a huge priority for senior photographers) and most importantly, creates killer results. A well-developed posing flow is like a built-in guide in your mind that guarantees each session, no matter the time limit or circumstance, will lead to happy clients who love their images.

A senior photographer’s posing method begins well before the session takes place. Use the following questions to assess whether or not your senior posing flow needs a revamp.

1. Prep

Is your posing expertise communicated in the inquiry, discover, prep, & check-in phase of your senior photography experience?

Posing starts waaaaaaay before the photo session. Before physically posing the client, it's important to mentally and emotionally check-in with their expectations around the session in general. This is the perfect opportunity for you to be their trusted advisor, their guide, the expert in their photography experience. Don't miss out on these important pre-session touch points.

2. Kickoff

What are you SAYING before you start DOING? How do you establish yourself as the trusted guide? Do you show the back of the camera? What pose do you start with?

Start with the same base pose and/or introductory phrase: 

"You couldn't mess this up if you tried!"

"Remember, I'm going to tell you exactly what you need to do."

"Let's start with some easy, no-pressure warm-up poses."

The number one thing on your client’s mind when you first get started is probably something about being nervous, so help them feel safe and excited with a simple verbal reminder.

3. Language

Are you explaining the pose verbally or physically? Are you snapping photos in silence? Are you using positive, proactive language when redirecting your clients?

If your plan going into sessions is to stay quiet behind the camera and wait for your client to figure it out, think again! Try to fill almost every moment with verbal affirmation, positive/constructive adjustments, and of course, physically demonstrating the pose as well. 

Remember, these clients don't have a mirror, and they can't always see the back of your camera! All they see is a photographer with a big camera pointed at them. How are they going to know how it's looking if you don't tell them? Communication is non-negotiable for a positive client experience.

4. Expectations

Are you establishing expectations early and clearly?

Establishing expectations as they relate to posing includes:

• Where to park and meet you

• Who should come to the session

• What parents or guests do during the session

• How you’ll be directing the client today

• Choosing poses according to both parent & senior preferences

Remember, we serve TWO clients: parent and senior. Be sure to have clear approaches to making each party feel catered to and taken care of.

5. Variations

Do you spend several minutes setting the client into a pose, only to snap a bunch of the same base pose without taking advantage of the variations available?

Are you posing your clients, prompting them, or both? 

How do you change your posing flow between girls, guys, twins, young teens, and larger groups? 

Are you leveraging the posing power of props during your senior sessions?

Even the slightest change to add variations can be the difference between a regular photo session that simply satisfies the client and an amazing senior photo session that has your client posting your images, leaving you rave reviews, and insisting their friends and family book with you ASAP!

6. Style

How are you making your poses unique to your photography style? Do you enjoy posing your clients? How often are you trying out what inspires you?

"No one is you, and that is your power" 

The best poses will reveal themselves over time. At first, maybe by accident, but eventually you'll start to see patterns in your work and realize, "hey, that's kind of my thing! I love it!" Of course in our world it's easy to find ideas and be inspired by others, but don't forget to also look inward, take time to rest and recharge your creative battery, and try new things with willing clients or your model team.

Not only will having a solid posing flow allow you to show up to your sessions confident that you can trust yourself and nail it, but your clients will feel it, too. Every client is different and will require different degrees of guidance, and every location, weather scenario, and session differs, too. Having a flow means having an ADAPTABLE method, rather than using the same reference sheet for each and every client. They’ll see your confidence and expertise during the session, and be wowed by the results in their photos. Happy clients lead to the most valuable result of them all: warm, eager, trusting word-of-mouth referrals!

Ready to take your senior photography to the next level? With a solid senior posing flow and my 9-piece posing kit, you’ll be unstoppable! Download the posing kit here for free.

4 Reasons You Need A Senior Rep Program As A Senior Photographer

To have a senior rep team, or not to have a senior rep team…that is the question.

Any time I explain to my senior photography students or even people outside of the photography world how I've designed my senior rep program and made it an integral part of my photography business (read: being booked out year after year, baby!), they often stare into the distance for a second and then come back with, "Wait...that is genius." It works — I'm telling you. But don't just take my word for it, check out the evidence below to see for yourself!

First, what is a senior rep program? It is a curated team of qualified high school students who represent your senior photography business throughout their senior (and sometimes even their junior) year. Having a senior rep program empowers photographers to make a name for themselves in their local senior photography market and grow a raving, referral-based business. At the same time, a senior model program that is set up effectively will be profitable, effective in drawing in qualified leads, and honestly… a whole lot of creative fun, too!

