Booking timeline

Individual portrait sittings in Atlanta usually book three to six weeks out. That window is comfortable for most clients — it leaves enough time to think through wardrobe, plan the half-day around it, and not feel rushed. For dates that are particularly busy (October-December, May for graduations) the window stretches to eight or ten weeks; for off-peak months (January-February, July-August) sometimes I can fit a sitting in within two weeks.

If you're booking a sitting around a specific date — a milestone, an anniversary, a self-imposed deadline — reach out earlier rather than later. The conversation about whether your date is bookable takes thirty seconds; trying to squeeze a sitting into a sold-out week takes longer.

Brand campaigns and multi-shoot projects need more lead time. The minimum I'd suggest is six to eight weeks from first conversation to shoot day, and twelve weeks is more comfortable. The reason isn't the photography — it's the planning. A campaign that goes from pitch to shoot in three weeks usually shows the seams in the final imagery: under-developed concept, rushed casting, locations chosen by availability rather than fit. Slow concept work makes faster shoots.

Travel work has its own logic. NYC and LA trips firm up six to ten weeks ahead because flight costs spike close to the date and trips get harder to cluster efficiently. Nashville is more flexible because it's a drive, often bookable within three to four weeks. Miami runs longer (ten to fourteen weeks) because the trips tend to be tied to brand campaigns rather than single sittings.

If you're already past my standard lead time, send a note anyway. Cancellations happen, schedules shift, and sometimes there's room for a sitting that wasn't there yesterday. The worst answer is no, and you'll get an honest one quickly.

Last thing: booking early doesn't mean paying earlier. The standard payment structure is a deposit at booking (small, refundable up to two weeks before the shoot) and the balance the week of. Holding a date doesn't tie up real money for months; it just secures the slot.