As a mum and having a family myself I like to put myself on the place of my clients and thinking what kind of question I would ask if I was looking for a photographer for my family portrait. Then I realise that not everybody think about the points I talk further here, and I tough that it was important to make a point on that. I've publish this on my page web and I'm sharing it here now as well:
The portraiture is art in itself
that exists for many centuries and in yours days it can not be different. However
you choose to show yourself to the world with a selfie, or to pay someone to do
a nice and professional portraiture of you, the choice is huge.
For those who decided to go to a
professional photographer the choice can sometimes be hard as well, as the number
of photographers on the market looks to be increased by the last decades, and more
and more families are happy to make their families portraiture to see the different
phases of the kids.
Times go fast and these
portraitures are really a piece of time you can keep forever in your memory.
So, how to choose the best
photographer for you? I suggest that you should consider this points in that
order:
1- Think about your style;
How are you and your family? When
you think about a family which family fits better to yours: The Simpsons, The
Jacksons, The Flintstones? How do you want to be seeing and which kind of picture
do you like more? Studio portraitures, outside on the nature, on the beach, a
park, or some kind of street and very colorful pictures, black and white, vintage
style or more conventional? Think, think, think… Look online what style do you
like more and be clear about what do you want.
2- Check for the photographers in
your city or area that fits with the style that you have chosen. In ours days
the offer online is tremendous so make sure that you take your time to look enough
sites and works. Don’t stick on first page of your research only; you could be
missing your photographer soul mate just by some clicks away.
3- Fix your budget.
Maybe you have already one idea
about how much do you want to spend on or session; or maybe you have the
freedom of spending whatever it costs, but if its not your case so I suggest
that once you have choose your style and identified 2 or 3 photographers that matches
with what do you want, so go and check theirs prices. Normally it will not vary
that much, because the professionals that are good use to be respectful for their
colleagues and the price on the market will vary more in the same proportion as
the quality. So maybe the cheapest one is not the one who is going to make the
perfect work for you, but maybe neither is the most expensive. So if you stick
first with your style and what is going to make you happy, this one values
their price!
Its is very important for you and
for the professional that you are hiring that you check this points first,
because what you need to know is not every photographer can do every style of
photography. That’s because every one is different and every one has a
particular style that you can notice by checking their work. Some of then have
points in common, what is normal because the market asks for it, and when we
choose this profession we have to learn about everything a little bit. Keep on
mind that first of all a photographer is an artist and has to be seeing like
one, and his work is unique on his style and should be respected for that.
On the beginning of my career I’ve
been asked to make the most different kind of works, and as I was a beginner
I’ve said yes for works that doesn’t make me happy at all, but at least they
have paid my bills. Some of the results are correct what is ok, but when I
started to work with families and portraiture I’ve realized that I can not do
everything, because when you’ve been asked by a client to copy another
photographer, who is not your style, the result can be frustrating.
If you think this post is useful, please feel free to share, and leave your comments if you have any other point that you think can be considered.
