Tips how to prepare
1. Book your photographer early: Both for Holy Communion as well for Confirmation photos a lot of photographers get booked during that time of the year and you might find yourself without the photographer of your choice as he/she is already booked. So book your photographer as early as possible.
2. Date and Time: Once you book your photographer the next thing to do is to confirm the time of the shoot. The parish priest will tell you at what time you have to arrive at church. There have been some cases when the client would know the date when the celebration will be held but would still be unsure about the time. In these cases make sure that you inform your photographer with the necessary details once you have them. In church there is usually a photographer who is appointed by the parish priest. This photographer takes photos during mass. Your outdoor photo session is generally done right after mass. However in some cases I also did take photos of these events before mass. This will depend on the client's wishes as well as on the amount of available time before or after mass.
3. Venue for the shoot: The venue will depend on a variety of factors such as your available time for shoot. Some clients often have a meal booked right after the shoot. These clients sometimes opt to have their photo shoot close to their restaurant. Also the choice of the venue depends on the time of day. Some places are not suitable for shoots especially during the midday sun. My suggestion is that you listen to your photographer's advice regarding the location of the shoot.
4. A week before the event: Together with your photographer go through all details of the shoot. Inform him on any changes. Also discuss with the photographer of any specific photos that you would like to take during the photo shoot.
5. The day before the shoot: Usually I message the client the day before to make sure that everything is still as planned. Parents and guardians should also make sure that they have everything ready for the day including any props. The following are some ideas for props for the photo shoot: any special cards that have been given for the occasion, rosary beads, flowers, and balloons filled with helium (If the client decides to bring balloons they should never be released in the air as balloon release harms the environment).
6. The day of the shoot: A Holy Communion/Confirmation shoot generally takes around 60 to 75 minutes. In case of bad weather keep in touch with your photographer so that you can decide on what to do.
7. During the shoot: During the shoot let the photographer guide you and do not hesitate to give your own ideas. Some families bring different family members with them, such as grandparents and other relatives. Hence during the shoot the photographer will take a variety of different shots such as portrait photos of the child, photos of the child with parents/guardians and other family photos, including any guests.
8. After the shoot: Following the shoot every photographer has his/her own way how to provide their photos to their clients. In my case I usually send a link to my client so that the client will be able to choose their photos. After the selection of photos has been made I will then provide the client with edited photos both on cd as well as printed copies of the selected photos. The amount of photos chosen will vary according to the package that the client has selected.
9. Finally: What really matters is that all family members enjoy the shoot and that this memorable day is captured with great photos.