My senior photography business experienced a night and day change once I implemented my improved senior rep program model. I went from generating less than $10,000 in annual photography revenue to hurdling past my first 6-figure year. These results speak for themselves when it comes to whether or not I think senior photographers should have a senior rep program, but we can break down the “why” even further.

1. Social media is always changing, but word-of-mouth is forever

While senior photography client leads can come from numerous sources, like Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, your website's SEO-optimized blog, print marketing, mail campaigns... there is one referral source that most often brings eager, kind, ready-to-book leads into my pipeline — and that is, people who heard about me from someone they know that took their senior photos with me.

So how do you get more people to talk about your business? You kick up dust. Make a splash. Become visible in your market.

Easier said than done, sure — but the truth is, NOT having a senior model program could be costing you some seriously awesome clients.

According to a study by Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising. Another study by McKinsey found that word-of-mouth is the primary factor behind 20-50% of all purchasing decisions.

Knowing how to nail personal networking AND social media with video marketing skills is non-negotiable in today's photography business landscape.

TL;DR:
Having a senior rep program means leaning into personal networking FIRST, and social media second. A strong personal network in the senior photography space leads to warm, often pre-qualified word-of-mouth referrals, regardless of what 'the algorithm' is doing.

2. Don't know what to post? Group photo shoots are a content creator's dream

Do you ever feel like you want to attract more senior photo clients, but don't have any exciting senior-related bookings or events coming up on your calendar? Having a senior rep program means having beautifully styled, fun photo events taking place on your calendar year-round, so you'll never NOT have something to share online.

Senior rep events and group photo shoots are perfect opportunities to share what it's like to work with you — plus, you can market both your rep team AND regular senior photography portrait services at once.

There's a lot of talk about "showing your face more" and how important having a "personal brand" is for business owners in today's photography business space. For a while, as social media carved its path into more traditional, faceless marketing tactics, many business owners dragged their feet when it came to showing up online. The thought of filming ourselves, having to learn how to edit videos, and facing the fear of being perceived by strangers on the internet was daunting. But what if we re-framed those thoughts? What if incorporating video marketing into our social media strategies could be fun, quick, easy & effective?

Video marketing, short-form and long-form, is here to stay, and storytelling will become more important than ever for the success of your photography business. If you have any content-related goals this year, let it be this: prioritize setting your content apart from the rest through storytelling! Check out this reel for more on how to do it!

TL;DR:
Content is about more than just your usual bookings. You can utilize your senior rep program for portfolio work and behind the scenes storytelling to boost your marketing to the next level.

3. They build lasting referral sources

Unlike marketing strategies like paid advertising, offering discounts, or time-sensitive mini sessions, a well-designed senior ambassador program will attract high quality leads who want to work with you specifically year, after year, after year.

You see, a senior rep program takes on what I teach my students as the "Rep Ramp" — a 3-part process where the rep team is established, grown, and, finally, free to run on autopilot. While having a rep program is a long-term marketing strategy, the beauty of it is that you're planting seeds now that will reap bountiful harvests later, like:

-when your super unique group shoot photos become found on Pinterest 2 years after they're taken, or 

-when the younger siblings of your current rep team's member finally become a senior and refuse to work with anyone else, or

-when the freshman who found you on social media from a senior rep group shoot post started following you, and has been on your waitlist for years

Choosing to start a senior rep team takes more effort and input in the beginning, and eventually gains enough momentum to run itself. There are, of course, always new and exciting updates made to the program, such as which new photoshoot concepts to introduce, adjusting your booking process, and raising your prices to stay profitable and ensure a positive experience for all team members.

TL;DR:
The referrals you get from an established senior rep program snowball and continue to reap benefits for years!

4. Senior Rep teams maximize the already existing social dynamics of high school students

Unlike photography genres such as newborns, weddings, and even family sessions, the senior photography niche is complimented perfectly by having a limited-time team in place (i.e. 12 months of being a high school senior) to attract current and future leads. Not only do rep teams support the ever-popular teenage habit of posting photos online, but having representatives who are currently enrolled in local high schools automatically spreads your work into pre-existing, extremely tight-knit high school student & parent communities.

Gen Alpha spends 4 hours a day on social media... so the importance of meeting these clients (and let's not forget: their parents) where they're already at is undeniable.

But don't forget that social media is only one piece of the marketing puzzle — it's never been more important to nurture and grow a real-life community within your brand.

TL;DR:
With actual high school students representing your business, you’re showing up exactly where your ideal client already is.

