Autumn Harrison is a photographer out of Raleigh, North Carolina.  She runs Autumn Harrison Photography, formerly Reminicing Moments Photography, and was first featured August 22, 2011.  Click here to read her first feature.

I asked Autumn what she has been up to, how her senior business has grown in the past year and much more!  You can read all about it below!!  Thanks for sharing Autumn!

When did you photograph your first senior? Back in April 2011.  WOW…time has flown  by!

Up until recently, I was only scratching the surface with photographing seniors.  I have ALWAYS loved booking seniors, and this year I FINALLY took the plunge and dedicated myself to only seniors and couples.  I still, very much, love photographing families but my passion is all about senior’s and couple’s in love!

How long have you been in business?  How long have you been photographing seniors? I have been in business for four years.  I have worked with seniors for a year but now’s the time for me to market myself more towards them.

How has your business grown over the last year, since you were featured on Seniorologie? To be honest, it has stayed about the same as far as seniors go. I have sprouted a new name for my business, Autumn Harrison Photography(which I am extremely excited about), and now work is more focused on specific sessions. Previously, I really hadn’t worked out a strategy to get more senior sessions…now I have a 6 month plan to get everything in gear to start the year 2013 out right.

Was there a breakthrough or a ha moment when it comes to your senior business?  If so, what was it? Just over a year ago, I realized I was working non-stop with every type of shoot imaginable.  I wasn’t spending much time with my family and my little girl somehow had grown up a lot faster since I was always glued to my computer. It got me thinking that maybe my friends were right, that I should take my business to another level and concentrate on one or two genre.  Since then, I’ve never looked back.

How many seniors did you shoot in the beginning and how many are you shooting now? Since I just made switched my focus, I’m shooting about the same as before.  However, my 6 month plan should kick that number up for me next year. Keeping my fingers crossed.

What do you love most about working with seniors? OMG seniors are just simply so much fun.  I love their style and getting to work with them on how to put everything together is an awesome part of their session.  I love the conversations.  We talk about everything, the latest new hottie in the entertainment industry, Pinterest, fashion, and even photography (I find a lot of my seniors have a real keen interest in photography).

How do you plan your senior photo sessions?  Do you include the senior in the process? We keep in constant contact, I enjoy have my seniors involve with every aspect of their shoot.  They all have my number and know they are free to call or text me anytime, if they think something they think would be cute for their shoot.

How do you feel your confidence has grown from when you first started working with seniors? Now that I’m shooting more of what I love, I believe  my confidence has really shot up there. I don’t stress over making sure I nail the perfect picture for the clients because to be honest, when it comes to taking senior pictures, I’ve yet to take a picture that wasn’t exactly what I was aiming for!

How has your photography style evolved or grown in the past year? This past year, I have taken inspiration from some EXCEPTIONAL photographers, 2&3 Photography, Michelle Moore, Velvet Owl Photography, and Amanda K. Photography and have learned not to focus entirely on post processing.  I want people to see the true image I’ve captured when they look at my pictures. Other favorite photographers, include, who truly know how to capture RAW emotion, are Stephanie Pane Photography, Oh Kaye Photography, and The End Photography.  Each and every one of them are phenomenal and all have amazing gifts! Their uniqueness and talents have inspired me to think outside of the box!!!

What are some struggles that you may have had with the senior side of your business in the beginning  that you have overcome? The confidence thing was really big for me.  Believing in myself and my work to the point that my seniors contact me because of my work makes it worth it the struggles I have overcome.  Hanging around the right group of people who know the business and offer their support goes a long way in building ones confidence!

Where do you go for inspiration or learning when it comes to senior portrait photography? You know surprisingly enough besides the occasional teen magazine I find myself learning a lot from “America’s Next Top Model”.  Don’t laugh…lol.  Seriously the advice, they give those models is good solid advise.  When it comes to capturing a certain picture and I have often use their critique of their models to convey an idea to my seniors during a shoot.