I’ve previously gone into some detail of my editing workflow but what about the whole session? Let me take you on a whirlwind tour of how an equine session goes!
Before the Session
• Send client welcome guide – This answers all the questions a client should have, and hopefully any they hadn’t yet thought of.
• Prep the client – What to wear, preparing the horse (mostly included in the guide)
• Confirm location options – Including all weather options – Can the shoot still go ahead if it is raining? Are the locations only suitable at certain times of day? Ask for photos if needed so you can gauge what you’re working with ahead of the day.
• Confirm required payments received from client prior to shoot date
• Confirmation with client – are they still good to go ahead? Do you have the right address? Do you have a phone number if you get lost? Have you both got the same time in your diaries?
• Equipment check – is everything charged and ready?
On The Day
• Equipment check again loading the car before you leave – Run through your checklist. It’s not just camera equipment but food and water for you if necessary, correct clothing, any items used as distractions etc. Do you have enough petrol!
• Introduce yourself to horses & humans – (Note with Covid 19 restrictions you will have to do so from a distance!)
• Check out locations to confirm suitability
• Set up equipment as appropriate
• Desensitise the horse to the lights if required. (Again with Covid 19 you will have to be wary with distances and extra PPE may be appropriate)
• Lights, Camera, Action!
• Pack up – don’t forget your props! Did you put something down in a corner safely, if so don’t forget it!
• Say goodbye!
After The Session
• Backup your images ASAP – At least two hard copies and another online – The two hard copies can be memory card and hard disk.
• Import images to Lightroom (or your editing program)
• Flag the images you will edit for the client – Otherwise known as your initial cull.
Editing
• Provide watermarked sneak peek to client if included – Max one image unless full gallery purchased in advance.
• Edit the chosen images – include B&W copies where appropriate
• Export images – renaming as you do so
• Backup final images
• Upload images to my online gallery – For those operating an IPS method you would prime the images ready for your client viewing session.
• Highlight (colour tag) images you wish to use for marketing & export web and High res copies to separate marketing files
copies to separate relevant marketing folders.
• Deliver images to client for final selection
• Edit final selection images
• Order products
• Deliver final products
Give that little bit extra!
I am always working to improve my client experience and I believe every photographer should be striving to do the same. With the amount of photographers in the world now it is important not just to produce beautiful work but also to make the photo session process an enjoyable and memorable experience. Try and answer questions before a client has them, I created my client guide as a thorough but easy to read document to answer these questions.
Would you like to learn about how I work?
I offer 1-2-1 training that can cover any and all areas of my workflow. I also will be running workshops concentrating on creating black background portraits