Not only does a senior rep team benefit your business, there are additional benefits that are so fulfilling. It’s hard to pick just one, so I have two favorites. First, the relationships I’m able to build with the girls throughout our time together, including seeing them grow SO much in one short year and sending them off into their next chapter by the end of it. Second, the cool destination locations we visit as a part of our group photoshoot adventures. Nothing brings a group of people together like exploring, adventure, and figuring-it-out-as-you-go!

When I implemented my rep program, I went from a wide-open calendar to having to create a last-minute, makeshift waitlist when my schedule got too full. My favorite part of all? I went from booking any photography gig that came my way (weddings, events, you name it) just to make end’s meet to gaining the freedom to pick and choose projects from a place of light-hearted desire — not financial necessity.

Want 5 clear tips on how to start a successful senior rep program for your photography business? Check out my free guide here!

Is Wind Bad for Photo Shoots? My Secrets to Windy Success

Update: I’ve since put together a “5 Posing Tips for Windy Photo Shoot” Video - click here to watch it on my Instagram!

There's nothing like waking up on the day of a photo shoot (for both the photographer and client alike) to some of Earth's bravest elements making their presence known.

Whether it's rain, snow, extreme heat or wind, a natural light photographer is always at the mercy of the natural elements.

Here is the good news, though: as a photographer, you can learn how and when to either discern a reschedule or adapt to the weather—a decision that depends on the client, the type of shoot, and of course, YOU!

The Client

Recall their vision

If your client has specifically requested photos with sunbeams streaming through the trees, a brilliant sunset, or perfectly placed hair for their shoot, you have to ask yourself a few things:

• Are the client's desired circumstances realistic in my area, given its climate?

• Can I add these desired elements in post-processing to give the client what they're hoping for? Will this be relatively doable or will it take up a huge amount of time?

Be Honest

Communication is always keys with your subjects—before, during, and after a photo shoot. In the event that less-than-ideal weather occurs, it's important to contact them sooner than later and present them with your options:

1. We continue with the shoot and try to use the elements to our advantage.

2. We change locations, if possible.

3. We reschedule, but pose the risk of similar circumstances happening again, and of course, throwing both our schedules for a quick loop.

The Type of Photo Shoot 

Depending on the type of shoot a client has booked, some situations might be more flexible than others. For example, if we're talking about a wedding, that bride is most likely walking down the aisle rain or shine. I once saw photos of a wedding where the ceremony was completely, 100% outdoors, and it absolutely poured rain. This was in sunny Southern California, mind you. The coolest thing about the photos, though, is you could tell that the bride and groom could not care less. They were beaming. Soaking wet...but beaming...as were their guests and bridal parties. It was truly a moment, and a shining example that what's meant to happen, will happen, and there's something really wonderful about embracing that regardless of the physical circumstances.

Other shoots that tend to be set in stone:

• Large family portraits

• Event photography

• Indoor photography (not having to worry about weather is a definite perk of shooting indoors)

On the other hand, other types of shoots can be more flexible:

• Graduation photography

• Headshots

• Smaller family photos

• Portrait sessions

• Engagement sessions

In these instances, it (again) comes down to the client and their initial vision. Unless the client is traveling for this specific date, it's important to realistically evaluate whether or not the weather will make or break the photo shoot.

But how do you, as a photographer, know? Or, how can you, as a client, trust that your photographer knows what's best?

Trusting the Photographer

When it comes time to shoot, control is (and should be) in the hands of the photographer. It is not only a right but also a responsibility of the photographer to communicate clearly with the client, therefore understanding their needs, and being able to discern what scenarios will deliver gorgeous shots to a happy client.

I'd like to walk you through an example of a situation where I didn't have a whole lot of time to make this decision. What I thought was a beautiful, perfect, sunny day at the beach turned out to be extremely windy when I arrived.

Client: Kiley

Sweet as can be, requested confetti, but made it clear that she was open to ideas from me in terms of location, shots, etc.

Type of Shoot: Senior Photos

Could we have met at the pier like we planned and decided to reschedule? I suppose. But I really didn't see the point in doing that, and here's why:

The Photographer:

This wasn't my 'first rodeo' so to speak. I have shot in wind before, and I had actually shot in much, much windier conditions that what I was experiencing with Kiley. I knew I could use a few tricks to get shots that both leveraged the wind to our advantage, and also get shots where we were out of the wind entirely. I proceeded to:

• Place Kiley according to the sun first, and the wind second. After making sure her back was primarily to the sun, which allows the light to drape over her shoulders and face (instead of it blaring into her front side), I had her turn her shoulders toward the direction of the wind slightly. In essence, back to the sun, face to the wind.

