Question for Portrait Photographers

[wildmaven]

How many portraits do you do in a day? Can you describe your usual workflow? As I get busier, I find myself wondering how you all are doing?

Marian

 

[bellacat]

would this be how many sessions in one day or how many portraits in a day as a whole?

 

[craig]

I am not a portrait photographer, but I shoot a lot of editorial portraits for the paper I work with. One day I did ten location portraits. It was kind of hurried. Generally 3-4 is my limit. Two per day is perfect. The workflow is get a good exposure. Have the client make a move and work from there. I shoot anywhere between 2 and 60 shots. Really depends on the subject and how comfortable I can get them.

Love & Bass

 

[photogoddess]

Usually 4 is my limit per day but occasionally I'll do 6 in a day. Any more than that and I'm too exhausted to do much the following day.

 

[petey]

One.

 

[wildmaven]

Yesterday and today I had 3 sessions each day. There was a day a couple of weeks ago where I had 6 and that was waaaaaaaaay too much for me! Then I go home and process. It takes me about 2 hours to process each session.

Marian

 

[bellacat]

Now I am curious, how is it you manage that many sessions in one day? Are these studio shots or outdoor?

 

[wildmaven]

Now I am curious, how is it you manage that many sessions in one day? Are these studio shots or outdoor?

Studio shots, mostly, but sometimes we'll go out back where there is a really nice forested area (if it's not raining, which it usually is here in Washington...)

Marian

 

[photogoddess]

Studio sessions - each have 2 hours and I book them back to back with a short break for lunch.

Location sessions - 1 1/2 hour each booked back to back with a short break for lunch.

For these marathon sessions I have an assistant there to help keep people and things flowing and to watch gear when on location.

 

[dpolston]

okay... this has been awhile since I did "full time" session work. But we usually booked 4 per day, sometimes 5. We shot medium format Maymia's and generally produced 48 proofs.

These were usually 1 1/2 to 2 hour sessions. We catered to womens' portraiture exclusively so there were outfit changes during that time.