Why should you meet your Photographer BEFORE your session?

• February 11th, 2021 •

I just got off the phone with a client interested in booking a photography session, but she didn’t want to talk about anything except pricing. I encouraged her to come into the studio to meet me, see the space, go over all her ideas, etc. She said it wasn’t necessary, she just wanted to know my prices over the phone and compare them to other photographers and she will decide later. Now I am a HUGE bargain shopper so I have NO problem with the price comparing and shopping around for the best price BUT with photography there is SO MUCH MORE to getting great pictures than just price!!

Post a “looking for a photographer” on fb and you will get HUNDREDS of responses of people willing to take your picture for just a few bucks. However, there are many, many, many people out there who should NOT be calling themselves professionals and can cause harm, headache and disappointment. I want to help you make sure that YOU aren’t on the receiving end of that!

One of the BEST ways to do that is to meet your photographer! There are so many reasons why, but lets talk about my top 5!

1. Does this photographer match the STYLE of photography you want?

I recommend you do this BEFORE you start calling photographers. There are so many different styles of photography out there and you need to find out what kind of photographer they are before you even consider them. Let’s name just a few styles of photography out there right now…

Natural
Bright and Airy
Dark and Moody
Lifestyle and Photojournalistic (less posed- just capturing the moments as they happen)
Traditional and Posed
Black and White
Fine Art

Once you determine a style, talk with your prospective photographer about it. I am a natural photographer who edits warm and with bright colors. I do some Bright and Airy as well. My sessions are mostly posed with lots of lifestyle breaks to capture the moments between the press. I have had clients has for a full Bright and Airy session. Cool, I can do that. You want a full Dark and Moody session, nope I’m not your photographer. It’s just not my style. Even the best photographer in the world is going to disappoint you if their style of shooting and editing is not what you are wanting!

2. Do you LIKE them?

Find out if you LIKE your photographer. I always tell my clients we need to make sure we are a good match and if we aren’t, that is OKAY! The photographer is going to be spending a lot of time with you and his/her personality is going to lead the way on how the session feels and how YOU feel taking the pictures. If the personality of the photographer isn’t compatible with yours, the session is going to feel stressed and possibly even annoying.

I am bright and bubbly. I am corny with my jokes, will often call you mom and dad (verses your names on a family session as I direct you), will snort and fake sneeze and dance very badly to get your kids to laugh, I might climb a wall or balance on a fence to get the shot, etc. If those thing annoy or scare you, it’s okay to pass on me! You are hiring me to make you FEEL and look amazing. If you are inwardly cringing when I greet you with “hey girl” or “hey hon” we are already off to bad start!

So meet your photographer and ask yourself “Would I enjoy spending a few hours with this person?” If the answer is no, keep looking!

Once you know if you like them, you need to find out if THEY like you for the kind of photography you are wanting! Do they like Kids? Dogs? Husbands?

The husbands part is a joke… kinda lol. I have found that LOTS of husbands and dads really don’t like having their pictures taken, so make sure you find a photographer that can be patient with that and help ease the tension. Teenagers can bring the same amount of angst and annoyance at having to do pictures. Does your photographer know how to work with that?

As for the kids, I have met so many people who said “I don’t think my last photographer even likes kids” or “They seemed to be uncomfortable when my kid acted out.” Photographers photographing kids should be expecting meltdowns and know what to do when they happen. I know YOU are going to get frustrated and upset if little Tommy is acting crazy, my attitude should calm you and little Tommy down, not add to that stress!

Same for dogs, do you want Fifi included in the family portraits? How does your photographer feel about pitbulls? Or Chihuahuas? Have they photographed pets before? Important things to ask!

3. Let’s talk Price!

Of course, price is a HUGE factor in determining which photographer you are going to choose. Meeting your photographer is the PERFECT time to go over their price list. Photographers who just “send out” their price list are often complaining in our photography groups about clients not reading it and then being frustrated at their ordering appointments. You need to know exactly what is included upfront and what is expected later.