• Take as many shots as I could, because her long (beautiful) hair had a mind of its own. There were many shots I couldn't use due to large chunks of her hair blocking major parts of her face, like her eyes or smile.

• Encourage Kylie that even though she feels like her hair is doing crazy things and her eyes are watering a bit, she looks stunning and the shots are reflecting that.

• I also had an assistant with me at this shoot use a reflector to brighten up her front side when she was really turned from the sun. It's okay if you aren't able to do this—but if you can, try it!

• Find spots that are blocked from the wind. We were shooting in San Clemente, so we explored areas under the pier and found some calm, serene spots that were perfect for getting more still shots.

  • Note: I have shot in areas where there's absolutely nowhere to hide (like an open field, for example). If that's the case, take your time. Explain to the client that you'd like to wait for the wind to die down and once it does (if it does), snap like crazy.

• Overall, so cheesy, but honestly - just have fun. The wind can be really, really beautiful because motion makes photos less posed and more moment-based. Sometimes windy, hair-framing-the-face-like-medusa-but-better shots are my favorites because of their power!

P.S. Kylie even said she was *happy* we shot in the wind because she wanted her curls to fall a little bit. HA! Win.

In Summary

Hope this helps! Just remember, with time and experience you (as the photographer) will be able to discern whether or not weather is going to make or break a photo shoot. Clients, I encourage you to have an open mind about weather, and when choosing inspiration photos for your shoot, try to include photos with all types of weather (cloudy, windy, sunny, even rain!) This will mentally prepare you for just about anything. 

Lastly, dear photographer and dear client, communicate. It just never hurts.

5 Reasons to Niche to Senior Photography

Have you ever found yourself eagerly looking forward to certain types of photography sessions you have booked, and dragging your feet to go to others? 

Well, then, it may be time to take a good, hard look at which types of bookings you’re becoming known for. Some call it a niche, some call it a focus…the important thing is that you choose one based on what supports your growth as a business owner AND your creativity as an artist.

Let’s face it: every photographer has a different set of personal values, and I believe all photographer’s personal values spill over into which type of bookings they gravitate toward. 

This means the photography niche you choose to focus on is not only an important step in your journey, but a necessary step toward a burnout-free, financially sound photography career! 

(And, as to whether or not “niching” is required to be a successful, full-time photographer…I believe that it’s important to experiment with niches in the beginning of your career before ultimately choosing one major niche, and maybe 1-2 complimentary niches as your primary offering. The topic is debated, but the truth is — a lightning bolt is only the width of a thumb, and still hotter than the sun.) 

As a seasoned photographer in the senior photography niche myself, there are many things I love about working with seniors, teens & their families. In this post we are calling out 5 values that senior photographers usually hold. If you find yourself reading through any of these values, nodding your head and resisting the urge to grab a pitchfork and shout out “Hear, hear!” in your place of reading…then it just might be that the senior photography niche is the perfect one for you. Let’s dive in!

1. You prefer individual portraits vs groups

In photography, there are many niches: weddings, events, nature, seniors, boudoir, newborns, families, and even pets. If you're someone who is beginning to realize you enjoy the more calm, 1:1 nature of a portrait session versus, let's say, a wedding day or event photography — then congratulations, you may have just taken your first official step into the rewarding world of portrait photography!

Many photographers start booking couples shoots and weddings as a way to bring in more substantial booking income. I get it! It can seem that the only way to really 'make it' as a photographer is to work within this niche. While it is a really great way to build your portfolio and get your name out there, working with more than one subject means additional posing instruction and sometimes even managing the dynamics between the subjects. Then, you factor in things like age (working with kiddos), tight schedules (15 minutes to capture 20+ family formal photo combinations), and/or the unpredictability or working event venues you've never been to before (eg. being hired to photograph a company holiday party) — and next thing you know, you're spending more time adapting than you are creating beautiful artwork via your photography skills!

It's important to try as many genres as you can in the beginning, so you can experiment with the types of photography you enjoy and the types that don't fulfill you creatively or professionally.

TL;DR:
It IS possible to make a full-time photography income shooting only senior portraits.

2. You enjoy fashion + editorial work

Let's face it, teens know what's cool! For that reason, there's an inherent degree of fashion-forward, cutting-edge trends incorporated throughout the wardrobe brought to senior sessions

While breaking into the fashion industry may or may not be your goal, working with trendy, fun-loving, naturally youthful teens is an inspiring, fashion-adjacent category.

