Welcome Graduates!
I am so excited you are here, and I am looking forward to our upcoming photoshoot. I will give you beautiful, on-location images that will celebrate you and tell your story.
If you have any questions or concerns, I encourage you to text, call, or send me an email. I may be out in the field shooting, but I will return your correspondence in a timely manner.
Please review the below information for helpful tools and tips for our upcoming portrait session.
All the Best,
Kami Schexnayder
504-418-3370
schexnayderphotography@gmail.com
CLIENT CHECK LIST
Review your booking proposal email (which includes invoice, contract, and questionnaire form).
Review this welcome e-packet.
Photo Session!
View your gallery. I will email your gallery NO LATER than 15 days from the date of our session.
Order your prints. Your gallery will be active for 60 days. You will be able to buy prints and download your images until your gallery expires (60 days from date of shoot).
Enjoy your photographs for a lifetime!
WHAT TO WEAR
Senior Portrait Sessions are a wonderful way to celebrate your accomplishments. You made it to a finish line with a future shining as bright as diamonds. I want the personalities of my seniors to shine as well, so it’s important you wear what feels right for you. You might want to plan an assortment of outfits for your session. Maybe you play sports and would like some photos in your uniform. Maybe you would like cap and gown photos along with photos of you in your favorite cocktail dress or suit. Perhaps you are more of a one- outfit -jeans kind of person. Regardless of our options, it is important that we put some thought into what we want to wear and what photographs best. And hurray——we can do this without agonizing over our wardrobes! Below are helpful tips for you to review before your session.
SOLIDS AND LARGE PATTERNS
Solid colors paired with large patterns, textures or stripes will look spectacular. If you prefer a dreamy look, choose pastel colors, off-whites, and soft prints. If you are wanting to achieve a dramatic look, choose colors that are bright and bold. Don’t be shy about mixing colors/patterns. Be creative.
AVOID SMALL, TIGHT PRINTS
Small prints and stripes do NOT photograph well. The camera reads them and creates its own unique pattern called “moire” and it isn’t desirable. Staying away from small tight stripes and prints will save your photos!
HAVE FUN WITH ACCESSORIES
It’s fun to create more than one look for our portrait session. Adding hats, shades, clothing layers etc. to the mix creates variety in your photo gallery. Jackets are a great addition to any outfit!
FROM SUITS TO JEANS
If you decide to wear a suit for your session, or go more casual, there are some things to keep in mind.
Clothes should be wrinkle-free. Make sure your shirts and pants are pressed.
Jackets or blazers with a casual shirt underneath is a great, relaxed look.
Stay away from neon colors (it affects skin tones).
Accessories (like hats, sunglasses) are always fun.
All clothes (from suits to blue jeans) should be well-tailored to your form.
Most importantly, I want you to feel confident, comfortable, and to have fun!
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR SESSION
My senior sessions are laid back and fun. You are welcome to bring any props you want that reflect your graduation milestone (class rings, graduation hat, awards). You can also bring props that reflect your passions (sports, music, art). Or you can choose to just bring yourself. I am more than happy to take photographs on your campus or your favorite location. You can choose one of my locations between urban, urban/green area, or nature/park setting.
The session lasts anywhere from 1 to 2 hours long, but I would suggest not planning anything right after your shoot. If you have several outfit changes or many must-have locations, our session will last longer.
I will guide you throughout your whole session, so you don’t have to worry about how you should act in front of the camera.
If possible, I like to schedule my sessions within a few hours of sunset or 20 minutes before sunrise. I use both natural light and strobes to enhance beautiful skin, create mood and incredible backdrops that aren’t washed out.
AFTER THE SESSION
After your session, I will email you a link to your photo gallery no later than 15 days from the date of the shoot. You will have 60 days to order and download your photographs. When you receive your gallery, you will also get instructions on how to navigate through your gallery. I am also available by phone to walk you through the shopping process.
Q: What is the most vital and joyful part of any portrait session?
A: The professionally printed photograph.
I strongly encourage all of my clients to fill their homes with joyful memories and meaningful legacies! When you order your prints through Schexnayder Photography, you are receiving the best finished prints in the industry. Using cutting-edge equipment, we print on the world’s finest archival-quality photographic paper. In addition, we have a team of experienced color technicians to provide superb color management so that each and every print looks picture perfect.
If you print your digital images at a places like drugstores, the integrity of the photograph is lost. Colors are inaccurate and the inks and paper used for printing are probably not archival quality. We are decorating our homes with our personal imagery and stories, and we should do so with quality and integrity for ourselves in mind. I would not be doing my job as a photographer if I did not urge you to order prints. We may order just digital files with the intention of printing them out one day—but that day may never come. Important memories and time stamps will be hiding inside a metal contraption lost to legacy and the potential joy of sharing memories through printed photos. I strongly encourage anyone who leaves a portrait session to make sure physical prints on paper or canvas are included in your order. They will breathe life and meaning into your home to be enjoyed for lifetimes!