When meeting your photographer BEFORE your session you can discuss sessions fees, digital images, printing rights, products you can purchase, etc. You can feel the albums, touch the canvases and wall art, hold the blanket, try on the portrait jewelry, etc. You can ask questions about payment plans and delivery options. That way there are no surprises after your session. You want to truly love and enjoy your portraits when you first see them, not be frustrated about surprise pricing!

4. How “professional” is your “Professional Photographer?”

What happens on the shoot if the photographers equipment breaks? Does he/she have backup equipment? A professional photographer should always have backup equipment because we all know technology doesn’t always cooperate. Do you really want to have to cancel your session and do it all again later if there is a technical problem?

For newborn photography, photographers need to be TRAINED and educated for newborn safety. Are you really going to trust your 10 day old baby to someone who hasn’t been trained? There are many stories of babies falling, getting hurt, being burned and more by photographers who didn’t know what they were doing. Ask your photographer about their training and experience with newborns.

For boudoir, does your photographer share your images? Post them online? Are they comfortable posing all different shapes and sizes? Do they know how to enhance the parts you love, but hide the ones you don’t with posing?

Is your photographer licensed and insured? Do they have backup systems to make sure your images are safe? How long are they kept? Do they have ways to share with family and friends?

Are they experianced to handle all different lighting setups? If it’s crazy bright and sunny, or cloudy and overcast can they still get great images? What if your session is indoors in a dark room?

These are all GREAT things to discuss BEFORE your session. We all have horror stories we have heard of bad photography experiences. Don’t let it be you in the next story. Simply meet with your photographer and discuss them!

5. Tips for a great session.

Meeting your photographer also allows you to get some great insight to having a great session! He/she can tell you all the little tips that will help your session go smoothly. If they have been doing this a while, they know ALL the tips and tricks!

They can help you pick out outfits, choose the best location for your needs, show you samples and galleries from past clients, discuss hair and makeup, go over the best times for the best shots, go over tips on how to help the family be prepared, etc. Meeting with your photographer will allow you to really talk out everything you WANT in your session and together you can bring it all together BEFORE you show up. Just “winging it” is fine in some cases, but to truly make sure your photographer captures your vision, talking it out beforehand is crucial!

Many photographers have clothes closets as well. At my studio, we have tons of newborn and baby outfits and wraps, we also have a large closet of maternity dresses, we have crowns and mermaid tails, and we have a few boudoir pieces too. These can help you as you make decisions on which photographer can meet all your needs.

Bullock Family | Beach Portraits

• February 8th, 2021 •

How many years has it been since YOU took your last family portraits? If you answer is more than 3 years, it’s TIME!!! Don’t let the years slip away with out taking time to “freeze time” with a beautiful family portrait you can cherish for generations.

I LOVED getting the Bullock family in front of my camera. Three STUNNING women with big hearts and beautiful smiles. (Yes, this is a mother daughters portrait- not sisters!) We wanted to have a little fun so we brought some smoke bombs to the beach and created a little magic. They even brought their dog who LOVED all the adventure of being at the beach~!

It had been a RAINY week so we were so grateful God let the sun shine and kept us dry. Jess and girls, Thank you so much for allowing me to capture your family.

What’s coming in 2021?!

• February 1st, 2021 •

Devon Shanor Photography is doing some amazing and exciting things this year! We have a few new offerings to share with you and some that you may not know about!

Become a part of our FOUREVER FAMILY!!

Once you’ve had 4 sessions with Devon, you become part of the “fourever family”, any sessions after that have no session fee and you receive 15% off of anything you purchase FOR LIFE! How cool is that!? But wait, there’s more!!!!

Devon Shanor Photography is now offering GIFT REGISTRIES!! Any special occasion you have to celebrate, we can get you a registry for! Just let us know you’re interested, what occasion the registry is for, and you will receive a set of printed cards as well as an email with your unique registry link on it!