If you're a photographer who's fascinated by Paris and New York fashion week, love a good Pinterest-sesh, have always taken an interest in sewing, fabrics, or design (Hello, Project Runway! I myself may or may not have visited the Mood fabric store and left with a "thank you, mood!" t-shirt as a souvenir - if you know, you know) — if that's you, then don't be surprised if you feel naturally pulled to work with seniors! 

TL;DR:
Senior photography is not only a viable career option financially, but it's also extremely fulfilling creatively for fashion-lovers.

3. You feel called to celebrate others

By default, being a senior is all about celebration. Celebrating turning 18 and becoming an adult, celebrating the completion of your secondary education, and potentially celebrating the next chapter which comes after turning the tassel and collecting your diploma. As such, when you're working with seniors and their parents, the mood is naturally full of excitement, hope, pride & appreciation. Who doesn't want to work with that?!

As photographers, feeling a sense of purpose in our work is an important safeguard against burnout. Knowing your 'why' in photography, what drives you, is not only a key part of your messaging in marketing your senior photography business (I teach this to my students in Rep It!) but it also provides YOU, the artist, with a sense of pride in your own mission.

TL;DR:
You are more than a photographer who delivers images. You operate as a part of a bigger, more meaningful purpose in the lives of your clients.

4. You prefer not to work on weekends

I'll never forget the lightbulb moment I had in year 1 of my photography career. I thought to myself, "Wait. So if I get really good at this whole wedding photography and engagement photoshoot thing...and I get 'booked out'...then most of my Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays are going to be spent...at work?" It didn't sit right with me. 

As photographers, we have the privilege and freedom to create our own schedules (queue the confetti poppers!) but what happens when that suddenly turns into weekends traveling for all-day wedding engagements and weekdays editing thousands of images? 

All photographers will reach a point in their career when they meet a fork in the road, and have to hold up their written list of values and use this list to decide which path to take. For me, I value weekends at the beach with my surf-loving family, and would much rather keep my photo sessions on weekdays. (Haven't written down your values yet? Do that now! It'll be your guide as you navigate business ownership.)

TL;DR:
Senior photography means true freedom of schedule.

5. Gives you the ability to work with a fun-loving age group

No two teenagers are the same and you’ll certainly work with a wide variety of personalities over the course of your senior photography career, but it’s safe to say that you’re bound to have loads of fun at your senior sessions.

You remember what it's like to be a teenager! School, friends, football games, homework...that is your world, your reality. It's fun to tap into their life, reminisce alongside them, and ask them about what's next.

Being around younger people can feel rejuvenating. Seniors are often bubbly, respectful, and great listeners. In general, being around them is enjoyable.

Plus, the parents! A HUGE part of working with seniors is, of course, working with their parents, too. It's an incredibly sweet dynamic to witness. While spending time with the seniors is fun, silly, & fountain-of-youth-y for us, speaking with the parents gives us a sense of camaraderie, of wisdom, and shared pride in their awesome senior!

TL;DR:
Senior photographers cater to two groups: seniors and their parents.

---

My favorite thing about being a senior photographer is witnessing the love and support that my seniors experience from their friends and families. In a way, the photos I take and the artwork I deliver is just a vessel for people to come around the seniors and help them feel loved & celebrated in the way they deserve to be. From the parent's POV, I get to help them properly document an undeniably special time — the official transition from childhood to adulthood. 

Want to know the most common word used in my feedback form? "FEEL." 

At the end of the day, parents of course want nice photos of their son or daughter, but more than anything, I think they appreciate the feeling of confidence that comes from a well-prepared senior photographer's photo experience. And from the student's point of view, watching seniors hype each other up online when they post their images is so sweet to see.

The main things that drove me toward senior photography were my two younger sisters. We are extremely close, and growing up I just always had a way of watching over them, supporting them, and eventually, taking their senior photos! I also coached cheerleading after graduating college, and that reinforced my passion for being around teenagers during what can be difficult years of one's life. I've always felt comfortable with teens, like I get the sense I can read them well and understand their queues (when they're uncomfortable, or starting to get more comfortable), which is an important skill to have on set.

If you're thinking about leaning into senior photography, take a close look at what's important to you, your values — in your life and business. You might be surprised to learn that creating a thriving, booked-out senior photography business where you are truly in control of your schedule and your income is absolutely possible for you, no matter where you are located or how much experience you have. We all have to start somewhere. 

Ready to start with more seniors? Download my 5 Things Every Senior Photographer Needs to Know guide to learn how to make a splash in the high school senior photography world.