
Have you ever had an experience at a restaurant, store or hair salon and really liked the product you got but the service was certainly not up to snuff? That encounter can make or break your decision to ever return to that establishment. That’s the thing about the service industry, it’s not just about the outcome but the experience while you are shopping, eating or getting your hair cut. It’s the feeling you get while it happens. That emotion will stay with you and your memory of it will help determine if you go back or not.
As a photographer, I feel my work is very important, but so is the experience that I give each client.
In this blog, I will go over how and why I devote so much energy to the client experience and how it helps to create an environment that makes even those reticent children and husbands look forward to their next photo session
Communication
The first thing I do when a client reaches out for a possible photo session is communicate. I have each potential client fill out a simple questionnaire so I can find out more about what they are looking for. What type of session is this: family, milestone, newborn? Who will be in the photos? What props are you looking to have? Will any pets be joining us? Once I have a little information, I like to schedule a call with the prospective client.
In the year 2023 there are so many ways we can communicate, email, text, DM and the list goes on. I was raised in the 90’s and early 2000’s when phone calls were the main way to communicate. When you can speak to someone over the phone it makes a huge difference in the connection you make. During the call, I am able to explain my workflow and my photography philosophy. I can listen to as well as answer so many questions the client may have. Most important, I find out why they want to have the photo session to begin with. I would say that more than 95% of clients that I get on the phone will book their session with me.

During the initial phone call we talk about locations and how to dress or style your family for the upcoming session. I take a step-wise approach to make it as easy as possible:
How to dress:I refer them to my first blog, a style guide, https://www.csphotographynj.com/post/photo-session-style-guide
Location: I send a gallery of images I’ve taken in different locations around my area. This way the client can literally picture what their session will look like in the location which they choose. I'm always up for exploring new locations, but those are some examples.
My Client Closet: Another fun, new option this year is that I’ve started cultivating a “client closet” of gorgeous dresses that anyone can wear during a session. No one is required to wear one of the dresses but it can also be really fun!
Payments made simple and easy: Once we’ve settled on location, date and time, I send a client contract and invoice via email. Both documents are online so there is no need to pay in cash or check, just plug in your credit card number. Now adays, most of us have it programmed in our cell phones so it takes almost no effort at all. Paperwork is entirely e signed; I try to make the whole process quick and easy.
Preparation and Safety
So much behind-the-scenes preparation goes into a session before I click the shutter button for the first time. I look at my notes from my phone conversation and make sure I have all the props, lighting and anything else I may need.
When it comes to newborn sessions there is even more prep involved. Remembering how nervous we were with our first newborn, the safety of children/babies is my biggest priority. With newborns, I bring a lot of props, blankets, swaddles, pillows etc. Before each session every piece is washed in free and clear detergent and anything that can’t be washed is steamed cleaned so no bacteria harbor. Upon arriving at your home, I will wash my hands immediately and wear a KN95 the entire time. It’s common to be nervous about a newborn’s naïve immune system – I know I’ve been there!

Time for your session
Now that all the prep has gone into your session, it’s time to finally meet you and capture beautiful memories of your family.
After I introduce myself to everyone we start having fun. Yes, every mom wants a picture where everyone is looking and smiling at the camera. That is always one of my goals. However, I also love to capture more candid shots of families together because I feel that it tells the story of their love. I have certain poses I do and help each member feel comfortable. I also use prompts like, “Everyone look at mom and smile, now everyone look at dad, ok now everyone look at the stinkiest member of the family”. This always gets big smiles and laughs, creating organically happy images. I like to see how the kids are reacting during the session and follow their lead. If a child is resistant to something, we shift. I am a mom and have been around children my entire life. I have a lot of patience, especially when it’s not my kids. When I see kids being restless or bored, I play games with them like throwing leaves in the air, how high can you jump or how tight can you squeeze mom’s leg? We do running shots into the parents’ arms or other things that keep the kids moving and not give them the chance to get bored. We do airplanes and dance games:the goal is to have fun!

When it comes to couples I will give prompts like, “Whisper in their ear what you had for breakfast in your sexiest voice.” This always gives great reactions and gorgeous images. Or, “Spin her around, dip and kiss her”. Action shots are certainly some of my favorites.
Once, I hired a photographer to take family photos of my family - I didn’t tell her I was also a photographer. She had us in the same exact spot for almost an hour! Each of my photos looks exactly the same. How boring, not to mention how restless my kids got during this time.
I like variety so I try to capture the best aspects of each location. I move my clients around the area so we get different backdrops, lighting etc.
Once we are done with our session it’s time for prizes! Who doesn’t like prizes? I usually have an assortment of bubbles, pop-its, stickers, pencils and other fun things. I also always have fruit snacks with me for incentives, if parents are open ok with it of course. Let’s face it, we all “encourage” our children during photo sessions.
Usually the person booking the session is the wife or mom of the family. I can’t tell you how many times the mom will contact me shortly after the session to tell me how much fun their kids had and how excited they were for their prizes. I’ve also had a number of dads tell their wives they need to book their next session with me again. This tells me that the more challenging participants truly enjoyed their experience and is by far the best compliment I can receive. And this is all before they even get a glimpse of the final product!

What happens next?
After a session I take all the images and cull them down to my favorites. Depending on the session and how many images come with your package, I usually choose 3-4 times that number as my favorites. I then hand edit each and every one of them before the client gets a sneak peek. If they’ve allowed me to post on social media, I will showcase the sneak peek there. If they choose to not have them on social media, I respect that and will email a sneak peek instead.
Once the session is finished being edited, I put all the edited images onto an online gallery. The clients are able to click on a link and instantly see their gorgeous photos. Each gallery is private and people are only able to access it through the private link. Clients can share with family or friends and can even “favorite” the images. Once they’ve chosen the images they like that come with the pre-paid package, they can be downloaded instantly. If the client would like to purchase more images, they always have that option but there is NO pressure to do so. I also offer a professional print shop in my galleries. They are NOT required to print through there but if they want high quality, UV resistant images to display in their homes, it’s the way to go.
It has taken a lot of trial an error over the years as a business owner to find out what works best for me and my clients. I’m sure that will evolve as my business and my experience continue to grow. I hope this has helped you understand why your experience with CS Photography will be a great one.

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