Did you know about DSP’s referral program?! If your referral books with DSP, you receive a $75 credit! Referring just TWO people can get you a waved session fee or even one of these neat jewelry options we are offering for the first time this year!

Jewelry! This is a first for DSP! Unique and beautiful jewelry with your amazing portraits in them to take anywhere you go. Perfect for the on-the-go mom or even for dad who may be out to sea. The possibilities are endless!

We have some more surprises and news up our sleeves, so stay tuned for more! We can’t wait to share more exciting things with you!

Cox Wrestling Class of 2021 | Sports Photography

• January 28th, 2021 •

This year has especially been hard for the athletes in the class of 2021. With the Covid-19 shutdowns, even being able to have a season was not a given. Thankfully, in Virginia Beach, the fall sports were allowed with a very modified season. So wrestling was on!!!

Here are the amazing wrestlers from Frank W Cox High school, Liam, Logan, Austin and Wes. I so enjoy photographing the wrestlers from Cox every year (this year especially as my son is Logan.)

Can’t wait to see how this season turns out, no matter the outcomes I am so incredible proud of all these phenomenal young men!

Precious Little Braleigh | Newborn Photographer Virginia Beach

• January 13th, 2021 •

Oh, how this adorable little cutie stole our hearts!! She wasn’t quite a newborn, closer to two months old, but she rocked her session anyway! She loved being wrapped but let us get some adorable little “nakie” pictures too. And mom wasn’t planning on being in pictures but so glad we convinced her because, can this adorable mom and me picture get any cuter?

Best Newborn Photographers in Virginia Beach – Top 15

• January 13th, 2021 •

A few months ago I was so excited to learn I was nominated and won a top spot in the Best Newborn Photographers in Virginia Beach through Expertise, a site dedicated to “Locating & Verifying The Best Local Experts For The Job.”

Over 160 newborn photographers were reviewed and I earned a spot in the top 15! I didn’t ask for votes or even know I was being reviewed for this spot. It’s so exciting and rewarding to see my work being noticed and appreciated!

Go take a look and thanks again for always supporting this business I love so much! Go ME!!!

https://www.expertise.com/va/virginia-beach/newborn-photography

Routine in 2020, What’s that? | Creative Chaos

• November 30th, 2020 •

I don’t know about you, but 2020 has been the most “fly by the seat of your pants” kind of year I’ve ever had. A lot has happened here in the Porter household, Bradley turned 4, Andrew turned 2, we all got Covid-19, my husband made Chief in the Navy…. With quarantine on roulette and each day being a “wing it” kind of day, routine is pretty much non-existent AND THAT’S OKAY!

I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I beat myself up a few times when the kids threw a tantrum around dinnertime because they missed a nap, or when I look back at the last week and realized I hadn’t accomplished anything I wanted to because there was no routine or habits that had stuck through this crazy year. One thing I’ve learned though is to give myself a little bit of grace, we are all going through something that was not only unexpected, but affected our every day lives. Kids don’t understand and in some cases, neither do the adults. We will get through this!

This too shall pass, it’s almost the start of a new year and we can all do with a fresh start. “This too shall pass”, so hang in there everyone… One of my new habits will be blogging more often to you all, we are not alone, even if sometimes it feels like it. <3 Hang in there and I can’t wait to see more of Devon’s incredible photos of your beautiful families as we roll into the holiday season.

Turning One and Finding HOME| Adoption Love

• September 25th, 2020 •

The Reynolds had some exciting news and called me to help them celebrate!! Their girls Maia and Taelor were turning one AND they were finally getting adopted!! (We shot this session last year but we weren’t able to share them just yet as they were in the foster care system.) These beautiful girls had a difficult start to their story but have found their forever home with an AMAZING new family with a great new mom and dad and LOTS of big brothers and sisters (they are joining six other siblings!)

