How to Choose a Family Photographer
4 Tips for Choosing the Right Family Photographer for You
1. Lifestyle vs. Studio Portrait Photographer
Lifestyle and Studio Portrait photography are two very different things. Studio work is usually centered on posing, lighting and editing and is beautiful in its own right. A lifestyle or natural light photographer specialises in capturing connection and moments that happen organically in your own space or an outdoor space. We always recommend Lifestyle for little wrigglers and children who love to be free spirited and families who love to be on the move.
2. Photography Editing Style
When you look through a photographer’s body of work on their website or socials, you shouldn’t be thinking “oh I wish that was darker” or “I’d love that if it was brighter”. Their style should speak to you and should be what you’d like to have hanging on your own wall. Are they a light and airy photographer or are their tones earthy, warm and colourful? Is their art going to work well in your space and does it fit with your family.
3. Human Connection
When you’ve first enquired and chatted with your photographer, do you feel an instant connection, like you can get on with them for an hour and feel comfortable hanging out? Did your chat flow well? If you’re choosing a photographer, how well you get on with them really matters!
4. Budget
There’s no getting around this one. Is the photographer within budget for you? Is their pricing transparent and easy to understand? Photographers all price differently and it depends on whether or not they offer products such as prints and albums. Some, like us, include all of your edited digital images from a family session, others offer a certain amount and it costs extra to purchase additional images or products from them, so make sure that your budget aligns with their pricing before you commit.
How to Make a Final Decision
Research! Once you’ve shortlisted your photographers, check out the following tips to help you to make a decision:
- Referrals – word of mouth! Have any of your friends or family used them, ask what they were like to work with.
- Reviews – check out their reviews on their socials, Google and even Trustpilot. Remember that one or two poor reviews are not always a reflection of who your photographer is, be sure to get a balanced overview.
- Quality – are the images in focus? Photographs with accidental motion blur and missed focus shouldn’t see the light of day, so have a good look at the photographer’s work.
- Consistency – does this photographer regularly share similar work and is it always something you’d be pleased with yourself?
- Answerability – are they visible? Do they regularly update with new work? Does your photographer have a website and multiple points of contact i.e. email, WhatsApp/Phone, Website, Social Media.
- Communication – do you usually receive a reply to all of your questions relatively promptly i.e. within 2-3 business days max.?
- Insurance – you might be surprised to learn that some photographers are not insured and this isn’t just important for them, it’s important for you, for peace of mind. It’s also important if you and your photographer intend to work on public property, so please check with your photographer that their insurance is up to date, showing their commitment and accountability to your well being. Public Liability Insurance is a must!
We hope that this information has helped to make the process of choosing a photographer a little easier and we also hope of course, that you might consider us if you are inside our catchment area! Why not email or WhatsApp us, give us a call or pop over to our Socials to have a look at what we do and see if we might be the photographers for you.
