As the members of the Class of 2022 take their final walks across the stage and graduate, the Class of 2023 is ready to take their place at the top of the High School hierarchy… SENIORS, at last.

Many will be looking to find a photographer to document their Senior Experience with Senior Portraits. In the next series of blogs, I will be breaking down things to look for for when hiring a Senior Photographer, and what type of experience and product I provide for the Seniors and families who choose me.

First up: What is a photographer’s philosophy on availability, and when is the best time to schedule a Senior Portrait Session?

I schedule a very limited number of session a month, and like my Seniors to schedule at least 3-4 months in advance of their session, whether they’re booking an hour session or an extended session complete with fashion consults and Image Reveal Parties. That means, if you’re looking for at shooting in the Fall of 2022, the time to book is NOW!

Each Senior is unique, and I want their session to represent that… but Senior Year can be overwhelming with everything there is to do and plan, so I help our clients think through the process of picking outfits and settling on locations so that their session is everything they imagined and more.

From Pinterest Boards to What to Wear Guides, there is a lot of planning that goes into making a session unique and memorable, and that’s something we don’t want to rush through!

Another thing I don’t rush through is the editing process. I will go into details of how I approach editing in a future blog, but the galleries I deliver are large, and I treat EACH image as its own work of art. That takes time, but at the same time, I understand that my clients want a timely delivery of their portraits. Focusing on a small number of clients makes it possible for me to deliver high end products with equally high quality customer service and satisfaction.

So there is no such thing as booking too early, but what season is best for senior portraits?

We shoot year round, but I strongly recommend my seniors to schedule their main portrait sessions in the Fall or Spring.

Autumn in North Carolina is my favorite time to shoot… the comfortable temperatures give us the ability to combine summer pieces with fall looks for an interesting and varied gallery of senior portraits.

Spring brings the return of warm weather, long days of sunshine, and beautiful colors. Plus, this is when Seniors are getting their coveted Cap and Gowns.

Just remember, Senior Schedules can be overwhelming. There is SO much to do in such little time and new events are always popping up, ESPECIALLY in the Spring. I understand that flexibility is the name of the game, so scheduling a limited number of sessions a month helps us to be able to accommodate you when the inevitable pops up.

But because I also don’t double up on Senior Sessions in one day, that means once session dates are gone, they are gone. It is a trade I’m willing to make. Accepting a small number of clients each year frees me up to give a great deal of attention to each one of my seniors and makes their session day ALL about them. That is the way I want it.

It’s part of my job is to to take the stress off of our clients and help them to navigate the portraits part of senior year… and I am grateful for all who chose to trust me with their Senior Portraits! Class of 2023, if you want this to be you, email: lymarie@lymariepjacksonphotography.com !

Mary chose Fall for her main session, then added a shorter spring session to focus on her Cheer Pictures and Cap and Gown Portraits. See Mary’s Fall Session Slideshow here: https://youtu.be/AehywrbJtIM