I recently shared a post on Facebook about a busy weekend with 6 senior sessions scheduled over a 2 day period.  This triggered a question from fellow photog, Kristin Cooley, about how we schedule and plan for multiple sessions.  She continued by asking for recommendations on what to bring along, meaning props and necessities.  You often see timelines and scheduling tips for weddings, but never for portraits- so I loved the idea of sharing my process!

I offer two session options, The Editorial (an hour and half session) and The Pictorial (a three hour session), because of this, I have to keep a close eye on how I schedule all of my shoots.  I am an on-location photographer, so my sessions take place all over the place, which also means I have to schedule enough time in-between each session to get to the next location.  To give you an idea of how I structure it, here is my timeline from this past weekend:

I always leave at least 30 minutes between each session for travel time, unless the sessions are intended to overlap.  This was the case with Emily & Lacey, two best friends who requested a 30 minute shoot together.  Emily wanted both urban & natural locations, Lacey preferred to have her session in a natural setting for the entire duration.  To accommodate both, I started with Emily in a downtown area near a beautiful park.  At 4pm, we met with Lacey in the park, where we did some pictures of them together and then I broke it down and photographed each girl individually in the park.  At 4:30, I wrapped with Emily and spent the next hour photographing Lacey in various locations throughout the park.

It is very important to pay close attention to your timing when scheduling like this.  There isn’t a lot of flex time to go over on your sessions, which means you have to really manage your time efficiently.  With an Editorial Session, my clients can bring up to 3 outfits for their shoot.  I plan for each outfit change to take 10 minutes, knowing this beforehand, I mentally prepare to photograph my client in each outfit for about 20 minutes.  I can get 15-20 poses from my client in that timeframe, by making small changes within each pose, I am able to capture at least 25 sellable images with each outfit, resulting in the minimum of 75 images we present to each client who books an Editorial Session with us.

The Pictorial Session is a 3 hour shoot with unlimited outfit options.  I use the same process for this session as I do for the Editorial, adjusting my timing based on the number of outfits my client brings for this shoot- which is typically 5.  For the Pictorial, we also allow for time to drive to a new location, which typically takes about 15-20 minutes.  The shooting time in each outfit balances out to be about the same as the Editorial, which is a shooting schedule I am very comfortable with.

My list of necessities are very small: equipment, reflector, good light and a fabulous girl.  The location always plays second fiddle to my client, so I have never put a lot of focus or emphasis on where we are- I try to keep all of the attention on her.  I don’t bring props or posing aids because it just isn’t my style.  However, if it is your style, I suggest creating a survival kit with a few props that you take to every session, which you can make part of your signature style & brand.  Keep it simple, I recommend either a classic or retro chair, patterned fabrics for your client to lay on or stand in front of, or even streamers to hang from a tree, which could look really colorful and fun!  Just make sure that whatever you choose, it represents you and your brand appropriately.

I hope that this post can be a resource for you when scheduling your portrait sessions!  Because all posts are better with something pretty to look at, here is a little sneak peek from our recent session with Sydney.  Much love!!