Steps To Planning A Professional Photography Session with
Liz by Design Photography

 

Before the shutter clicks during any professional photography session, there is quite a bit of detail and planning that must first be completed. There are a lot of factors to consider; in this article I’ll break those down into steps and explain why they’re so important. As an added bonus, the session I will use as an example is a very cool, specially requested, session that pays homage to the hit television series, “Peaky Blinders“.

This session all started with a client contacting Liz by Design Photography with a special request for the dad and young son to be photographed in the theme of the Peaky Blinders series, which is best described by IMDb as “a gangster family epic, set in the 1900’s England”. The steps taken to bring this unique session to life in the exemplary style that Liz by Design Photography offers are actually the same steps taken for all of our sessions.

These are the 7 main steps to consider for planning a professional photography session:

1: Type or Style of Session2: Posing
3: Props and Clothing
4: Location
5: Date and Time of Day
6: Equipment
7: Post Processing and Printing

Now that we have our list, let’s go through each step in detail and explain in why it’s so important.

1: Type or Style of Session
Liz by Design Photography specializes in the Family, Maternity, Newborn, Boudoir, Senior and Milestone photography. Whichever suits your needs, Liz will discuss with you in detail how that particular session typically works. If you have any special requests, now is the time to mention those so that Liz can do her best to accommodate and work with you to design your session.

2: Posing
Which each type of session, posing is uniquely different. Liz has been a professional photographer for more than 10 years, she’s well versed in posing. She knows what works, what doesn’t and is always researching to learn new techniques. Boudoir for example has very different posing styles than Engagement, which is very different from Family, which is different from Maternity, and so on. Posing will make all the difference in the world and with Liz, you’re in great hands. See for yourself by visiting the Gallery section of the website and view and

3: Props and Clothing
Liz by Design Photography has a large client closet of wardrobes for female clients to choose from if desired. These items range from S-XXL and include several hats, and other fashion accessories. Liz may ask you if you have particular clothing in mind for your session, let her know your thoughts and she can provide some direction if needed.

For example, she has firsthand experience with what patterns and colors work or do not work well with lighting or particular types of sessions. Regarding props, Liz has a large variety of scenic outdoor locations where she has express permission to shoot. She also has two fully furnished studios with beautiful decor such as a baby grand piano, a black clawfoot tub, a white clawfoot tub, multiple wall murals, multiple interchangeable backdrops, bedroom settings, an indoor swing and a magnificent 16 foot window.

There’s a large number of traditional, custom made and antique props to utilize as well. Just ask, there’s a good chance Liz has what you’re looking for, or has access to what you’re looking for.

4: Location
Location is obviously very important. Do you have a location in mind already? Would you prefer an outdoor or indoor shoot, or a mix of both? Liz by Design Photography has two studio locations. The primary Liz by Design studio is on the square in historic, downtown Powder Springs, Georgia.

The other location is the gotta-see-to-believe Studio 270 inside the historic, Austell Threadmill Complex in Austell, Georgia. As mentioned earlier, Liz has express permission to shoot on private properties across Cobb County. She also know all of the secret, scenic spots in the Cobb County public parks.

5: Date and Time of Day
As long as the requested date is available, Liz will schedule each client as they desire or provide options to find when works best. Next is time of day, this is very important as it directly involves sunlight. Both studios have large windows that allow for natural light to be used but they also have state of the art lighting systems to accommodate the shoots that require that type of lighting.

For example, with an indoor studio session, it is best to shoot close to noon when the sun is at it’s highest point and directly overhead. This allows for the maximum amount of natural light to pour into the studio. With an outdoor session, noon is not ideal. The best times to shoot outdoors is either sunrise or sunset.

6: Equipment
There are several pieces of equipment involved in a professional photography session but no worries, Liz has this part covered. After compiling a detailed feedback list of steps 1-5, Liz determines exactly what equipment is perfect for your specific session.

7: Post Processing and Printing
After the shoot, Liz uses the latest and greatest photo editing software and a computer with high resolution, Retina Display and a specifically calibrated screen, to process your images. Lastly, she collaborates with a professional print lab to produce museum quality, high definition images that are able to be cherished and passed down by you and your family for generations to come.

Peaky Blinders Photography Session
Marietta, Georgia

I’ve had the pleasure of shooting this wonderful family before. I was intrigued and excited for the unique experience when the husband reached out to inquire about a “Peaky Blinders” themed shoot for he and his son since his wife LOVES the show. The square in Marietta was used or the backdrop of these images below, it along with their vintage clothes, matched up well for a 1900’s England vibe. We used some show images from the internet as inspiration.

The dad chose a bottle of men’s small batch body wash in place of a whiskey bottle, with sweet tea in his glass and milk for his son. In place of a gun, we subbed in a stick, it worked perfectly.

The client ordered a Folio Mats Box with 15 museum quality, matted images, a 16×20 framed print and a custom, genuine leather, heirloom album with acrylic front. See the pictures and a link to the video of the client product reveal, it really shows the full prestige of a Liz by Design Photography experience.

Liz by Design is a first class service from start to finish. If you’d like to see for yourself, use the link below to view a video of the client product reveal for the famous “Peaky Blinders” photography session.
Peaky Blinders Photography Session Product Reveal Liz By Design

Best Atlanta Area Photographer – Planning A Professional Photography Session- Best Family Photographer – Best Marietta PhotographerPlanning A Professional Photography Session – Peaky Blinders Photography Session – Best Photographer Near Me