I know everyone intends to write a session recap. You already have the photos; you were literally there. You KNOW what happened. And yet, as the weeks turn into months, it just doesn’t make it to the top of your to do list. Then it feels like you have already missed the window. This doesn’t have to be a chore! AND the ROI is really good. So, let’s talk about how to write a session recap for photographers.
Use Voice Memos
First tip- create a voice memo on your way home from the event. Everything is still fresh in your mind. With technology today, you should be able to say, “Hey Siri, write this shit down.” And then start talking!
Start out with the general info to write a session recap – who, what, when, and where. Getting back to your third grade roots here. “This is Claire and Travis’ wedding on September 20th at Pismo Beach Shore Cliff Hotel.” Great! Now when you go through your voice memos you know immediately who you are talking about and you’re not playing Nancy Drew on yourself trying to figure it out.
Gather Info, Build Relationships
Next, add whatever other facts you have! Who are the other vendors involved? For most wedding photographers, unless you have a preestablished relationship with some of the vendors who happen to be there, it is easy for your weddings to bleed together and not remember which florist was where.
Add to your voice memo: florist, caterer, reception space, DJ, wedding planner, rentals, bartender, officiant! If you don’t know some of these, make a note to ask the wedding couple, they won’t mind.
Why This Matters
In addition to making the story more visual, it’s also important to have this information to be able to tag them in your social media photos (and cross your fingers for a reshare!). By having more credible sources linked, it also helps with optimizing your blog. As you know, the wedding photography business is actually pretty small, so the stronger relationships you can build, the bigger the referrals you can get! Just another reason why you need to write a session recap.
Now back to the wedding itself. People love a good story! Also, the wedding couple enjoys sending their wedding recap to their friends and family. Which means more visits to your website! Also, potential couples are more likely to choose a photographer that they already “know.” True story – I found my wedding photographer from a coworker and then I referred my photographer post wedding to ten other couples who were on the hunt.
On the fence about blogging in general? Check out How Blogging Attracts New Clients
Include Details When You Write a Session Recap
Details, details, and more details. We can all agree that detail photos are not the ones that couples think to ask for. However, the details are what the couples want to look back on to remember the day. A day is more than just the couple, it’s the whole experience. It’s the months (possibly years!) of planning.
The caprese appetizers the couple didn’t want to miss, the place cards drawn up by a great aunt, the thousand yellow daisies lining the aisle way and in the flower girl’s hair, the personal vows written in adorable books off Etsy. The details that matter in your detail photos are also the ones that matter in your blog.
See! You have already started your session recap and you didn’t even know it.
Session Example
Wedding Excerpt: Kaycee and Manny became husband and wife at Vine Hill House Vineyard wedding. Committing themselves to each other on a warm day, surrounded by friends and family. I spent the morning with each of them getting ready. Kaycee had her closest people with her, starting the day with rosé and matching bathrobes. They giggled and shared stories, absorbing the sweetness of the day. At this venue, the wedding party has access to the guest house for the day which guarantees a smooth getting ready session.
Couple? Check. Location? Check. Storytelling? Check! Another helpful hack is to go off of the couple’s questionnaire when they booked with you. Adding in tidbits of their love story will add another dimension to your tale.
Read this couples full SEO recap.
Choosing (and optimizing!) Photos for Your Session Recap
As a wedding photographer, what photos you choose to include in your blogs is important. Couples want to see your previous work to determine if your style matches their desires. What photos do YOU want to represent your brand? Is it the couple at the end of the night on the dance floor with heart shaped glasses and glow sticks? Is it a dramatic shot of a couple standing out on the edge of a cliff with the infinite ocean behind them? Is it a photo of the intimate moment where a mom is buttoning up a bride’s dress? This is your opportunity to showcase what you want to photograph more of and attract your ideal couple.
When you add photos, you’ll always want to optimize them. Use the alt text, save them with intentional names not Photo62039. How you upload photos into your website gallery is crucial. When you are ready to do your End of Year recap, you’ll want to quickly be able to find photos. Searching Pismo Beach wedding on the backend will do you no good if your photo is actually called Photo62039. Organization cannot be understated.
Don’t Forget the CTA
In your wedding recap, you’ll want to add a call to action. Make it easy for people who end up on that page to quickly reach out to you! If people can’t find what they are looking for quickly, most won’t continue to search. Make it easy for them.
Lastly, share your masterpiece! Let your couples know it’s on the blog. Put the link on your social media story. Send it out to the vendors (aren’t you so glad you wrote down who they were). A big win is also when you can get the venue to reshare or at the very least, add you to their preferred vendors list. While you can photograph anywhere, it is definitely a perk for the couple when they know you are familiar with the space.
Now, go forth and write your heart out! If you read all this and you’re still not sure writing is for you, that’s okay. Writing and photography are very different creatives. Some people enjoy doing both, if you don’t, contact me.
Or you do enjoy writing, but it’s just never going to get to the top of your priority list, that’s just fine too. Let’s work together and get you through the backlog and then you can take it over from there.
I am here for all your copy writing needs and for your just for now needs.
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