Birthdays come along once a year. I personally love celebrating birthdays and I am a big proponent of celebrating your birthday in whatever way you deem fit.
There are many ways to celebrate the onset of a new year but my biased view is that a photo session is one of the best those ways. A birthday photo session allows you capture and celebrate growth, learnings and maybe even a few scars of the past year. A professional photo shoot at your birthday can be a great way to reconnect with yourself and do something that actually makes you feel special. It gives you a much-needed break from daily routine and affords you some much needed “me time.”
Celebrating birthdays is not new. Almost everyone has celebrated a birthday in some way over the course of their lives. Parents especially are familiar with the whole concept of birthday celebrations. They spend lots of money and time on cakes, gifts, food, decorations, and entertainment to make their kids and party guests feel great.
But rarely do people think about celebrating themselves with a photo session. With a birthday photo session, you get to have something for just you. I am all for parties and celebrations but I think it is equally important to spoil yourself on your birthday and do something special for you that will last for always.
Here are some tips to prepare for your next birthday photoshoot:
1. Choose a theme: Themes can range from being casual to serious. I have even had some clients book a branding session to celebrate their birthday thereby killing two birds with one stone. Themes can also be as simple as choosing a color. a theme can be tied to a location. For example, a fairy theme can be done in a nice park with loads of trees. A fancy dress theme can be shot at a fancy hotel or venue. Some beautiful venues in Charlotte for birthday photo sessions are the Ballantyne Hotel and the Mint Museum.
2. Pick an outfit that fits the theme: Depending on your theme, it is important to pick an outfit that delivers on the idea you are looking to create. My top tip for picking an outfit is to choose something that is comfortable and fits not just the theme but your personality.
3. Book a photographer on time: Don’t wait till a few days before your birthday to book a session. Most good photographers are usually booked months and weeks before so be sure to reach out a couple of weeks or even a month or so before to set a photo shoot date. Some photographers also have an editing timelines so ensure you book early so you can get those photos in time for your special day.
4. Share your ideas with your photographer: Once booked, be sure to share your photoshoot ideas with your photographer so they can work with you to create and deliver the session of your dreams.
5. Day of prep- Makeup, hair, nails etc for the ladies. Shave, grooming etc for the gents. All of these are important to creating those gorgeous images you will treasure forever.
5. Get excited for your photo session! Yes we are going to need you to bring all the energy and excitement. As your photographer, I am also your personal hypeman and motivational speaker for the duration of our session but I am going to need some excitement from your end as well to make some magic.
Whatever new age you might be celebrating, milestone or not, I hope you celebrate with a photo session.It is not just a great gift to you, it is a great gift to your loved ones and those you will some day leave behind.
If you are looking to book a photo session to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or even just because, send me a message by ‘contacting us’ and let’s talk about celebrating you.