Choosing a Family Photographer

With all of the photographers out there, how do you choose which family photographer to hire for your family portraits? There are many things to consider when looking for a professional family photographer. I’ve put together a list of some things to consider. Many of these things can apply for other genres of photography as well. 

Family Photographer | Southeast Georgia & Northeast FloridaCopyright Kimberly Tank Art & Photography

Style/Portfolio

Look at the photographer’s portfolio to get a sense of their style. Is there consistency in the images and editing so you know what you’ll get? Do you like the editing style? Are they posed/traditional, documentary, or lifestyle (a mixture of both)? Which do you prefer? What feeling do you get when you look at the images? Can you picture your family in them? Do you want to be the family in the images? Ask the photographer to see a complete session so you know the overall quality of what your gallery will look like and not just the one or two best images from each session.

Service/Experience

What is the photography experience going to be like for you? Does the photographer do a pre-session planning with you to customize your session to fit your family, get to know more about you and your family, and help you choose your clothing? Doing those things can help make the process less stressful for you and go more smoothly. Does the photographer sit down with you after the session to help you figure out what to do with your images and maybe even design a wall display? Will s/he come to your home to install your canvas or framed wall portrait? These are the things that can make the process so much easier for you.
 

Product Offerings

Does the photographer only offer digital files? Let’s face it, we all have digital images of our children sitting on our computer (or Facebook) that haven’t been printed. What are our children going to look at when they’re older and want to see pictures of them when they were younger? Does the photographer offer professional, archival products, such as canvas, prints, albums, and framing? Does s/he offer custom product design? If you’re going to pay the money to hire a professional, shouldn’t you have professional products that will last a lifetime and not cheap prints from the local superstore?

Professionalism

Does the photographer belong to any professional organizations, such as NAPCP, PPA, or WPPI? Does s/he take workshops to further improve photography skills? Is the communication with the photographer professional and timely? Are they operating a legal business with a business license, liability insurance, and client contracts?

Budget/Investment

Of course, the investment needs to fit into your budget. Is the photographer you want worth saving up for or do they offer payment plans to help spread out the cost? Remember, you get what you pay for. Make sure this isn’t the only factor in your decision or you may not be happy with the results. 

To learn a little more about me and my photography, start here or contact me to see if we'd be a good fit! 

Looking for a family photographer but you aren't in the Southeast Georgia/Northeast Florida area? Check out NAPCP's photographer search tool to find a child and family photographer near you! PPA also has a search tool that will give you a variety of professional photographers in your area (who may or may not specialize in family photography).