What Actually Happens at an AGP Senior Session

Most people assume booking a senior photographer works like this: pick a package, show up, get your photos, receive a link. And if that is what you are looking for, there are plenty of photographers who work that way.

What happens at an AGP session is different, and the difference starts before we ever pick up a camera.

The Phone Call

Everything begins with a conversation. Before any payment is made or any date is set, I want to talk with you. I want to know who your senior is, what they care about, and what you are hoping to walk away with. This is also where we figure out which package makes sense for your family. Most families end up in the Signature Experience, because it includes everything that makes this process feel complete rather than rushed.

The Questionnaire

Once you book, your senior gets a questionnaire. It sounds simple but it is one of the most important parts of the whole process. I ask them about their interests, their style, what they love, what makes them feel most like themselves. The answers shape everything that comes after.

One of my seniors mentioned in his questionnaire that he loved motorcycles. When he came in for his consultation, we started exploring that and it turned into something none of us expected. His mom ended up securing three luxury cars for the session — a McLaren, a Porsche, and a Ford GT. He walked into that consultation with his AirPods in, sunk into the couch, there because his mom insisted. He left sitting up straight, smiling, already excited about what we were planning. That shift happened because we took the time to figure out what would actually matter to him.

The Consultation

The consultation is where the magic happens, and it is the reason I encourage every family to book at least the Signature Experience. This is where your senior brings outfits, we talk through locations, we look at product options, and we build a plan together. I have had seniors come in rating their excitement at a zero and leave at a six. I have had a girl show up with one skirt and the firm belief that one outfit was enough, and leave genuinely looking forward to her session after we talked through what the experience could look like for her. She told me after her shoot that her excitement went from a two at booking to a six at the consultation and a nine or ten by the time we were done.

That is what the consultation is designed to do. It is not a formality. It is the appointment where your senior goes from tolerating this to actually wanting it.

The Session

Sessions typically run about two and a half hours. We move through outfits and locations with intention, and I show your senior images on the back of the camera as we go so they can see themselves the way I see them. That moment — when a teenager looks at a photo of themselves and genuinely likes what they see — is one of my favorite parts of this work.

The Ordering Appointment

About a week after the session, everyone who will be making decisions comes in together. You will see a custom slideshow of your best images for the first time. You will choose your favorites, select any wall portraits, and design your album cover if that is part of your package. I always encourage families to make their final decisions at this appointment rather than planning to come back, because in my experience the follow-through rarely happens and I want you to leave with everything you actually want.

After full payment is received, your digital gallery goes out — usually that evening or the next day. Printed products arrive within three to five weeks.

What This Is Really About

The process I just described is not complicated, but it is intentional. Every step exists because I have learned what actually makes families feel good about this experience long after senior year is over. The consultation builds excitement. The session captures who your senior actually is right now. The ordering appointment makes sure you leave with images you will still love in twenty years.

If you are ready to start the conversation, or want to learn more, click the button below. I can’t wait to connect with you!