How Do I Find a Good Family Photographer?
Finding the right photographer for your family stills is a tricky task: You want to pay top dollar for seasoned professionals and dodge all the so-so operators you could easily best in a contest of pure lens-man-ship. With so many family photographers out there, it’s important to follow some tips if you’re looking for the best shutterbug in the market:
Find the full-time professionals
- Too many shutterbugs are hobbyists looking to make a buck. The right family photographers work full-time, have a vast portfolio of client testimonials, samples, and stake their livelihood on their craft.
- You’ll find the full-time professionals with top-notch equipment, proper business credentials that prove they’re more than just dilettantes, and a keen eye for customer satisfaction.
Find a photographer that clicks with your family
- Family dynamics are complex and can be confusing to outsiders.
- Family photography is more difficult than it appears.
- The right photographer is able to comfortably connect with the children, the adults, and the problem personalities in every family.
- They are able to turn awkward photo sessions into positive, enthusiastic sessions that capture a living, breathing family in all its unique glory.
- Making everyone comfortable is the mark of a true professional.
Find a contract that speaks for the both of you
- Your family photographer should present you with a contract that clearly defines the terms of payment, the studio policies, contingency plans and sets hard numbers on the deadlines and deliverables.
- These terms should be well outlined for you before your session, and they should ask all the right questions in a way that leaves you completely satisfied that you’re in good hands.
- Don’t schedule at the last moment, give them a few days to prepare in advance. The best family photographers like to plan and design sessions to cater to all of their customer’s demands.
