Why you want BOTH | High school grad portrait photography | Senior photographer Anjeanette Photography Arizona
/I was planning a session with a senior and her mom recently when a somewhat touchy subject came up. The portrait company your "school 'forces' you to use". Not my words, but I think that's how it feels to a lot of seniors. "We have to use that company" and to get your formal, traditional tux & drape or cap & gown image in the yearbook you may have to! The portrait company is not a grim and malicious entity, however. I offer a solution- do both! Get the formal and yearbook image secured- then get the styled session you WANT.
...but is it IG worthy?
What happens is the company approaches the school, and both the school and the company profit from your purchases. Yep, its a good old fashion school spirit fundraiser so go ahead and participate! They publish the yearbooks so they get to say what goes in it. It's a great deal for simple economical images for everyone. That's really ok, its a business like any other, and as a photographer who worked for such a company for years I get it and have no ill will towards the 'competition'. Because I think you should get both, and I do not think it IS competition. I think all of our collective images are valuable memories for you. To me though, your modern senior shoot out os so much more than JUST a business...
So, maybe just those few formal photos are enough for some seniors. But if you have been pouring over magazines, eagerly going through your friends Instagram, and Snapchatting with filters maybe you want more.
Heck if you are on my website reading THIS, you def want MORE, right?
Prom mini sessions with friends, combined sessions, editorial Vanity Fair and Vogue looks...what do you want to do with your custom senior portrait session?
So, no I am not against the school's portrait company in the least.
For one thing, the formal images are classic. Your grandmother got them, your older sister got them. Some schools have composites of high school senior portraits lining the walls from the early 1920's. That's a wow from me! It's pretty amazing to go look at those hallways which literally have entire family generations represented. These are amazing heirloom photographs everyone should have.
When you visit the school's portrait company, or sometimes when they come to you, there is an option to also get a few extra poses in casual wear. These can be fun and enough for those who do not enjoy taking photos. For those who want more, the school's photographers just do not have the time to spend creating a portfolio of incredible, unique, kick-ass photos.
Why not have both?
Not being salty, its just true. I DO think you should enjoy and get prints of those classic cap & gown images but beyond that they have a limited number of minutes with you on the SAME basic backdrops as everybody else. Why stop with that when you can ALSO have a fun-filled, FIRE of a session. It's like a modeling shoot that is ALL ABOUT YOU!
Well you, mom, BF, your dog & guitar- who ever and whatever you want to bring along! There are classic photos for mom and the family- and you will love them more the older you get but they are just not NOW. So do you want more?
Ultimately, they are using the same cookie cutter backdrop EVERYONE at your school is getting (SNS)
Do you want a full fashion session that is completely tailored to YOU? Multiple outfits, an array of handpicked locations, stunning fashion or urban looks, expressing your personality with more than just one prop, fluid hot posing and movement, smiles and fun plus serious slay expressions. So much more than stand here, look here, and fake smiles.
Every Anjeanette Photography session has all of that and more!
Why have an extra photo session just for you? Because, duh.
And just to prove that both sessions are vital- here are my senior portraits! I did not have the option to have my own session all about me. Heck yeah I regret it! And I DEF did not want the white background with the big 3d numbers- it wasn't even cool way back in the 90s either. That hair tho ;) The school's contracted photographer only had less than 15 mins to spend on my whole senior session :/
Hilarious! We did not have a fast fun way to share images with friends- we had exchange wallets printed! We signed them for each other too :) I mean I can still have these made for you...but of course, your sneak peek images are IG ready!
