I know you are all probably thinking adventure sessions? What the heck is that? Well, that is what I am going to break down for you in this blog. We are going to cover all the things about what it is and what it isn’t and why you should want to jump on the opportunity to have one done for yourself. I know these sessions are typically pretty new but by the end of this blog, you should know everything you need to know about them..
Let’s start with the basics. What is an adventure? Webster's dictionary defines it as an adventure: an exciting or remarkable experience. Let’s break that down a little more… excite: to rouse emotional response, remarkable: worthy of being or unlikely to be noticed especially as being uncommon or extraordinary.
“An exciting experience that arouses an emotional response that is worthy of being noticed as extraordinary.”
That seems like a good place to land, do you agree? So now that we know what an adventure is let’s apply that to a photo-session. First, we need to know what is the definition of a photo-session. Basically, a session or series of time in which you take photos of clients. That seems simple enough, right?
Now let’s put the two together so that it will make more sense.
"A series of time in which an exciting experience that will arouse an emotional response is planned and photos will be taken of the note-worthy, extraordinary experience for you to remember forever."
Adventure photography is simply the act of photographing adventures, typically in the outdoors. It's a niche defined by stunning landscapes, dynamic personalities, and challenging, ever-changing shooting conditions. Now we have defined what an adventure session is let’s get into the actual details involved with planning, and having an adventure session.
Before we start I just want to reiterate that an adventure session doesn’t have to be a 10-mile hike through the woods to this secluded waterfall. If that is not your personality then we will plan for something else. We could spend a day visiting local breweries or even a day at your favorite winery. This can look like any kind of adventure you could imagine. That is the beauty of it, how you can completely cater to your own personal brand. We already know you are one of a kind now let me help you portray that.
Planning Adventure Sessions
There are a lot of things that go into the planning of an adventure session. I spend hours doing location scouting to find new and exciting spots for us to shoot at. Don’t get me wrong I really love exploring and going on adventures myself, but it is still hard work. I have a very extensive location list where I can find something for everyone no matter what your preferences are.
What goes into planning a session like this? It really is so much more than just picking a location and showing up. I go over the outfits and help you choose flattering choices that look blended together. I go over props and any other kind of item that we will use during the session and how we will use it. I come up with an itinerary that goes over all the details planned for the day and even come up with a shot list of ideas for each area.
Now I don’t want you to think that I will be like a drill sergeant and follow these steps down to the second I love spontaneity which we will incorporate as much as we can. Having a plan to fall back on will just give us the peace of mind to be creative with the rest. This gives us the opportunity to just have a great time instead of worrying about the details. This will really be such a grand experience for you.
“It’s going to be the best date ever with your new third wheel.”
I want to give you some examples of what an adventure session could look like so that your brain is open to all kinds of different ideas. Hope you are as excited as I am.
Date Night (Adventure Session)
Let me start with a nature example for good measure. Say that you want to go on a nature hike to a waterfall for example I would pick a few locations matching that criteria and share it with you both, links, pictures all the things. Unless you already have a location in mind then obviously we will choose that one. Once we decide on the location, date, and best time frame then comes the fun part. We go over the outfits until we find the best option that will look great and be comfortable enough to hike in. We will go over the props we will take and if we will use any. Things to consider would be how to carry them for a long hike. I will help prepare you for the hike itself with how much water to bring for the hike and anything else you may need. I do have a kit I bring with basic necessities like a first aid kit, bug spray, sunblock, and other things that may come in handy. I will research the area and come up with a shot list filled with prompts and poses we will use along the way. Then all we have to do is show up and capture the most epic pictures you could even imagine.
Now let us go over what an in-town adventure session could look like. Let’s say that you are the type of person who likes to go to a local brewery, sit back and relax and maybe listen to some live music. Then we would start by going over your favorite watering holes and checking out what events they may have going on in the coming weeks. We could even choose more than one or just one, whatever works best. We will plan the session according to the events to have the best option available. Then we will go over the outfit options and pick the one that works best for this event combining cute and comfortable. I will make an itinerary and make sure that we schedule the session to utilize our time the best way possible. I will come up with a shot idea list so once again we have a plan to fall back on if for whatever reason spontaneity isn’t in the air that night.
There are so many different options available, the possibilities are truly endless. I cannot wait to really dive into these as they become more and more popular and see all the fun things you come up with. It’s so very exciting to me.
Pricing + Packages
Before I leave you to end this blog I do want to talk for a minute about the pricing and why these sessions tend to be a little bit pricier than usual sessions. These packages start at $350 when a regular couple session, for instance, starts at $250. Let me talk about where that $100 difference comes into play. A couple session doesn’t come with as much planning advice. Don’t get me wrong I am not going to leave you high and dry on any advice but the adventure sessions do come with a more thorough plan, details and advice offered. The sessions last longer and usually involve more work from hiking to maneuvering around people for the best shots. Couple sessions usually only involve one location at a semi-popular place and there is no location scouting that needs to be done. Also, with an adventure session, I would cover the park fees, permits, etc. Whereas on a couple session you would be responsible for all that. I will cover the cost of traveling up to a certain point for an adventure session meaning I won’t charge you for the travel fees. Plus you get a lot more photos which means a lot more editing time as well. An adventure session really is more catered to you and who you are. I mean you can get great photographs from either type of session but an adventure session will be more unique, more you, more special. I think every couple deserves some superstar treatment.