What to Expect From a Session With Austin Portrait Photographer Ed Verosky
Looking over the current iteration of my portfolio, I get how someone seeing it might imagine what the vibe or atmosphere might be like behind the scenes. I thought I’d offer a little inside look at how a session works.
Where we shoot. I’m comfortable shooting pretty much anywhere. Sometimes that means my own space, which is usually just my home. Other times it’s a public location with interesting light or an interesting environment or background we can work with. Our session might take place at a local farm, or your own home if that makes more sense for what we’re going for. There’s no one location I default to. Where we shoot is going to be based on what the portrait needs, not what’s convenient for me.
How long it takes. I’ve had sessions run three or four hours, and I know some photographers still do that routinely. But over the years I’ve found that around 90 minutes is the real sweet spot, and honestly, most sessions can be totally successful in about an hour. That’s true even when we’re working through a few different looks. Outfit changes can really eat up time, so I encourage my clients not to try to cram too much in as far as that goes. I mean, photoshoots are fun, but I think a focused hour usually beats three hours of diminishing returns.
What to wear. We’ll talk about this ahead of time. But my advice is usually more about what to avoid than what to wear specifically. Big, busy patterns tend to compete with the portrait rather than support it. And if it’s a small group (think family of four) or a couple, I’ll usually suggest we avoid one person standing out in a bright color while everyone else is in neutrals. Beyond that, it really depends on the look we’re going for, and that’s part of what we’ll figure out together before the session.
After the shoot. Once we’re done with our session, I’ll prepare the previews and send you a link to a private proof gallery where you can look through everything and pick your favorites. I take your picks into editing and finish them out properly. A standard session currently includes three finished, high-resolution digital images, and you’re welcome to purchase more if there are others you love. From the ordering gallery, you can download your files, share them, or order prints directly off the platform.
One thing I like people to know. Yes, my some of portraits can look pretty dramatic or heavily stylized, and people occasionally assume that means a big production, a lot of gear, a proper studio. But that’s usually not the case. I prefer working in real-life spaces with minimal gear, and honestly, the vibe during a session is friendly and easy-going. Low pressure is kind of the whole point. The images might look dramatic. The experience of making them should just be fun.
If you’ve been curious about what a session with me would actually involve, hopefully this clears some of that up. If you’ve got questions specific to what you have in mind, check out my booking page.
