Post Session Etiquette
Post Session Etiquette
I went over what to do when you are hunting for a photographer and what to do during your session. Now your session is done and you want you pictures. Here are some dos and don’ts while you wait for them.
Be Patient
Please don’t text your photographer an hour after the session asking if your pictures are done yet. Photographers will tell you ahead of time what their turn around time is. I say two weeks and deliver in a few days. My process is you get a gallery and pick your favorites. I edit them in Photoshop and deliver them to you. Workflow varies photographer to photographers. Ask if they don’t tell you ahead of time.
You’re Not Getting the Raws
Click here to see a film negative. You wouldn’t ask a photographer for their film negative. The RAW file is the equivalent. It is also what comes straight out of the camera. It has all the blemishes and eyesores in the picture that was taken. The photographer edits all that out. This is the simple answer. The intricate answer has to do with copyright, owning the image, and a bunch of legal jargon.
Filters are a Slap In the Face
I thought this went without saying but I have heard horror stories so now I’m saying it. Don’t put filters on your final images. You paid a lot of money for that photographer’s creativity and editing style. No filter looks good and it makes the photographer’s work look bad. It has gotten so bad, we put it in our contracts. No filter and logo must be visible. It’s like going to Ruth Chris Steakhouse and throwing ranch on a porterhouse steak.
The benefits of doing the things I said in Photographer Hunting Etiquette, Photography Session Etiquette, and this blog will foster a great relationship with your photographer. Don’t be surprised if you start receiving emails with deals and appreciation gifts in the mail. Don’t do these things and you might not have your emails or phone calls answered.
Photography Session Etiquette
Photo Session Etiquette
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In Photographer Hunting Etiquette I went over what to do when picking a photographer. This blog will go over once you have decided on a photographer. It doesn’t take much to have a successful session. Here are my three suggestions:
Lock It In
Any decent photographer is going to have a contract and a booking fee. Read it, ask questions, and pay the fee. This ensures the date in question is yours. If anyone else is inquiring about that day it will be first come, first serve. Nothing personal to you the client, but photographers have been stood up or ghosted by potential clients. A booking fee ensures you are serious about the session.
Ask Questions
There is nothing wrong with asking your photographers all the questions. A good photographer will already have ways to prep you for the session. If they don’t, here are some questions you may want to ask: what to wear, where can we photograph, what can I bribe my children with for a good session? It is better to be fully prepared than to go into your session wondering, “did I pick the right dress?”
Stick to the Schedule
If you are photographing in a studio or on location for a holiday session, be on time. Photographers often book more than one session a day. For holiday sessions on a Christmas tree farm or a park that requires a permit, there is a time limit. If a photographer books 8 sessions at 20 minute increments, your session is either going to be pushed to the back of the line or you won’t get the full 20 minutes.
If you are wondering why certain photographers are a higher price points, it is because they inform you of these types of issues. They let you know everything to expect so there are no surprises during or after your session. If you do end up with an inexperienced photographers, don’t be shy, ask the tough questions. If you liked these 2 etiquette blogs, check back for part three. I’ll go over post session etiquette.
Photographer Hunting Etiquette
Photographer Hunting Etiquette
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If you are in need of a photographer here are some tips on etiquette to get the most enjoyable experience out of the photographer you end up choosing.
Don’t leave us hanging
Don’t leave us hanging. It’s fine to shop around. I recommend it. When you decide on a photographer after talking with multiple photographers, let the rest know you won’t be working with them. Put the others out of their misery so they don’t have to hold that date you inquired about. This is important for wedding date and portraits where the photographer has fifteen, twenty, or thirty minute time slots.
Not a Bazaar
We are not in a bazaar in Belarus. Please do not haggle over the pricing a photographer offers. I’ll let you behind the curtain for a minute. Photographers have expenses, especially if they have a studio they work out of. The only thing, in my opinion, you should ask is if paying cash drops the tax. No photographer wants to drop their price but the less experienced photogs will out of fear of losing the client.
Pick One
If you are having a wedding or an event at a large venue and feel you need more than one photographer, don’t hire two separate photographers. Pick a photographer you like and tell them you would like a second shooter. Nine times out of ten, that photographer has a pool of photographer friends who get along and photograph similarly. It will be more cost effective also since all 2nd shooters give their images to the main shooter to edit. Two separate photographers not working together are charging you full price since they are handling the session as if they were by themselves.
If you found this beneficial, click here for PART 2 During the Session