Why Hiring an Inclusive and LGBTQ+ Friendly Senior Photographer Matters
LGBTQ+ Friendly Senior Photography
If you identify with the LGBTQ+ community, you may want to do a bit of research before hiring your next photographer. Why does hiring an inclusive and LGBTQ+ friendly senior photographer matter? Because, as a client, you will know that you’ll be accepted and celebrated before ever stepping foot into their studio. And when it’s time for your session, you’ll rest assured knowing that you will be greeted with your preferred pronouns and with an open heart.
We’ve all heard of the “exclusive” senior sessions. But photographers who make “inclusive” senior sessions part of their business model and marketing aren’t as widely seen. I’d like to change that, starting with my business.
Celebration In Senior Photos
Senior portraits are a milestone for everyone. For some, having senior portraits taken might be the first time they’ve ever been in front of a professional camera. For others, it might be their opportunity to show the world who they are as a young adult. Specifically for the senior who sees gender as fluid or maybe hasn't seen someone like them in typical Senior Sunday scrolling, these portraits will become milestone portraits celebrating who they are now and have always been whether the world was ready or not.
Finding a photographer with a portfolio that shows inclusion and diversity will help you choose the right one to work with. If you’re in the Columbus, Ohio, area, then I hope it’ll be me.
Pronouns and Portfolio Matter
Another way to know if the photographer you’re interested in working with is LBGTQ+ friendly is to read through the wording they use on their website. Do they have inclusive language and openly discuss pronouns? If they do, that’s a good indication that they genuinely care how you identify.
Another place to look is at the photographer’s work itself. Does the photographer have a diverse portfolio? Does the photographer care about things like gender, stereotypes, and inclusion? In the last two years, in addition to my typical client work, I have worked on two personal projects, one focusing on race and one focusing on gender. (One of my favorite sessions for this past summer was this one about gender expectations for women.) I take pride in welcoming everyone to my studio and championing the many ways they represent a modern, progressive world.
