IT'S SENIOR YEAR! The most anticipated year in any teenagers life. Deciding where to go to collage, or what jobs you'll apply for, making the most of the friendships you have, spending time with your family, and utilizing your last official year as a "kid".
There's a whole lot of decisions to make, but they don't all have to be difficult ones.
If you're wondering when is the best time to book your senior shoot I've got you covered!
Let's chat about 3 reasons why you should book your senior photo shoot right now!
Number 1. Deadlines + Submissions
3 weeks before your senior pictures are due for submission is NOT when to book your senior shoot. 1 month then? Nope! RIGHT NOW! And the earlier the better! Why?
Your senior year is going to get crazier as the weeks go by and there's so much to occupy your mind and time. Having your pictures done at the beginning of the year(or preferably before!) will give you the freedom to have nothing to think about when it comes to submissions.
You'll also be able to enjoy your photos for the entire span of your senior year rather than just at the end, when your mind is focused on ending school and not soaking it up.
Number 2. Prints + Announcements
Just like having the freedom to not worry about making sure you have a photos on hand for submissions, you'll definitely want this same mindset when it comes to your prints and announcements. And I would even argue this on a much bigger scale, too! Even if your graduation party is an entire year from when you book your senior photo shoot, there are many reasons you'll want to order your prints right after your shoot.
Your senior pictures are a treasure to your family, and any holiday that approaches you'll want to give them as gifts(the actual year that you're a senior I might add). On top of that, every photographer works in different ways(and speeds), and have very different schedules. You'll want to make sure that your photographer indeed has the time to process your photos and get the prints back to you in time for everything you need them for, before it's too late. Which leads me to my last point!
Number 3. Securing Your Spot With Your Preferred Photographer
One of the most important things to remember when you're booking your senior shoot(or any shoot or event for that matter) is WHO you'll be working with. You'll likely think about your photographer any time you look at one of your photos and it is SO important to remember a pleasant experience with them. To take it to another level, often times a senior will have such an amazing experience with their photographer that when it's time for them to find someone to shoot their wedding they know exactly who to call! The same thing happens when children start popping out. And what rad thing to think that you could have that amazing of a relationship with your photographer that they become your photographer!
And on the flip side, if you have unfortunately made the wrong decision for who you chose, hated your experience or end up being disappointed with your photos, booking sooner does allow you to possibly retake them with someone new.
So when you've decided on a photographer that you love, and you've made sure that you adore their style, you want to be 100% positive that you can actually secure a spot with them.
Like I mentioned before, all photographers have different styles, schedules and ways of working. You won't know if your photographer is part time and therefore has fewer slots open, or perhaps is seasonal and only shoots seniors from June-September, until you've contacted them.
You might be wondering then, when is the best time-specifically-to book your shoot?
I say that April and May are when you need to start looking for the perfect photographer. Often times you'll need to book a month or two out anyways. If you're dying to have your photos taken in the golden months of October and November that's great! And since you do know that you should go ahead and schedule it.
But if you want to be the most efficient and on top of the game book your session for the summer before your senior year.
Nothing can go wrong!