Planning Your Perfect Family Photoshoot

A family photoshoot can be many things.  What you picture when you hear those words may be different than what your mom, spouse, best friend, or even photographer pictures.  To get the results you want, it's important to get everyone on the same page. 

Photography isn't a regulated industry.  That means that every family photographer does things their own way and many words in the photography industry have multiple meanings.  Your family photography experience should begin with an in-depth conversation with your photographer about what you want and what they offer to make sure the two match up.

To help with that, here are some questions to ask as you consider various photographers.  Follow the links to learn more about these commonly misinterpreted words and phrases and what they mean in our studio:

• Do you have different session types or fee structures for multigenerational families, young families, families with teenagers/young adults, large families, small families, furry families, or unconventional families?
• What do you mean by photoshoot (photo shoot, portrait session, photography session, photo session or photo sesh)?  What is/isn't included?
• Do you offer a consultation?  What is included?  What if I don't have time for that?
• Do you offer digital files?  How do they come?  Are they raw, edited, filtered, retouched, original, full resolution, social media sized, printable, on a flashdrive or usb, downloadable, a full set, a curated set?
• Can I have the copyright or a usage release?
• What products do you sell?  Are they heirloom quality?

When choosing a family photographer it is important that you review their portfolio and make sure you like their style.  It is also important to make sure they know and incorporate your style.  For example if you plan to display your portrait over the mantle in a formal living room with pale pink and blue antique furniture, you probably should choose pastel clothing, a formal pose, and a studio setting.  Your portrait would look great on a vertical canvas with a gilded frame.  On the other hand, if you are hanging individual prints of each of your six children on the blank white wall in the playroom where everything else is in primary colors, you might want to put each of them in a different bright primary color and photograph them on the playground to make metal or acrylic prints for the wall.  Talking with your photographer about your style and designing your session together will save you time and ensure the resulting images are ones you love.

Some things to consider about your style are:

• formal or casual
• posed or candid
• bold or pastel
• bright or dark
• colorful or monochromatic
• earth tones or jewel tones
• studio or location
• urban, woodsy, or floral

Your family photographer should be someone who sees the unique beauty and style of your family and creates timeless artwork that you will cherish forever.