Toronto Photographer: Here's how to have a successful session
As a photographer, I often get asked how to have a successful photo session. There are a few things that I always recommend to clients, and I thought it would be nice to share them with you today.
First and foremost, communication is key. Before your session, be sure to communicate with your photographer about your vision for the shoot. What kind of look are you going for? What is your budget? What is your timeline? The more information you can provide, the better.
Secondly: be prepared. This means having your outfits ready to go, your hair and makeup done, and all accessories your look needs to be ready to shine for the lens. It also means it’s key to have an idea of what you want to do with your photos. Do you want to frame them to be hung on a wall, or maybe send them to your grandparents out of the country? Knowing exactly what you want to do with your photos will help your photographer to capture the perfect image for you.
Toronto Photographer: Here's how to have a successful session
Look for the photos you love
When you’ve already booked your session, it's good if your photographer gives you some ideas showing you previous work, as well as any other images that connect with you. It's important to talk about the images and why you love them, and also about how they make you feel. It definitely gives the photographer a great idea about what the client imagines and what they can expect from their photos.
The importance of the light for a photographer in Toronto
Having the light of the day on our side is one of the most important aspects of a shoot. For instance, when the day comes, arriving a bit early can be great for both you and your photographer. Always remember, the light dictates how your photos will look and feel.
It is a good idea to try to schedule most of the sessions in the two hours prior to sunset, or if you want to get up early in the morning, sunrise is a great idea as well! We’ve had sessions take place early in the a.m. just as the sun is rising, and in the late afternoon, as the sun dips below the horizon into the dreamiest twilight.
Shooting at night time can work if you want some unexpectedly original results, as well if you’re looking for some unique images, but prepare yourself and have patience. If you’re far enough out of the city, stars may come out to play and create some of the greatest photos to end your session.
You may also like to read: What are the main stages of the video production process?
Good communication before the session
As I mentioned before, a successful session starts with the communication that leads up to the session day. When it comes to working with us, if you have a question or concern as the session date approaches, you can always contact us. There are no silly questions!
Opening up and having good communication before the day of the session encourages people to share different concerns they may have about their session, helping immensely the photographer’s preparation process.
Here are some examples: If you’re shy or your child is not comfortable in front of a camera and we know that before the day of the session, we’ll be able to get ready for their personality types by either bring certain things with us in the camera bag or starting the session a certain way in order to help ease you into comfort.
Think about variety and creativity
Make sure you think about creativity and variety for every photo session. If you’ve planned well beforehand and you've chosen the right locations to make the most of them, always stay within your game plan. But be sure to mix up expressions, clothing style, the poses, composition, lenses, and camera settings.
We typically approach every photo session aiming to produce a spread of photos, also looking for additional details everywhere and include them. The best is when the client and the photographer have all the willingness to be creative.
Bonus:
Always control the lighting for better results
We've already talked about it, but this is very important. The photographer needs to be in control of the lighting. Bad lighting can ruin a portrait photo even in the most beautiful scene. It will surely be useful to have accessible artificial lighting elements like flashes and bounces. Having the ability to play with ambient lighting will allow photographers to control the mood of the photos.
During your planning, you will have decided on the look and overall feel you wanted to achieve. Much of this will be determined by how photographers control the lighting.
Do not hesitate to try out these tips
If everything goes well, It's common that the clientele tells their photographers that they felt so comfortable in front of the camera (that's awesome!) It's our favorite part when people tell us they’re really nervous and how they’re not good at posing, but then at the end of the day, they say they're so comfortable in front of the camera and working with you.
Your session should be a fun experience, so try to relax and enjoy yourself, have fun! Trust your photographer and let them do their job. I promise you’ll be glad you did.
Novoamare is a mixed media company, offering services that range from Video, Photography & Live Stream for cultural events of all kinds to corporate projects.
If you are looking for video production or photography options we can help you, drop us a message, let's start the conversation