Inside My Process: How I Plan a Portrait Session in Atlanta

Every great portrait begins long before the camera comes out. It starts with a plan — one that captures who you are and translates it into an image that feels authentic. And in a city as visually rich and diverse as Atlanta, planning becomes even more important. Between sleek Midtown studios, vibrant murals along the BeltLine, and moody industrial textures in the West End, Atlanta offers countless ways to tell your story. My goal is to help you choose the right one.

When someone books a session with me, I don’t just show up and start shooting. I spend time learning who you are, what message you want to share, and how you want to feel in your images. Some clients come to me knowing exactly what they want — a professional brand portrait or a conceptual series that tells a deeper story. Others only know they want something that feels “very Atlanta,” whether that means polished and urban or raw and creative. My planning process is built to guide you from that first idea to a fully realized vision.

Atlanta’s creative landscape shapes every session. For some shoots, that might mean building a set in my studio near Grant Park, where I can control every light and backdrop. For others, it’s scouting locations with natural light and character — like Piedmont Park for soft greenery, or Krog Street for bold, colorful energy. The city’s mix of art, architecture, and atmosphere lets me design sessions that look and feel completely unique to you.

There’s also the practical side of planning a photo session in Atlanta. Traffic, parking, and unpredictable weather can all influence timing and logistics. I build extra buffer time into every session so no one feels rushed if we’re moving between locations or waiting out an afternoon thunderstorm. Whether we’re working in the heat of July or chasing golden light in November, preparation ensures the day stays fun and relaxed — not frantic.

Every decision we make — location, wardrobe, lighting, styling, and even the time of day — ties back to the story you want to tell. Are you a creative professional wanting clean, confident images for your brand? Or maybe you’re after something more dramatic and expressive that captures an alter ego or emotion. Atlanta gives us the playground to explore both, and my job is to choreograph it all so you can simply show up and enjoy the process.

Ultimately, planning a portrait session in Atlanta is about collaboration. I bring the technical and creative framework; you bring the personality, energy, and vision. Together, we build a shoot that feels seamless, intentional, and undeniably you — a portrait experience that celebrates who you are, right here in the heart of Atlanta.

Why Planning Matters in Atlanta

Atlanta isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing character in your portraits. This city offers an incredible range of visual possibilities, from towering glass buildings and colorful murals to quiet tree-lined parks and moody warehouses. That diversity is exactly what makes planning so essential here. Every neighborhood has its own rhythm and personality, and part of my job as an Atlanta portrait photographer is matching your story to the space that feels right for it.

Planning becomes the difference between “pretty pictures” and portraits that actually say something. Maybe your story feels at home in the creative grit of the West End, or maybe it shines best in the clean, modern light of my Atlanta studio near Ponce City Market. Knowing that before shoot day helps us lock in the right location, time of day, and lighting setup so your images feel intentional rather than improvised.

Then there’s the logistics. If you’ve spent even ten minutes driving across the city at rush hour, you know Atlanta’s traffic is a creative force all its own. Add in parking limitations, the occasional pop-up festival, and the summer weather’s flair for dramatic rainstorms, and you start to see why pre-session planning is so valuable. A little strategy keeps the experience calm, enjoyable, and free of the “we’re losing light” stress.

Planning also ensures you feel comfortable and prepared. From coordinating wardrobe changes to reviewing mood boards and lighting setups, I make sure everything is in place before we pick up a camera. That structure gives you freedom—the space to relax, laugh, and connect with the story we’re telling. Because when you’re at ease, your photos come alive.

In short, Atlanta rewards those who plan ahead. The city’s energy, architecture, and creative pulse are unmatched, but to harness all that potential, you need intention. My process exists to balance that wild, artistic spirit with organization and care, so your Atlanta photo session feels effortless and ends with portraits that truly capture who you are.

Planning Starts at the Inquiry Consultation

When you first inquire with me, I’ll set up a meeting to better understand your needs and discuss how to prepare for your portrait photoshoot. This consultation is my first opportunity to take notes about several key factors:

What’s The Goal of Your Atlanta Photo Session?

Do you need headshots for LinkedIn? Are these portraits for a special occasion like high school graduation? Sometimes the answer is typically as simple as “I want to take some creative portraits.” This initial question helps me craft the rest of my queries for what information I need to help plan your portrait session.

Why a Portrait Session Now?

It’s pretty straightforward — why do you want pictures? Knowing the intent of the images helps get my wheels turning in terms of the tone of the photos. Many clients have come in wanting portraits to celebrate a milestone birthday or a big event.

Others simply wanted to feel like a badass. Understanding the “why” helps me craft the visual story that will be your session.

How Do You Want to Look?

Sometimes we have a hard time saying, ‘I want to be elegant,” but it’s easier to admit, “I want to look elegant.” I ask this question because it helps me think of potential wardrobe and location options. It also helps me think about the posing, lighting, and framing of your images.

These factors affect not just how any viewer, but precisely how you see yourself in your images — something you should consider when planning a portrait session.

For example, if you want to look like a rockstar, then I want to find a stage, get some funky colored lighting, and maybe a leather jacket for your session.

How To Decide On A Portrait Theme: What Kind Of Images Do You Want To Capture?

One of the most powerful lessons I ever learned is that two people can be saying the same thing but have entirely different ideas. For example, if I ask you to think of the color red, which shade comes to mind? Cherry Red? Fire Engine Red? Crimson Red? 

All of these are true but slightly different. Because of this, I always ask my clients to send me some inspirational images for the consultation, so I know exactly what they want to capture — it’s an important step in choosing image styles for your portrait session!

