As the weather gets warmer (positive thinking over here) and we start moving into later days and sunnier evenings, photography season starts to bloom right along with all those pretty flowers!
The jackets and scarfs come away and we start to remember that it’s time to take some family pictures! YAY!!! This makes me super excited! I start thinking the same way too as my camera gets to see the outdoors more and I realize that I myself need photos of Linc and I together.
So what happens? We start planning our sessions and we spend time thinking about how we want the session to go and what we might even be doing with these portraits! We make our lists: what to wear, what location, print or share digitally! We spend so much time planning the shoot but the one thing that is really important often gets forgotten about: which photographer is the perfect fit for YOU!
We are so blessed to live in an area where we have an incredible amount of options when it comes to choosing a photographer! This is amazing because it really means that we can take our time and sort out the photographer that matches us 100%, and we should be doing that! Photography sessions are an investment! You are placing your memories in the trust and hands of someone for an hour to an hour and half. You are telling them… hey represent us as a family and tell our story so that in years we may look back with fondness! IT’S A BIG DEAL! It’s a HUGE deal actually!
So we should be taking our time and really choosing a photographer that matches our families just as much as we choose our outfits and what we do with these precious photos.
How do you choose the right photographer?
1. GET TO KNOW THEIR WORK! Log on and check out the websites of your potential photographers recent work. Make a list of photographers that you like in the area and get onto their websites, their blogs, their social media pages and find out what they are doing right now! Find some work that speaks to you! Each photographer has their own style so browse their work and find one that matches what you see for your own photo shoot! Do you want candids, do you want formal? A photographers body of work will speak to you and show you how they like to shoot!
2. CHAT WITH THEM! Get to know them personally! I will tell you, the more you know your photographer on a personal level and you share with them on a personal level; the more you will love your photos! Your session is so much more than just showing up and smiling! You want to have a connection with your photographer so that you will feel comfortable in front of the camera. As photographers we are asking a lot of you to come and be comfortable enough to be yourself! That won’t happen naturally if you don’t have some kind of personal connection with your photographer. If your photographer really knows you, they should be able to capture moments for you that you wouldn’t even have dreamed of! The session will feel fun and easy and you want to have a good time! You are choosing to spend your time with someone… why not really bond with the person behind the camera?!
3. MAP OUT YOUR IDEAS TOGETHER! Chat with the photographer about what you want and your vision! Let them know what your intentions are with the photographs. Are they going to be hung on a gallery wall? Are they part of a yearly documentation to show the growth and the changes in your family each year? Brainstorm together about the perfect location that means something to you. If you spend time planning with your photographer, the images will reflect that!
4. PRICING: I hate to bring this up but we all know this investment is a big deal! Pricing is something that we all think about, but don’t let it drive you! Chose your photographer based on what you want and how well you match up! Talk with the photographer about pricing and what your options are! Remember, this is an investment and an important one! The minutes and the years pass us by in the blink of an eye. It may sometimes not feel like that but years from now these images WILL mean a lot! You want to make sure that your family memories were treated with love by someone that really understand who you are and what your story is!
So as we start planning for the warmer weather, hop online and spend some time getting to know your local photographers! This area is bursting with lots of talent and there is someone in that bunch that is the absolute perfect photographer for you!
