Don't make this mistake with your Senior Pictures

Don’t Make This Mistake with Your Senior Pictures!

The biggest mistake you can make with your senior photos is not taking them at all.  There are several reasons I can imagine why someone would decide to not take their senior pictures.

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You may feel that you aren’t pretty enough, you don’t photograph well or that you just aren’t worthy of the experience of senior pictures.  You could be waiting for your skin to clear up, to grow your hair a little longer, or lose 10lbs.

Maybe the budget is your issue, your parents gave you a max $$ or you have to pay for them yourself. You could have messaged a few photographers and didn’t hear back or got sticker shock when you saw the triple digit price.

Maybe you’ve decided that you want a pretty picture but you’ve settled with your uncle’s cousins next door neighbor cause anyone with a “fancy” camera can take a good portrait right?  And your uncle’s cousins next door neighbor is an aspiring photographer so I’m sure it will be fine.

Or maybe it hasn’t even crossed your mind yet and you just realized that the yearbook photo is due this Fall.  (Most high schools in SW Portland have a yearbook image due date in October & November)  You could have thought you had all year to get your senior pictures taken because you are a senior all year. Whoops!

How to avoid this mistake

If any of these thoughts have crossed your mind I hope you will let this next sentence sink in.

You Are Worth It!

Say it with me (didn’t know I was a therapist did ya! ha!)  You are worth it.  You are worth all of it!  You are worth the effort, you are worth the expense, you are worth the experience.  You are worth it.  You are worth it.  All of it.

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You are pretty enough, you will photograph beautifully, your skin can be corrected with a couple clicks in photoshop, you don’t need to lose 10lbs if you have a photographer that shows you how to pose. Senior pictures can be expensive but think about how long you’ll have these photos. These aren’t snapshots taken with your cell phone. These are professional portraits designed to bring out your personality.

If you just started searching, there are hundreds of photographers in the Portland metro area so keep looking. Photographers rarely show their pricing on the website so when you find one that you like their style, don’t be afraid to ask them for info on the investment.  A working photographer should at least have a pdf of their services if not a full blown magazine guide.  Get my magazine for the Class of 2018 here.  Search hashtags on instagram like #beavertonseniorphotographer and #sherwoodseniorphotographer to find photographers working in your area.

And don’t settle for your uncle’s cousins next door neighbor that has no idea how to compose a picture let alone show you how to pose to get a variety of images.  A cheap price in photography usually equals very little experience in photography.  You can ask for a payment plan, ask to earn credit by assisting the photographer or search for deals with professional photographers you follow.  You can find a way.

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Talking to other senior photographers we’ve noticed that the Class of 2018 seems to be taking their time to book senior pictures.  I don’t want you to make this mistake and miss out on capturing this stage of your life with professional portraits.  The experience with a professional photographer is hard to describe if you’ve never worked with one.  Here’s what Sydney, Class of 2018 had to say about her senior portrait experience….“Don’t be nervous, Anna makes it a completely fun and not awkward experience! I would recommend Anna to any senior looking for a great senior picture experience because she made me feel comfortable and confident, and the pictures turned out great!”

If you don’t want all the fuss of a full service senior portrait session I’ve got mini sessions coming up this weekend! These are 20 minute sessions designed to give you a great yearbook photo and you’ll get 3 digital image downloads with a print release.  Plus I’ll submit your yearbook photo for you!  Shoot me an email at hello@annagraf.com and tell me you want a spot!

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