When you get together with a photographer for a portrait or a family session, all you see is what happens during the time you spend together. You are busy posing, sitting on boulders or benches, walking down the woods, playing with the kids and dog(s) (and hopefully having fun), while the photographer gets all the precious shots. Then, you say goodbye and wait for the moment you get to see the finished photos. I think most people do realize there’s editing involved after the session but it think it’s fair to say that very few people know about all the other things that happen behind the scenes in the life of a family photographer.
It all starts with the pre-session preparation. When a potential client reaches out, I try to understand what exactly they have in mind for photos. We’ll discuss options for locations, figure out family dynamics, talk about posed photos and life-style photos and, think about what outfits to wear. Scheduling the photoshoot is an important detail as well: making sure we’re finding the right date and time, often working around family schedules, keeping naps for young kids in mind, and discussing if people have their hearts set on golden hour for lighting, yes or no. The days before the session I spend time finding the perfect location, think about what props to bring (blankets, stools, props, dog squeakers etc etc) and research some extra poses so I will always shoot something new during every session! Checking all my gear and charging batteries is also part of prepping. Of course I have extra memory cards ready and I always pack some back up gear. I also make sure I have a variety of lenses.
During the actual photo session I’ll guide families into natural and flattering poses while keeping the atmosphere relaxed. While we’re in the midst of a session I also watch for spontaneous interactions that make the session unique. All these things require constant adjusting of camera settings for lighting changes and different angles. Sometimes I climb onto something to get a higher perspective or I have the kids climb on a big rock on crawl low to the ground. Always fun! And while we’re outside doing all this, I have to be aware of our surroundings too. For example; changing weather (like potential showers, thunder and lighting) busy areas and people passing by in the background (photo bombers) and, changes in lighting (sudden clouds or bright sunlight means adjusting camera settings). I think photographers kinda have ‘eyes in the back of their heads’ :o)
After the session, when everyone has gone home, photographers have the post-session workflow to focus on. We will review hundreds (or thousands) of images to select the best ones for editing. Enhancing photos in Photoshop and/or Lightroom means we are doing a long list of things like; color and lighting correction, cropping and resizing, retouching skin and skin colors, removing distractions from the background, sharpening images and achieving the desired style. All files are being backed-up to avoid accidental loss. Once all the chosen photos have been edited I create an online Client Gallery. In the gallery clients can see all their photos and click through them as many times as they want. After they make a selection and have made their final payment for the digital images, I will create a link for them to download their images.
When I’m not prepping for a session or shooting a session, I’ll always be busy with keeping up with social media posts, writing blogs and newsletters and making changes to my website. In the Spring and Fall I work on teaming up with a local school or organization to do some mini-sessions. Clients love these because they are quick (10 minutes or so -great for kids who are easily distracted) and a cheaper than a full session. Planning mini-sessions is a lot of work though. Communicating with the school or organization I’m working with, finding the right day and times, promoting the event and making sign-up lists is all part of it.
Another thing always on my to-do-list is learning new things about photography trends and styles. I allow myself time to explore and try new things all the time. Luckily I have some (human) Guinea pigs at home who don’t mind modeling for me!
Every photo session is a blend of creativity, technical skill, and people management, requiring effort and patience from start to finish. Photographers have to be able to quickly adapt to unexpected situations (shy or fussy children/ dogs who won’t cooperate) to ensure successful image. It’s a rewarding process, especially when clients cherish the final product!
