Does it really matter who takes my family portraits?

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This day and age everyone is a photographer, right?

I mean, we’ve got iPhone, android phones, google phones, polaroid’s, DSLR cameras, point and shoot cameras, and even film is making a comeback. So finding a family photographer shouldn’t be that difficult, right?

I’m sure you could name all the photographers you know on at least one hand. They are everywhere it seems.

I did a quick google search of “Greenville family photographers” and received 1.4 million results! Say what?! You can find inexpensive photographers on every street corner. But is inexpensive really what you want?

With that many options, does it really matter who takes your family portraits? Is pricing the driving force when determining your family portrait photographer?

I would argue that, yes, it does matter who takes your family portraits and pricing shouldn’t be the motivating factor behind it!

Think about this.

These are the images that you will be passing down to your children, and hopefully one day, their children.

When you all get together for Thanksgiving years down the road, you want to pull out those heirloom quality albums and sit around the table laughing at the styles of the outfits and the crazy hair dos.

Or when your son brings home his fiancé and you bring out those old photo albums, you want the best images possible in there to show off your handsome grownup son.

Or when you have that last family vacation with grandpa and grandma and you know there won’t be another one. Do you really want to trust that priceless family portrait to the lady down the street who has owned her camera for six months?

My point is the photos we have of our families are priceless and they deserve to be taken with care by someone who understands the importance of capturing those moments in life.

Editing styles come and go, some are super trendy (remember the black and white images with one color?), or that awful sepia tone that made a comeback a few years ago.

So, where do you begin?

When choosing a family portrait photographer these are the things I look for:

1. Consistency in their editing style. Visit their website and portfolio. Do the images have a cohesive look to them? Are you drawn to the dark and moody or the light and airy? Are you a person who just loves a good black and white portrait? Do you enjoy a good studio prop or are you more of the outdoorsy, natural light time?
2. How long have they been in business? This might take some digging on your part, but try to find out how long they have been shooting (i.e. experience!) Working with a newbie is fine, but knowing you are working with an experienced photographer makes the world of difference!
3. Location. Are they willing to travel to me or do I need to travel to them? Do they have a studio? Sometimes photographers will vacation in an area near you and will offer discounted sessions to the locals, it never hurts to ask.
4. Pricing. Did you notice this wasn’t the first thing I look for? If the photographer meets the criteria of my first three criteria, pricing really isn’t an issue. I will save for a session if I truly want a certain photographer for my family portraits.

Build up a relationship with your family portrait photographer. Trust me. Working together over time will only improve your portrait experience. You will become more familiar with your photographer, thus trusting them and placing your confidence in their abilities. The more relaxed you are during your portrait session, the more fun it is and the better images you will get!

So there you have it. Why I think it really does matter who takes your family portraits.

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