If you’re in the market for family photos, then most likely you have quickly realized just how many options there are out there for family photographers in Utah County! There are a lot of factors to consider, and it can be hard to know who to hire if this will be your first time working with someone new! Here are a few things to consider before hiring your next family photographer!
Style
Every photographer is of course going to have a different style. There are some photographers that shoot only in traditional film, some that shoot only in digital, and some that are a hybrid of both. You’ll have to decide if you want a studio session with a flash setup or an outdoor setting using more natural light. You can compare their editing style – some photographers have a brighter edit, while others have darker tones and deeper shadows. All photographers pose a little bit different, too. Some only shoot traditional, smile-at-the-camera poses, some are a mix of both candid and posed, and some others might offer very little posing instruction and just follow the vibe of your family. Scrolling through Instagram using a #utahfamilyphotographer hashtag, or something similar, can give you an idea of all the different photography styles there are, and you can decide which one you best connect with or would like to see hanging on your walls!
Business Model
Another factor to consider when hiring your next family photographer is how you would like your photos delivered to you! Some photographers run a business model where you pay a lower fee for the session itself, but then you can only order your prints through them. Other photographers charge a bigger fee upfront in order for you to own the digital files after the session is over. Many times these photographers are referred to as “Shoot and Share” Photographers. Some photographers will deliver images to you on a USB drive and others use online galleries only. Make sure you understand which business model you prefer, and then, go ahead and ask your photographer how they deliver their images!
Ask for a full gallery
It can be tempting to base your decision off just a pretty Instagram feed. However, remember that Instagram is typically only showing one image from an entire gallery. Make sure you check out their other portfolios, too! Go to their website, view the images they deem the best of the best, and don’t be afraid to reach out to them and ask them to send you a full gallery from one of their family sessions! This will give you a better idea of what to expect for your own gallery.
Personality
I think one thing that often gets overlooked when choosing who to use for your photographer is:
But do you like your photographer?
Whether you realize it or not, this may be the most important element to your photo session. What happens if you think you’ve found the perfect photographer for you – she matches your ideal editing, you love his use of light, yet…when you meet up with them in person you realize your personalities clash? One thing many people don’t realize is that you will associate your photos with not just how you LOOKED in them, but more importantly, how you FELT in them. If you weren’t comfortable with your photographer, or if he or she communicated poses to you in a way that you didn’t fully connect with, then no matter how pretty the location or how beautiful the edit, you probably won’t LOVE the images as much as you hoped, even if you couldn’t put a finger on why.
The first thing that I ALWAYS do when I try to find a photographer for my own family is I read their About page. I try to get a feeling for who they are by reading what they say about themselves! I love to see pictures of them so I can get a vibe for their personality. If you think you’ve found “the one,” don’t be afraid to call them up and have a quick chat on the phone before committing! Not only will this solidify your decision to hire or not hire, but it will also allow you to be calm and even more comfortable with them on the day of your session!
One last thing
Did you notice something that I didn’t mention as a factor?
Price.
That’s because what my sincerest hope for your family photos is, you’ll save the money to hire the photographer you love! I know what you’re thinking – Of course a photographer would say that. But really, you deserve to have images you love with a photographer you love just as much. If you choose a photographer based on their cost, most likely things won’t go as well as you’d hoped. So start a little savings fund, sacrifice eating out a few times a month or whatever it takes! You’ll be glad you did.
Here at Mckenna Rose Photography, we consider ourselves a natural light photographer with clean, classic edits that are true to color and true to life. Our family photo sessions can be taken indoor or outdoor, but golden hour outside is always a favorite 🙂 During family photo sessions we will take both posed and playful shots, and have a good mix of different groupings and individuals. Your images will be delivered to you via an online gallery for you to choose your images to download.
Mckenna is a family and wedding photographer serving Weber County and Utah County.
