October for almost everyone means pumpkin spice everything, fall colors in full bloom, and Halloween costumes to plan and pick out. October for photographers means edits on edits on edits and way too many sessions to count on your fingers.
As we near the end of October and Photographer Appreciation Month (how on earth did that go by so fast?!), I have a favor to ask: Go hug your favorite photographer.
This job is an absolute labor of love. If you had a really fun session or still have your photographers as your phone screen saver, or better yet have hung them up in your home, please reach out and let your photographer know that. This is the perfect time of year to remind them of how grateful you are for them and how much you value their work.
That’s because it’s not only is it photographer appreciation month, but it’s also closing in on the end of, or hitting right in the middle of, what is likely the busiest season for your favorite image-maker.
Your wedding photographer is probably wrapping up the last of their 2019 weddings and is now sitting on a mountain of photos to edit over the next few months. Your portrait photographer is wrapping up a crazy season of 2020 seniors and needs a big cup of coffee (or wine) to finish out those sessions. Your family photographer is likely spending hours every week even now, shooting fall or holiday mini sessions and finishing up the shoots that will debut on your holiday cards this years.
And they’re all tired, but loving this work.
The best gift, the best hug, you can give those sleepy, happy photogs (other than a real one) is to tell them how much the long hours they are putting in mean to you. It can be as simple as a text or message online telling them how you’ve hung their photos or how much you love that one pictures that’s still your phone background all these months later. It can be the gift a positive review on their Facebook or Google Business page. It can be the gift of a referral to your friends, family members and neighbors to help support their business. If you’d had professional photos taken that have stuck with you, now is a great time to give these gifts to your photographer.
These are the things we as photographers live for. So, if you’ve had a photographer that you loved, reach out and let them know. That one little note might be the thing that gets them through another night of crazy edits tonight during this incredible busy season.
P.S. Shout out to all of you amazing creatures out there helping capture amazing memories for every single one of your clients. All those late night, long hours and blue-light headaches from staring at a screen too long to get those skin tones jjuusstttt right. All of the skipped meals and missed hours of sleep. All of the family events and dinners out with friends that you’re having to turn down because for shoots, editing and consultations. I see you. You are killing it and you are so much more appreciated than you know.