These sample images allow me to immediately say, “Yup, I can do that,” or let you know, “I can take pictures like this, but it’s not my normal style, and so I cannot guarantee that we’ll get images just like these.” 

Either way, I use these sample images to figure out what will be involved to make these images happen in terms of locations, lighting, wardrobe, and more so I can relay them to you when planning your portrait session.

What Do You Want To Take Home?

I like knowing what products my portrait clients want to take home to optimally compose and frame the pictures for my clients’ desired printing and presentation options.

For example, I know that I need to leave extra space around the edges of the frame for canvas prints because canvas prints wrap 1.5” of the photo around each side, effectively cropping the image.

My goal is for everyone to have stunning, luxurious printed pieces adorning their homes. Each print medium has unique quirks, so I want to capture your images to match those pieces.

Next Planning Steps

After these questions are answered, we’ll have a pretty good idea of whether or not we’re a good fit to work together. At this point, I’ll walk through the rest of my process: contract & deposit, a planning meeting, the session itself, image selection and ordering, editing, and product delivery.

If all of that checks out, we’re good to move forward and start working together! Since this is a blog post about planning, hopefully, you caught the 3rd item on that list — it’s another planning session!

A Dedicated Meeting to Plan

This meeting is where we get into the details of your portrait session! This planning meeting happens a few days after the contract is signed and the deposit is made.

Recap The Notes

I always like to start my planning meetings by going over my notes from our inquiry consultation meeting. This recap checks that you and I are still on the same page and have the same expectations for the shoot.

It also serves as a refresher for what we previously talked about before digging into planning details. At this point, I know a lot about the images you want to capture. From here, it’s making decisions for the session.

How To Choose The Best Atlanta Location For A Portrait Session

Depending on the images and the inputs provided, I’ll recommend shooting in a studio or on location.

I typically suggest a studio or shooting on-site based on the desired lighting for your images vs. how important a contextual background is for the photos. Once we agree on a studio or a location, I’ll make further suggestions for options within each.

For example, let’s say that photographing on location is the best option, and you also want multiple backgrounds with minimal travel between spots. I would suggest Avalon in Alpharetta, or for Atlanta, maybe Westside Provisions or Ponce City Market. They all have many textured background options and are easy to walk around.

Lastly, I’ll talk about parking! Especially in Atlanta, having instructions for how and where to park is crucial. It helps reduce any potential stress caused by your GPS saying, “You have arrived at your destination,” but the forest in front of you doesn’t look like the parking lot you were expecting.

Again, my goal is to minimize hassles and stress before your session — and parking is a vital part of that experience.

Selecting Outfits for Portrait Sessions in Atlanta

We manage to dress ourselves every day, but when it’s for a photoshoot, we lose all sense of sanity and coordination. So, based on the goal of the session and the types of images desired, I’ll ask if you have clothing options that match your vision. If you don’t already own pieces that work, I’ll recommend reaching out to friends, buying items for the session and then returning them afterwards, or doing something like Rent The Runway. 

Or if you’re my friend Kevin, just take a piece of fabric and some clamps and presto — dress. It’s magical.

Once we’ve figured out the look, I’ll also recommend colors, patterns, trim/cut, and layering. And if shooting on location, we’ll figure out where and how to change clothes so you avoid flashing the world and the elements.

Do You Need a HMUA?

HMUA stands for Hair and Make-Up Artist. My male clients typically pass on this option, but I highly recommend it for my female clients. Not only do you get pampered for an hour or two, but I have the HMUA hang out for the session and serve as an extra set of eyes to look for stray hairs and bunched-up clothing.

Selfishly, I love working with HMUAs because my client’s skin and hair look exceptional, making editing easier. It’s a win for everyone. We can talk about how the make-up and hair should look to best fit the types of images you want to capture. Each element of clothing, hair, make-up, lighting, and location that aligns with the ultimate goal of the shoot makes the final images that much better.

Choose a Date for Your Atlanta Photo Session

Picking a date is the easy part! Once we know the details, we can determine when to take your images. I always double-check local events to ensure parking won’t be a nightmare or traffic at a standstill. The number of times I’ve gone to Piedmont Park, and there was a festival…

Additionally, I always talk about backup plans. Whether that be alternate places to park, what to do if it rains, or if there’s construction that prohibits shooting in that area — it’s good to know the alternate options so we can adjust or reschedule easily.

Review & Plan The Deliverables

In the inquiry consultation, I always ask what my clients are hoping to take home. In the planning meeting, I like to review the deliverables and how you want to use them. Are you looking for wall art in the office, living room, or bedroom? Do you want a folio box that will go on a bookshelf?

Knowing what size and scale the images will be and how they will be presented helps me determine how to frame the images we capture. This ensures the best selection of images and allows us to develop a high-level shot list so we don’t miss anything!

Next Steps

Once we know what we’re doing, I’ll recap what we decided in the planning meeting to check that we’re on the same page. 

After that, I’ll talk through the following steps. First, I’ll send over a handful of emails and articles with tips and tricks for preparing for the photo session between the planning meeting and the actual session. I’ll also send the parking instructions and confirm we’re set a few days before the session date. 

Lastly, I’ll talk about what happens after the shoot regarding expectations and timing for global edits, the reveal session, detailed edits, product delivery, the close-out contract, and the feedback survey.

And that’s it! That’s how I plan a portrait session! I swear it goes by a lot faster when done over two Zoom sessions, and trust me, it’s worth it. With all of these minor details settled, all that’s left is to show up and get some stunning portraits taken. Ready for yours? Get in touch!