How much time do you need for professional portraits?


When planning a photoshoot, one hour might seem like plenty of time to capture a few great images. But in reality, it’s not always enough to create the kind of dynamic, meaningful, and memorable gallery most clients hope for. Then why do photographers so often price their shoots by the hour?


Here’s why one hour often falls short and how much time is actually needed to get the best results.

Couple walking toward plane holding hands.
Couple smiling and holding hands.
Detail shot of a couple with hands wrapped around each other.
Couple leaning against plane, looking at each other.
Couple looks at one another as one reaches for the door of the airplane.
Camera looking through passenger and driver window of the plane where a couple is kissing on the other side.

Getting Comfortable Takes Time


Breaking the Ice

The first 10-15 minutes are often spent warming up, especially if you’re camera-shy or new to professional photoshoots. Building trust with the photographer and easing into natural poses takes time.


Authenticity Matters

It’s hard to capture genuine expressions when clients feel rushed. Time allows for real moments to unfold naturally.

Maternity couple walks through the woods at Cataraqui Creek in Kingston, Ontario.

Changing Locations


Whether it's shifting a studio scene around, or waiting on pedestrians while changing backgrounds at the park, if you're hoping for multiple backdrops and variety, it takes a sneaky amount shuffling around.


Couple sits in tall, fall colored grasses. He touches her belly and kisses her on the cheek at Cataraqui Creek in Kingston, Ontario.

Perfecting Poses


I tend to prompt versus pose, but I will hold you in a position when it's striking.

Sometimes we need to perfect posture, adjust hands or hair, or rotate to compensate for that hard shadow. This takes multiple attempts and critiques for one set of shots.

Maternity subject detail shot. Close up of her holding her tummy at Cataraqui Creek in Kingston, Ontario.

Wardrobe and Styling


Outfit changes are another silent time killer. Including them adds variety and life to your images but even a quick change can take 5-10 minutes of productive shoot time away.

Touching up hair and makeup after a change, or adding/tweaking accessories compound this as well.

Detail shot of a wildflower bouquet in front of a pregnant belly in Kingston, Ontario, CA.

Individual Portraits + Details


Good storytelling includes details. You didn't put all this thought into the details for nothing.

We need to make time to style and document you as an individual, and the details of what makes this moment special.


Girl leads man down a beach at golden hour in Kingston, Ontario.
Water spray illuminates as it sprays in front of a couple who are rim lit in golden hour sunlight in Kingston, Ontario.
Detail shot of a couple's legs and feet standing on a rock on a limestone beach during golden hour in Kingston, Ontario.

Lighting Impact


Golden Hour Limitations

We always want to try to catch golden hour, but is very time sensitive lighting that needs to be thoroughly considered prior to the shoot because it is so fleeting, and there is not much time during blue hour afterwards either. Considering the previous points, setting up for golden light can take an hour or more, to ensure you're loosened up, comfortable and ready to shine.


Unpredictable Weather

Shifting clouds, wild wind gusts, and seasonal, hyper-speed sunsets means we will need flexibility and buffer time built in to accommodate and adapt to the conditions. Every wave isn't the perfect wave we need to spray and refract the sunlight.


Studio Lighting

Adjusting and experimenting with lighting takes many test shots before it's completely dialled in. Same with testing certain compositions. This is another secret time-suck that requires testing and patience.

Telling a Story


Narratives and Dynamic Galleries



A photoshoot should feel like an experience, capturing the essence of your relationship, personality, or brand. Storytelling takes time, whether it’s playful moments, quiet reflection, or adventurous scenes that may need to be replayed from different angles or at different speeds.


One-hour shoots often limit the variety of shots. With more time, you can add a real narrative to your gallery by exploring different moods, activities, and settings.


A lady swims on her back diagonally across dark lake water in Lake Ontario Park, Kingston, Ontario.

So, How Much Time Is Enough?