Until Now We’ve Shared Their Love and Home As of Today We Will Share Their Last Name

So much excitement and we decided to capture the milestones with pictures, tutus, rubber duckies and CAKE! These girls did great in front of the camera, although Taelor was not such a fan of the tutu. She took a little convincing to sit by herself but some snacks and a ballon helped!

One year portraits are one of my favorites to shoot and these beautiful girls made it twice as nice! (Although it was also twice the mess, all that sticky cake and frosting!!!)

I adore this family and cannot wait to watch these beautiful girls grow up in their new family with so many big brothers and sisters! Maybe someday we get the whole family of 10 together for some updated family portraits!

Olivia and Shanyn Mermaid and Merman

• September 4th, 2020 •

Ever since I started offering Mermaid portrait sessions my daughter, Olivia, has wanted to dress up as a mermaid. I was really happy to see that her boyfriend, Shanyn, decided to participate in the portrait session with her. She looked like a magical mermaid and it was a surreal reminder that my little girl is growing up. Stephanie Hall Fields was kind enough to do Olivia’s make up for her session and it helped make Olivia truly look the part and feel as if she really was a mermaid.

I am so excited to share these photographs of Olivia and Shanyn. Aren’t they adorable?

If you are interested in mermaids (or mermen!), message me and lets do it!

Jess | PTSD Empowerment

• August 21st, 2020 •

These sessions have become to mean so much to me. Trauma can have such awful and long lasting effects. Learning how to cope and manage them can take years learning tools, coping skills, defense mechanisms and more. And for many, it can go undiagnosed for years. Taking time to SHARE the struggle and the ups and downs of the journey through PTSD is something I am so VERY proud to have done.

Please welcome Jess to my blog. She is such a kind and beautiful young lady who has suffered from trauma since she was a young girl. Here is her story, in her own words.

I wanted to do the PTSD/anxiety shoot with Devon; because, although I’ve shared my experiences with a few friends, I really trust Devon and wanted her to share with other victims her capturing myself and to encourage others to speak out about their struggles as well.

As I thought of what I wanted to share during my session, I thought of the numerous experiences I’ve had with anxiety throughout my whole life.

Growing into the woman I am today, I find that many young women are often shamed if they don’t have a good relationship with their mothers. At least that is how my story has felt.

It becomes hard on us to speak our story when other people, especially women, work to break you down. This is so heartbreaking when you are already struggling with having a bad relationship with the woman who gave birth to you. If you don’t agree with someone they just stop listening, and you get talked over or spoken at. Your name becomes spat on and you’re just this “stubborn” woman who has all of these agendas when you can barely keep up with your own life and goals for the days. I think the world has had enough of the people who just dismiss others and gossip. We that try to speak about our pain have often felt silenced or unheard.

I struggled early on in my life from being sexually abused, I didn’t have a trusting adult to go too. Was moved away from my extended family when I was about 5-6. I was far too young, and though my mom would often ask what happened, I felt smothered and far too embarrassed to say anything. And in time I pushed the memories away, at least from what I remember. I’ve often found myself shaky as well as dismissing anyone that would share their feelings for me. Some days I find myself wanting that true love, other days I find myself struggling to be the independent woman I’ve never really had a chance to be. Often I feel “stuck” unable to move forward.

For me, the image that stood out to me the most was the mirror images. Because of my past traumas, I’ve often thought of myself of this less than beautiful woman and always looking at ways to improve my appearance. And often, the beauty others might see outwardly, is much different than what I am feeling on the inside. I struggle with self confidence and I wanted to portray that in this session.

It has been a long struggle to get to where I am today. But I am proud to say, I am a fighter who has fought hard overcome my past. I am a survivor! Thank you for listening to my story. So very glad Devon captured it so well and I hope, though hearing and seeing my story, you are able to find the courage to fight a little harder, share your story and find the survivor in you too! ~Jess

« Newer Older »