Experience - Laura Priestley Photography

three siblings in shades of blue sit on a little hill overlooking a lake, with softly blurred, sunlit foliage in the background

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the experience

a little girl in a fancy blue tulle dress and a floral headband twirls in front of an old stone gate

black and white extreme closeup senior portrait of a high school student with dark eyes and curly hair

working

with laura

the simple luxury

of a well-planned session.

A lot of planning goes into the perfect portraiture session-- and that planning can be a stressful and overwhelming process for the uninitiated!

Luckily for you, the decade of industry experience I have under my belt– combined with my detail-obsessed, planning-obsessed personality– means that you don't have to worry about any of that.

All you need to do is discuss with me what you want out of your session... and then kick back and relax, as I make the plans to make it happen.

Read more about the session experience in the FAQs below!

three young women sisters pose close together and smile for an outdoor portrait in a sunlit field with trees in the background

closeup portrait of a pretty young blonde in a sweater surrounded by Christmas trees at a tree farm in Fairmont, WV

candid portrait pf a young father holding his little toddler son, while the son reaches up to grab his beard and they smile at each other.

a little girl in a bright yellow dress smiles and holds a large sunflower, with golden and green trees and grass in the background

two siblings sit together looking over a pond, with brilliant orange and gold autumn foliage in the background and reflected in the pond

a lovely woman in a long navy sheath dress walks through a sunlit field of tall grass and laughs

vogue black and white portrait of a young woman on a park bench with the wind blowing her long wavy blonde hair

a young husband and wife and their baby boy pose together on a pier by a pond and smile for an autumn portrait, with fall leaves behind them

a pregnant woman in a long lace dress strikes a dramatic pose with her husband and three sons, on a large rock at Valley Falls, WV

a young boy with dark hair and glasses leans on an old wood railing and smiles into the camera for a portrait

a pretty red-headed young woman in jeans and a rust colored sweater poses with a hand in her pocket for a senior picture

a family of five poses solemnly on the ground with brilliant fall leaves behind them

a pretty little blonde girl in a fluffy frilly white lace dress and white stockings poses with one hand on her hip.

image of a five-star client review from Google, praising Laura Priestley Photography's services

FAQ

01. what is the session itself like?

Most people don't feel extremely comfortable in front of the camera– that is completely normal. (Even after a decade working in the photography industry, I'm still a little awkward having my picture taken, myself!) I understand this, so the first few minutes of the session, as I'm giving posing directions and shooting, we're really just getting you comfortable with the process, and with me– and I'm getting a feel for the poses and direction that are going to work the best for you as an individual (or individuals.)

I will guide you through every step of your session. Some shots will be very arranged: I will choose the exact spot for the image, and then I will instruct (or show) each person where and how to stand or sit. I will then back up and look everyone over– adjusting the poses, checking to make sure everyone's clothing is lying correctly, making sure no one is holding tension in their hands, etc. For other poses, I will give a prompt, such as walking toward me, or moving in a certain way, and then shoot on the fly for more organic images with movement.

Throughout the session, though, I am noticing what techniques are working the best for you, and adjusting accordingly. Every single client is unique– and I bend and adapt your session to accommodate you.

02. What is your approach to editing?

The care and attention your images receive does not stop when your session is over. The editing process is where the true magic happens, as I painstakingly sort and hand-edit each of your "keeper" images to be the best and loveliest version of what was happening in the moment.

No two sessions, families, or even moments are the same, so I do not use presets in my editing process. (Presets are purchased, pre-determined combinations of settings that are applied to images with a click of a button, in much the same way as Instagram filters are.)

Your images will be edited to bring out the full beauty of what was happening in the moment we were shooting, in a way that is artful, but true to life. Sessions shot in different circumstances will look different from one another-- your session will never be smashed into the mold of a narrow editing style.

True-to-the-moment editing means that, as trends in photography come and go, and photos edited according to fads look dated, your images will continue to look fresh. Truly excellent photography remains relevant and beautiful as the years pass-- and it's worth investing in!

03. how do we access our images after the session?

Two weeks after your session, it's Gallery Day!

You will receive an email link to your proofing gallery full of all the final, beautifully-edited images we created during our session together.

In the comfort of your own home, with your proofing gallery in front of you on your device, you may then choose exactly the digital image and/or print products you would like to purchase from your session, and order those directly from your proofing gallery.

I'm only an email, text or phone call away, and always happy to help with any step in the process as you choose and order your images!

04. so, how much will our session cost?

As a detail-oriented, slightly obsessive planner, I highly value pricing that is transparent, understandable, and easily accessible.

You don't need to initiate the booking process with me in order to access my pricing– it's right here on my site, so you can budget and plan before even getting in touch with me. (Just click the button below to be taken to my pricing page.)

That being said, I realize that quality portraiture can be a significant investment. I have structured my payments so that only the session fee is due at booking; but if a payment plan would make portraiture with me attainable for your family– please get in touch with me, so we can discuss options!

find pricing here