March 12, 2023
Sunny November Graduation Session at UNC | Olivia
- Graduation
Welcome to your Graduation Investment guide!
Capturing Tangible memories to celebrate your milestones
Why Invest?
The high touch experience you deserveHi, I'm Anh (that's me in the photo!)! I value fostering relationships with clients to help make sessions an experience where they are comfortable and confident. As your photographer, I am here to understand your needs and expectations to create a great client experience, from your first inquiry to when your photos are delivered. Getting your photos taken can be nerve-wracking! I will work with you to make you comfortable during your session and am here to answer any questions beforehand.
Celebrate your milestones
While feeling comfortable & confidentI love celebrating milestones and helping to create photos that make you happy and nostalgic to look back on. We'll go through my go-to poses for graduation sessions, but I also will work with you to find what poses make you feel comfortable and confident. You'll hear me say this at your session, but this is YOUR session, so any ideas you have, I am going to run with it! We'll have such a fun time that the time will fly by.
WHAT TO EXPECT
STEP-BY-STEP
STEP 1: WE Meet each other
Consultations are how I best prepare for sessions. By learning about your personality, expectations, and vision, I am able to tailor your session experience to you! These 15-30 minute calls over Google Meet are also an opportunity for you to ask any questions so you feel comfortable and confident working with me before we meet in-person. Aside from doing the fun stuff of getting to know each other, I find clients find it helpful to feel comfortable with me before the actual session day.
STEP 2: We get you booked and prepped for your session
I will send over a booking proposal that has all of your session information laid out. Once we both sign it and you pay your 50% non-refundable retainer (it goes towards your total balance), you will immediately get one email with a Client Experience Guide that has information on what to expect, what to bring to your session, locations, style guidance, prop suggestions, and other helpful tips and links, and another email with your Client Portal login. Your client portal is where you can view your session day/time, your contract, invoices, and any relevant links (like your Consultation Notes and your Client Experience Guide!).
One week before your session, you'll get an email from me confirming your session and finalizing details, including the order of locations so you can plan outfits.
STEP 3: WE HAVE AN AMAZING GRADUATION SESSION WHERE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT
Now that we've prepared for your session, we'll hit all your favorite spots on campus. I will spend some time getting to know you and your experience (if any) with getting photos taken, talking through quick tips and how I work, and helping you warm up. You will absolutely rock your session and have a blast!
STEP 4: YOU'LL RECEIVE YOUR PHOTOS FROM THE SESSION YOU ROCKED
Once your photos are edited, you will receive a link to your online gallery with personal social media and personal printing rights 3-4 weeks after your session. You will be able to download your photos and purchase print products all within your gallery.
Packages & Pricing
All packages include:
- travel within 30 miles of RDU
- complimentary 30-minute virtual consultation
- Client Experience Guide to help you feel prepared and confident for your session
- high-res, edited images delivered via an online gallery
- personal social media & printing rights
NC sales tax, mileage fees, permit costs, studio costs, etc. may apply.
Solo Packages
The B Line
Up to 2 hours
Includes 2 outfits
4-5 locations
60 photos
$50 print credit
$650
Carolina Blue
Up to 1.5 hrs
Includes 2 outfits
3-4 locations
40 photos
$495
Group Package
2-5 people
Up to 2 hours
2-3 locations
100 photos
Group & individual photos
$1100
THe Packages in Detail
The B Line
$650
What you get
Up to 2 hours and 2 outfits for a variety of looks
Do you have a handful of locations you just have to take photos at? This package is perfect for you! There's plenty of time to change into a second outfit, but even if you only want one outfit, this package gives us enough time to get to all of those places and not feel rushed (don't forget that we do have to walk between places!). If you want less than 4-5 locations, it'll just give us extra time at the ones you want!
60 photos
You will get 60 photos edited to my style. I know how important this achievement is for you, so I will always go through and do basic skin retouching (a pimple or two) to make you look your absolute best.
$50 Print Credit
You will receive a $50 coupon to buy the perfect products through your online gallery. Prints, cards, announcements, calendars, you name it. Digital photos are nice to have, but having tangible products to share with others are a great reminder of this milestone! Must be used within one year of gallery delivery.
Expert Graduation planning
My experience with shooting graduation photos during peak graduation season (April-May) and off-season helps with knowing how long lines might be at certain locations, what time you should get to campus (this might be earlier than our start time due to the lines!), and how many locations we can feasibly shoot at based on the month. My Client Experience Guide will have all the information you'll need to prepare for your photoshoot (plus, I'll be able to help you with all the graduation attire and how those should be worn!).
Carolina Blue (Most popular!)
$495
What you get
Up to 1.5 hours and 2 outfits for a variety of looks
This is my most popular graduation package and designed around my experience with graduation sessions and my particular shooting style! 1.5 hours is the perfect amount of time to get to 3-4 locations on campus while not feeling rushed (don't forget we have to walk between places!) or to do 2-3 locations and spend more time at each. There's also time to change into a second outfit if you'd like.
40 PHOTOS
You will get 40 photos edited to my style. I know how important this achievement is for you, so I will always go through and do basic skin retouching (a pimple or two) to make you look your absolute best.
EXPERT GRADUATION PLANNING
My experience with shooting graduation photos during peak graduation season (April-May) and off-season helps with knowing how long lines might be at certain locations, what time you should get to campus (this might be earlier than our start time due to the lines!), and how many locations we can feasibly shoot at based on the month. My Client Experience Guide will have all the information you'll need to prepare for your photoshoot (plus, I'll be able to help you with all the graduation attire and how those should be worn!).