Short and Sweet (90 min)

For simple portraits or a single-location shoot, 90 minutes is a better minimum. This allows time to break the ice and get comfortable. It allows us to capture a variety of shots. Ninety minutes also offers a small window in the timeline for set up/take down in a studio, or adds buffer time to your on-location shoot for wardrobe changes and uncontrollable conditions.


Full Experience (2-4hr)

For multi-location shoots, outfit changes, or storytelling sessions, 2-4 hours ensures there’s enough time to relax, experiment, and create something special.

On-location

A Narrative or Novella session includes timeline creation and multiple "acts" that are woven into the experience, and ensure you have a visual narrative that candidly and genuinely captures your lived experiences.

Studio

If we're in studio, this window of time allows for innovation on set, lighting adjustments and rearranging of the sets in order to ensure a clean and dynamic portfolio.


Adventure Sessions (4hr+)

If your vision includes hiking, kayaking, or other activities, plan for half a day (4hr) or more to capture the journey and all its details. You won't feel rushed and will be able to immerse yourself in the activity enough to make it a memory in itself!



Paddle boarders head into the ocean in Chelton, PEI, Canada.
Couple sit on a paddleboard in the ocean and share a kiss in Chelton, PEI, Canada.
Paddle board lays on a red sand beach in Chelton, PEI, Canada.

Rules of Thumb


Consider these high-level estimates for timing our portrait session:

  • 15 minutes to warm up/ice-breaker
  • 30-45 minutes for each scene/concept
  • 10 minute buffer per wardrobe and styling changes
  • 10-15 minutes for location changes on site/ in-studio (pack up, relocate, reset or move furniture and adjust lighting)
  • 45+ minutes per "activity"
  • 15 minute take-down/next steps/goodbye


2-hour Narrative Portrait Sessions can comfortably cover 2-3 high-level concepts.


4-hour Novella Portrait Sessions (A-day-in-the-life) can deep-dive on 3-4 concepts and their details.


Couple shares ice cream outside of White Mountain Ice Cream parlour in downtown Kingston, Ontario, CA.
Couple walks along the boardwalk in the glowing, evening sun in downtown Kingston, Ontario, CA.
Full moon rises between a couple standing and holding hands in Kingston, Ontario, CA.

Formula for Timeline Creation


Portrait photography is time consuming, and a large investment.


This is why I place so much emphasis on planning and storyboarding your session.


Doing so allows me to ensure we meet your goals as efficiently as possible while allowing for some flexibility and improvisation for creativity.


We will:

  • Consider the concepts you want to cover and the goals for the photos.
  • Estimate the time requires for each goal/concept.
  • Timeline and storyboard your shoot.
  • Consult about wardrobe timing.
  • Build buffer time between each concept to accommodate location changes, unforeseen circumstances.

Couple sits on armour rock, enjoying the sunset in downtown Kingston, Ontario, CA.

How do I know what to Book?!


Well, I hope I was able to provide some clarity around the timing considerations that need to be made before your portrait session even begins.


If you are celebrating a very specific milestone, or have a very clear purpose to your photoshoot, a 2-hour Narrative Portrait or Branding Session may work best.


If you are focused more on adventurous and novel storytelling, or an extensive Branding Portrait Session with more than three concepts or looks, my 4-hour Novella Portrait or Branding Session would be your best bet. We will be able to cover a lot of ground for the most dynamic and creative gallery.


If you need help narrowing down which is right for you, definitely shoot me an email from my contact page! I'd be happy to schedule a call or send you a pricing guide so you can compare and contrast each option.

Based in Kingston, Ontario. Serving Ontario, Quebec and beyond.

Hi, my name is

Ali Pitcher.

Ali from Lumenali Photography. She's standing on a lake beach, surrounded by foggy mountains with her camera in hand. Happy as a pig in...

Lifestyle Portrait & Elopement Photographer

I collaboratively craft genuine, visual narratives for my clients that are full-of-life, play and bursting with colour.


Offering Photography for:

A-day-in-the-life Portraits

Elopements & Micro Weddings

Small Business & Personal Branding


Up for anything!

Where you go, I go.