When Do I Book My Senior Photos
Find out the yearbook deadline
First and foremost, if you are hoping to get a photo into the yearbook, you need to find out the deadline for submission to your yearbook. This will vary from school to school, but generally speaking the deadline is sometime around October. This will be determined by the chosen publisher for your schools yearbook. If you do not make the deadline, the school will use the photo that is on your school ID.
Which Season do you like best?
If you are a Winter lover and don't mind being cold, then you can for sure get your Senior Photos done as early as January/February of your Junior year! This is a great time to get onto my schedule here at Paige Samantha Photography, because I'm likely offering discounts for early bookings, as well as other perks. Even if Winter is your favorite time of year, you can book at this time and we can find ways to get a variety of shots while being indoors; think greenhouses, coffee shops, studios! The great thing about Colorado, is that we have a lot of warm days and sunny days in the midst of Winter.
If you are a Spring lover then obviously this is a great time to book as well (and I still offer early booking discounts). This is great way to beat the crowd and not stress when it comes time to meeting that yearbook deadline. Personally, I am a sucker for the flowering trees that come along in the Spring and the potential that you might get snow AND flowers!
Summer is by far my favorite time for Senior sessions! The sun sets later, there are fewer school obligations to contend with, the weather is more agreeable, there are lots and lots of flowers, and we can include water shots in our session without worrying about hypothermia! You will never see me complain about having a full schedule in the summer. I don't like the cold, at all, so this is my preferred season.
Fall is most clients favorite time to book any type of session, and High School Seniors are no exception. People love the warm, not HOT, temperature that comes with Fall, Fall outfits, and colorful trees. This is also the time that I get a lot of panicked messages from potential clients hoping to get squeezed in prior to the yearbook submission deadline. While I always do my best to help out in situations like this, it is not always feasible. Don't let this be you!
What is your budget?
If you would like to save a little money, booking early, is a good way to take advantage of discounts and promotions that come with being an early bird. At Paige Samantha Photography, I offer special discounts to my clients that get on the books early in the year; Winter or Spring sessions, specifically. If you want to get on the schedule for Summer or Fall and want to be able to make payments leading up to the day of the session, then you can book as early as you'd like! Most photographers (including me) only require a deposit or just the session fee to get on the schedule. Booking early allows you to save money over all. Getting on the books early, allows you to make payments.
Already missed the yearbook deadline?
I still think it's fun to book your Senior session! You are never going to be in this place in your life, again! Book your senior session in the Spring time of your Senior Year and we can also double down as a Cap and Gown graduation shoot! Then you can still have photos for your graduation party! I'm telling you, you are never going to regret celebrating such a big time in your life with photos! It's just super fun and it's a feel good experience!
