How To Choose A Family Photographer: 15 Tips

How to choose a family photographer? When it comes to choosing a family photographer, there are many things to consider. Each and every family is different, that’s what makes you YOU! You want to find a photographer who is going to capture the unique personalities of your family and create photos that you will cherish for years to come. In this blog post, we will discuss 15 things that you should look for when choosing a family photographer.

Choosing the perfect family photographer can be a very difficult and overwhelming process. I’m sure by now you’ve already typed into google “Family Photographers Near Me” or something of the sort. There are many different photographers to choose from, so how do you know which one is right for your family? In this blog post, I will discuss some of the things to look for in a photographer that will help you find the perfect person to capture your memories!

• Do They Have A Style You Love?
• What’s Their Experience?
• Do They Make You Comfortable?
• How Much Interaction Do They Have With You?
• How Much input Do You Want In The Final Product?
• Do They Have Backup Plans?
• How Much Time Will You Need?
• Do They Have Insurance?
• What Type Of Editing Do They Offer?
• How Much Post Production Work will There Be?
• Do They Offer Digital Copies?
• What Is Their Pricing Structure?
• What Is Their Availability?
• How Do They Handle Cancelations And Reschedules?
• Do Your Visions Align?

How To Choose A Family Photographer: Find A Photographer Who Has A Style You Love

First and foremost, you want to find a photographer who has a style that you love. Do they take traditional portraits with everyone looking at the camera? Or do they specialize in capturing natural interactions between family members? Maybe it’s a happy medium between the two. Maybe their images are very light and airy, or maybe they are even to the other extreme and are very bold and contrasting. Do you love that golden light right before sunset, or maybe you like those sun flares in your images. It’s important to find someone whose style aligns with your own personal preferences. Each photographer is unique and has a different style. This isn’t something you can ask them to change, so be sure you like the work of theirs that you’ve seen. This will help to assure you find a photographer who produces pieces of art that you love.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: What’s Their Experience?

You also want to consider how much experience the photographer has. How many years have they been in business? How many families have they photographed? Do they typically photograph indoors or outdoors? Are they familiar with children or is most of their work displaying adults? Do they know the best locations and best time of day to shoot? This is important because you want to make sure that the photographer you choose knows what they are doing and will be able to deliver high-quality photos for you and your family.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: Do They Make You Comfortable?

Another thing to look for is how comfortable you feel around the photographer. Do they make you feel at ease? Are they easy to work with? This is important because you will be spending a lot of time with the photographer, so it’s important that you feel relaxed and comfortable around them and that they are going to be able to get you to lighten up and capture some genuine smiles. Will they be able to get all of the family members smiling at once or will they just focus on one person? You should look at sample galleries from past sessions so that way you can see how well they interact with people and how easy it is for them to capture genuine moments between loved ones.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: How Much Interaction Do They Have With You?

You should also consider how much interaction you want between the photographer and your family. Do you want them to just take photos or do you want them to interact and play with your kids? Do you want someone who is going to help you select clothing that will photograph well, and guide you through every step of the way from start to finish? Someone who will help you select images that will go best in an album, or which portrait is best for above your mantel. Some photographers are more hands-on than others, so it’s important to decide what type of interaction you are looking for.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: How Much Input Do You Want In The Final Product?

Another thing to think about is how much input you want into the final product. Will the photographer give you proofs to choose from or will they handpick all of the photos themselves? How many photos will they give you, or will you have to choose from? This is important because you want to make sure that you are getting options, and that you are able to get some variety in your photos.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: Do They Have Backup Plans?

Something else that is important to consider is how well the photographer handles unexpected problems. Do they have backup plans for inclement weather or do they only shoot in ideal conditions? What happens if someone doesn’t show up for the session? How do they handle it when technology fails them and all of their photos are lost (it has happened before)? This is something that you definitely don’t want to have to worry about on your big day, so make sure that the photographer you choose has thought of everything and has a plan B (and C and D).

How To Choose A Family Photographer: How Much Time Will You Need?

Something else to consider is how much time you will need with the photographer. Do they offer hour-long sessions, or do you need to book a full day? This is important because some people only need a few posed portraits, while others may want more variety in their session and posing.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: Do They Have Insurance?

Another thing that you should consider when choosing a family photographer is if they have insurance. What happens if something goes wrong during the session and someone gets injured? If something like this were to happen, you would want to know that the photographer has insurance.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: What Type Of Editing Do They Offer?

You should also consider how much editing the photographer offers and how many photos will be retouched in their final product. For example, if someone has acne on their face or a scar from an accident, then they might not want that photo to show up in the final prints because it will make them feel self-conscious about how they look. The best way around this is by asking how much editing is included with each package so that way you can decide what type of images are going to be printed before making your decision on which photographer to use.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: How Much Post-Production Work Will There Be?

Something else to consider is how much post-production work will be needed. This includes things like color correction, cropping, and adding in text or graphics. Not all photographers do this type of work, so it’s important to ask how much extra work will be needed if you want a certain effect on your photos.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: Do They Offer Digital Copies?

You should also think about whether or not the photographer offers digital copies of the images. This is important because you might want to print them off yourself or use them for social media purposes.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: What Is Their Pricing Structure?

Finally, it’s important to know how much the photographer charges for their services. This is a very personal decision so make sure you ask questions about how they work and what kind of packages are available before committing yourself financially.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: What Is Their Availability?

Another thing that people often forget to think about is how available they are. Do you need a weekend date, or are you available during the week for your session? Make sure the photographer you choose has time in their schedule for when you need them most, or that you’re both able to work out a day and time that meets everyone’s needs.

How To Choose A Family Photographer: How Do They Handle Cancellations And Reschedules?

Do you want to be charged if something happens unexpectedly and your session needs to be rescheduled or canceled altogether? Some photographers will work with clients who have had an unforeseen change of events occur but some may not so make sure this is taken into consideration before booking anything!

How To Choose A Family Photographer: Do your visions align?

Maybe you have a specific vision for your session, or maybe you’re looking for the help of an expert to guide you. Either way, make sure that you and your photographer can work together to create a vision and a session that you desire.

I hope these tips help you select the photographer that’s right for you. It’s important to remember that every family has different needs, so there’s not just one photographer that’s right for everyone. Look around, see what they have to offer, and find your best match! Happy Shopping!

Megan is a photographer based in the Greater Sacramento Area, serving Northern California for all your photography needs. She specializes in family, graduates, engagements, weddings, maternity, and newborn photography.  Contact Megan today!

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