Group Package (2-5 people)
$1100
What you get
Up to 2 hours and a mix of group/individual photos
Looking to take photos with a friend (or several)? This package covers a mix of group and individual photos at a lower cost per person than if you were each doing solo sessions! This is also great if the idea of doing a session by yourself is not appealing and you work better with other people's energies.
100 PHOTOS
You will get 100 photos edited to my style. I know how important this achievement is for everyone, so I will always go through and do basic skin retouching (a pimple or two) to make everyone look their absolute best. This photos are split as evenly as possible between you, anyone else, and group photos.
EXPERT GRADUATION PLANNING
My experience with shooting graduation photos during peak graduation season (April-May) and off-season helps with knowing how long lines might be at certain locations, what time you should get to campus (this might be earlier than our start time due to the lines!), and how many locations we can feasibly shoot at based on the month. My Client Experience Guide will have all the information you'll need to prepare for your photoshoot (plus, I'll be able to help you with all the graduation attire and how those should be worn!).
The Important Questions
When is the best time to take photos?
MAY GRADUATES
Hands down March or early to mid-April if you're a May graduate. The end of April and May before graduation day gets hectic especially at UNC at popular spots like the Old Well, the Seal, and the Bell Tower and Duke at the Chapel and Chapel Drive (to put it into perspective, in 2023 the shortest wait I had from mid-April to beginning of May was 45 minutes long, and the longest was 2 hours. On average, the wait was 1-1.5 hours long). Also, it's nice to get pictures done earlier with plenty of time to get them before graduation.
If you're a UNC student who likes flowers, the flowers around the Old Well bloom mid-April, which makes the background extra beautiful.
Be aware that the closer you shoot to graduation weekend (2 weeks or less out), having people in the background is a risk you'll have to take. Sometimes this is avoidable with strategic body placement, but when it's really busy, it is not always possible to get every single person out of the background.
AUGUST GRADUATES
June and July are off-peak months, so you won't have to worry about long lines. The main thing you'll have to worry about is humidity and heat with North Carolina summers, so really it's based off your tolerance for both of those things.
DECEMBER GRADUATES
This depends on what you're looking for. September will be fairly warm but no fall foliage. October should be pretty mild in terms of weather (but sometimes it gets hot - it was 70-80 degrees when I did my photos in mid-October!). Early to mid-November should have fall foliage but may be chillier.
Does my cap/gown count as one outfit?
It does not! Since it's easy to take on/off, I do not count it as a separate outfit. I will take a variety of photos with just your outfit(s), full regalia, and parts of it (just hood or stole, just gown, etc).
I want my parents in some photos - does that mean I have to book a group session?
Nope! A group session is for multiple graduates where you're all wanting photos together and/or individuals for the majority of the session.
When will I receive my photos?
You will receive your gallery 3-4 weeks after your session.
What happens if there's bad weather or you need to cancel?
If there is a forecast of bad weather or the weather turns on us during the session, we can reschedule. Do not worry about the forecast if it's more than 3 days out because it can change quickly. I will work with you 1-2 days before your session date to figure out a new game plan if the forecast isn't looking great. I'm pretty flexible with this and will work with you for weather reschedules! If it's overcast/cloudy, we will still shoot.
If you need to cancel for any other reason, the retainer is non-refundable for any cancellations or in the event of a no-show. Please let me know as soon as possible.
If I am sick or some other emergency comes up, you can put your retainer towards a new session date, or you can have it refunded.
If I want to order prints, can I?
Yes, absolutely! You'll be able to order prints through my shop, which is linked to your gallery. I spent time testing different labs and have picked ones that match how I edited your photos.
It is worth investing in a quality, professional lab when you're already investing in me and my editing style. I also have suggestions for consumer labs if you'd rather print yourself (no CVS or Walgreens - the skin tones won't match what you see! They are not worth the cost savings).
How much skin retouching do you do?
All packages include basic retouching, which is removing temporary blemishes like a zit or two. I will not do body manipulation as that is not my style. Any particular requests are taken on a case-by-case basis and may incur an additional retouching fee.
Important Information
Busy Season
- Peak graduation time (April-May) means there are longer wait times to take photos at popular locations and lots of people around. While I do my best to avoid having people in the background, it is not always guaranteed. Please be mindful of my turnaround time (3-4 weeks) when booking with me if you're wanting your photos by a certain day.
- That being said, if you have the flexibility to do your session before mid-April or after graduation day, it will be less hectic on campus and we can spend more time actually taking photos than having to wait our turn!
Travel
- All packages include travel within 30 miles of RDU.
- If you are located more than 30 miles from RDU, then travel (transportation and sometimes accommodations depending on how far the travel is) will be added to the total. Since the costs will vary based on location, we will talk about this in more detail to create a custom package for you. Any additional mileage is charged at the IRS rate of 65.5 cents/mile.
- For any locations where I have travel session availability, travel fees are waived. These locations are listed on my travel schedule page.
Booking & Payment
- A 50% non-refundable retainer is due upon signing your contract to lock in your session day/time and goes towards your total balance. Until then, you are not officially booked. The remaining amount is due the day of your session after we finish.
- All invoices must be paid in full to receive your gallery.
- I accept Venmo, Zelle, credit card, check, and cash.