Into the Lens: Common Q's about Photo Shoots

Good morning everyone!

So, on Monday I told everyone to keep an eye out for a special post from us, and well here it is! :) I thought that since we are caught up on editing and such this would be a great time to talk about how we feel going into a photo shoot.

Most of our clients have never had professional pictures taken before, and if they have it's been a really long time or they had their 3 year old's pictures taken at K-Mart. Which those are professional pictures, don't get me wrong, just a little different from the kind of session Lance and I like to be a part of. In this post we discuss some questions that are typically asked before and after a photo shoot. So, this post is mainly for our potential customers, our active wedding customers, or anyone who is thinking about what a photo shoot with Shingleur Photography would be like.

Q: How long will it last? 

Since being in business for about a year and 4 months, Lance and I have learned A LOT! Our first few photo shoots took FOREVER because we weren't familiar with posing and we it took us a while to think creatively. Now-a-days we can conquer the same photo shoot that took us 4 hours back then, in 1-2hours. Engagement sessions are our favorite type of photo shoot and they typically last about 2 hours. You can get REALLY creative with engagement shoots, and the more creative you are the longer it takes. (P.S. the longer the shoot the more pictures you will have) Senior sessions typically last from 1-2 hours depending on the location. Family sessions, since there are more people to work with and only one location with one outfit usually only take 30-45 minutes. The main reason we like to keep family shoots short is that typically there are young children who don't like to have their picture made as much as mommy would like for them to. :)

Q: I don't like having my picture made, is it going to be awkward? 

I believe that this is probably the most asked question before going into a photo shoot. I would HOPE and pray that after our shoot the answer to that question will be a flat out "NO!" Lance and I work really, really hard to make our clients comfortable. We realize that most people who have their picture made are not professional models, and most of them do not like having their picture made so we try to make the experience as comfortable as it can be. At the beginning of the shoot (especially engagement shoots) we try to lay down the ground rules, or "tips" for making a great picture. Lance and I are 99% of the time the ones who pose you for a picture. You do not have to worry about "where should I put my hand, or am I supposed to look at you for this one?" Sometimes we forget to place your hand after we told you to look at the camera, but most clients are comfortable to ask us where to put it. WE are the ones who are seeing you as the picture will turn out. We are not going to make you look dumb, or fat or stupid. If we do happen to put a pose in there that is awkward, you will probably never see it because that was OUR fault. AND if anyone is going to look dumb at a shoot, it's probably going to be Lance and I. I usually carry about 20 pounds of equipment and/or props around and Lance typically ruins a pair of shoes a photo shoot. Or we get chased by animals, or we get eaten alive by bugs. Believe me when I say this, YOU are going to be the glamorous ones, haha.

Lance usually ruins a pair of shoes per shoot, and he typically looks like he's been rolling in the mud (because he has)

 Don't be nervous and don't worry that you're not a professional model--the more comfortable you are the better your pictures will be!

Q: What should I wear?? 

Unless you are taking beach pictures, please do not perfectly match each other. This is so "80's", haha. No really, when people ask us what they should wear for their pictures we usually say to be sort of "match-matchy" but do not buy the same outfit. For engagement pictures, I would try to wear coordinating colors. For example: the guy could wear a plaid button up with a small green stripe, and the girl could find a green solid dress to wear with it. Or the girl could wear a cute floral skirt and the guy could find a polo the same color as one of the flowers in the skirt. You don't want to wear clashing colors but typically want to wear colors that compliment with each other well.
The cardinal rule for photo shoots: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER wear red. Red will reflect on your face and make everyone around you look like cherry tomatoes. Don't.Do.It! Also, neon colored shirts or shorts will have this same effect. Some photographers do not like you to wear white because it can easily be very bright in sunlight, but we have ways of working around that. So, if you look best in white, wear it!

Example of "match-matchy" engagement shoot outfits :) 

We usually allow at least two outfit changes for the engagement shoot/senior shoot, and as long as we have light you can wear even more. The only limiting factor we have about the number of outfits you wear is how much sunlight we have left outside. Once the sun sets your photo shoot is over. :)

For family pictures, we sort of like the "match-matchy" factor too. FOR EXAMPLE: the mom wear a purple cardigan, and the daughter wears a purple bow, while the dad wears a purple tie and the son wears a purple button up. You know what I mean?

Great example of a family outfit :) 

Q: How long will it take to get my pictures? 

It depends on how busy we are. Lance has a full time job at a florist in town, and I am a full time 5th grade teacher during the school year, so during the fall-winter-spring it usually takes us longer to get our production out to our clients. We really try to be fast but sometimes life gets in the way. The longest a wedding client has had to wait for their pictures of their wedding day was a little over a month and that was because we were super backed up. You WILL NOT have to wait 6 months to see what your wedding looked like. I know how mad that would make me, and we follow the golden rule. :)

All other photo shoots are typically put out in about 2-3 weeks, depending on our rush. We usually try to post about 15-25 pictures on our blog and on Facebook before your CD is out.

Tip: If you are needing your pictures for a wedding invitation, save the dates or graduation announcements we ask that you schedule your session at least 2 months in advance of needing your product. We really, really do try our best to get your photos edited and sent out, and we know that you need them. Emailing us or messaging us every day on Facebook to put pressure on us does not help.

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At the end of the day, we are business owners and we would not have a business if it weren't for our wonderful clients and our wonderful potential clients. Our main focus is to create memories for people so that you can have them forever. When we go into a photo shoot, we usually come out with more friends. It is a wonderful, wonderful job (if you want to call it that) and we appreciate EVERYONE who has made it possible. :)

Later this week-look for another "Into the Lens" post about the pros and cons of having a "First Look" at your wedding!

Happy, Happy Wednesday everyone!