That’s right, Seniors, it’s YOUR turn to SHINE! 

It’s hard to believe that senior year has finally arrived! Thank you for considering us for your senior portrait session!  We just LOVE senior portrait season.  It’s fun getting out of the studio and capturing your personality at your favorite places!

Here’s some information to help you plan your session.  We can’t wait to see you!

senior portraits, danvers, photographer danvers
Senior Portraits at Lauren Poussard Studios Danvers MA

How much does it cost?

Doesn’t it seem like there’s never a package that covers what you really need?  I have always hated packages, and paying for something that is not quite what I wanted or needed!  That’s why we offer a la cart pricing.

Special Pricing of $189 (plus parking and/or permit fees*) covers:

  • 45 minute photo shoot on location nearby.
  • Retouching 10 of your favorite images.
  • Preparation and submission of your yearbook selection to your school’s yearbook committee person.
  • Lo-res version of our favorite images that you can share on social media.

and is due on or before your session.  You can pay pal me before the shoot at https://www.paypal.me/poussard/ or bring a check at the session.

You are not required to purchase a package or prints at the time of your session.  You can order prints or photo products ANY TIME afterwards.

Product pricing can vary from year to year at the labs, but we have kept our pricing simple:

5×7=$7.00, 8×10=$10, 8 wallets=$10.00

There are hundreds and hundreds of prints, photo products and gifts on offer on our website, you will be able to see the full catalog when your images are uploaded.

How long do I have to order my pictures?

Our first priority is to find your favorite for the yearbook.  Usually the schools are looking for them by the end of November, so don’t worry, we have time!

You select your favorites by “favoriting” a selection of images.  (Please, don’t select ALL of them – select your favorite from each vignette.)

Images are hosted on our website forever, so you don’t have to rush in and buy right away.  I find most people buy pictures for presents at Christmas and again at the end of the year for invitations, thank you’s and to exchange with friends.

When can I see the pictures?

It usually takes a week to proof images and retouch a few of our favorites. It can take longer depending on how busy we get!  If we get inundated we do communicate with the school’s yearbook people to let them know.

Can I bring a friend? parent?

The more the merrier.  We will make use of them to hold your wardrobe changes and help with hair if needed!

If you and a friend book for the same time we will discount BOTH of your sessions by 15%!

How do I order prints and photo products?

Hopefully the checkout process is intuitive and you will be able to select your image(s), recrop if necessary (please note, it’s always necessary to CHECK your cropping!), then add to your shopping cart.

The site is always “refining” the process, but I find sometimes a little extra help is needed with digital download orders, so much so I had to write a blog about it.  If you get stuck with your digital download order, follow this link for instructions.

Prints are delivered directly to your address, the site does charge a shipping fee.  I find the standard USPS rate is fine and you can get them in a week.

Be careful of the crop when ordering prints online.

We offer self-serve print ordering through our print partner Zenfolio.  The quality of their prints and other photo offerings are exceptional.

Please note, when ordering prints online it is very easy to shopping-cart your order and not review it before hitting the payment button.

Please be sure to click on each image in your shopping cart to review where the printer is going cut the images before submitting payment.

The aspect ratio of the image you see as your proof may not match the aspect ratio of the printed paper you are selecting.  By default the system will simply center the image onto the page, but this can cut off key areas of the image depending on the image.  This is especially true of wallets!  If you find you are reviewing the crop and it’s still cutting it too close to our subject, hold off ordering that particular image and email us.  There are some images where we can digitally add more space around the subject to give enough room for the safe zone.  This is not always possibly, but usually is.

LPCS is not responsible for any errors in online ordering.

How long/where is the session?

Sessions are 45 minutes each.

Some locations require parking fees or photography permits, so those fees will be added to the session fee.  We usually shoot in the late afternoon, at which time parks and beaches either reduce or eliminate the parking fee.

Some favorite local spots are:

  • Endicott Park, Danvers (parking and permit fees!)
  • Lynch Park, Beverly (parking fee before 5pm)
  • Winter Island, Salem (non-resident parking fee)
  • Cranes Beach/Good Harbor Beach/Plum Island (parking fees)
  • Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Downtown Salem/Common/Willows
  • West Beach,  Beverly (members only)

Other spots which are cool and free:

  • The grafitti’d walls at Beverly Depot
  • The Danvers Swampwalk on the Rail Trail
  • The Peabody Institute Library in Danvers
  • Random fields – Choate Farm, Potters Farm….
  • I also know some nice spots along route 127…
  • Marblehead Neck

So, think of your favorite place and let’s plan a date!

What do I wear?

First, remember we are probably going to be outside, so if you can dress in such a way we can make wardrobe changes quickly, that will help. Not every place we go has rest rooms and our Pop-up Changing Room is on backorder.

Second, think classic.  This will be the photo you will look back on and remember your high school years!

Senior portraits Danvers Ma lauren poussard studio

So, while hairstyles will probably date your portrait, as mine does, your clothes shouldn’t.  Classic is always in style!

 

 

Should I wear more makeup?

Yes. Don’t go crazy and keep lip color natural.  If you are not used to makeup, still wear some, especially eyeliner and blush.  There are great nude shades out there now for eyes, so you won’t look too made up – and it will help even out skin tones.

Also bring some blush to blot.  We usually shoot on warmer sunnier days, it will help with the shine.

Where do my images go? How do I make my selections?

Your images will be uploaded as proofs to our web-based image server.  You will be given a link once they are ready for viewing.  You will need to sign in using your email address.

The images are organized into two folders, PROOFS and RETOUCHED.  You cannot order from the PROOFS folder, as they haven’t been retouched and we don’t want you to accidently order something from there.

When you hover over an image, a number and a heart appear.  Use the heart button to “favorite” your favorites and that will create a list for me on the back end of the server that I can refer to.

I then go and retouch those images and upload the high res versions to the RETOUCHED folder.  You can then go and order prints and photo products from that folder.

Do I get the digital files?

In order to keep session prices low, we offer digital files on an a la carte basis only. The original hi-res images are purchased separately at $19.95 each and you are free to take them anywhere you want for printing.You are not required to use our online printing services, although I always recommend it because the quality is far better than what you will get locally.  (Unless you go to Barry at The Finer Image on Park St in Danvers!)

Rain Dates

Our sessions are usually outdoors and sometimes Mother Nature has alternative plans for our lovely shoot.  We might need to reschedule, so be prepared for that possibility.

Cloudy days are not generally rescheduled – it’s actually better for portraiture as the clouds act as a natural diffuser.  Windy days are rescheduled so that my photo assistant doesn’t blow away holding the diffuser and so your hair doesn’t fly around. 🙂