Family Portraits
At several points in your family life it is great to have your story immortalised in a professional family portrait. This article is meant as a guide to help you prepare properly so that you get something you will be proud to display on your wall.
Choosing photographer and exploring prices
Now of course this will cost some money, depending on the sizes and how many photos, it can cost from a couple of hundred to a few thousand dollars. It is best however to choose your photographer based on his/her style and quality of work than by the best package price, because ugly photos are a complete waste of money no matter how cheap. It is important to note that due to the nature of the business, incentive pricing is often used on the front end to encourage people to get it done now rather than just someday that never comes. For this reason, make sure you talk to your photographer about the rest of the pricing and average orders, whether the incentive offer has any conditions attached and ask for pricing of any particular items you know you want. I find most people don't really know exactly what product they want at this stage. If the photographer does a good job, you may well want to buy a lot more than you had anticipated, so consider if you are prepared to up your budget later, but be careful if you feel pressured into a big sale. One big photo might look better and be cheaper than a series, look into those options with your photographer or the sales staff. Do they offer any guarantee on the work?
*Choose photographer based on quality and style, not just price.
*Look carefully into the whole pricing structure and conditions of incentive offers
*Consider whether you may spend more than anticipated, be wary of high pressure sales.
Deciding on style and locations for your Family Portraits
Once you have chosen a photographer whom you believe can produce beautiful work that you will like, it's time to plan locations and styles with him/her. I find it is great to be able to capture the essence of the family, choosing a location or type of location that is special or has signifigance to your family is nice. Things to consider could be whether your family is a relaxed and outdoors family or fresh and fun, maybe you are a chic urban family, or feel you would be best portrayed in a classic or traditional style. There is a lot to think about there, a good conversation with your photographer on this will help them get on to your page, and get you into the mood of it too.
Clothing for your Family Photos
There is a whole article in that subject alone, but briefly: A loose theme can be nice, but as long as no one clashes or really stands out, thats fine. Most importantly though, avoid hot bright colours, stripes, patterns, slogans. Men wear long pants, shorts are bad. Women avoid wide necklines. Talk to your photographer, if they don't know, change photographers.
Preparing the kids and family
Talk to the whole family about the portrait session. Seek input from the kids if they are old enough. They should be encouraged to express themselves to a degree. If everyone is looking forward to it, it will yield great results. It will be less successful if no one is into it. Avoid threats and bribes to younger children, instead they should be primed up that it will be fun. (it almost always is) "Smile for the scary photographer or else" is very counter productive. Similarly introducing a bribe prematurely can have the effect of curtailing the session as they start to dwell on the bribe. On the day of the session, leave plenty of time to get ready so that you don't arrive all stressed and rushed. Your stress is transferred directly to the children, and unfortunately, photographers can't make someone look naturally happy if they are miserable. Trying to distract them from the stress and turn them around is damage control in the photographer's skill set. Your portrait session is important, so don't just try to fit it in between football practice and the dentist appointment.
Displaying your portraits
After you have had your session you will view proofs in some form or another. The most popular way is at the photographer's studio on a big screen. This is good because you get to compare similar photos side by side and the photographer will give input as well, so you know you are choosing the best photos and making the best choice. Before this it is good to look at your walls and decide where you may display your portraits, and who you might give a copy to. Bring some rough measurements to your proof/viewing session, because the photographer will help you decide what sizes will look best and provide suggestions as well. Generally speaking a large wall suits a large photo, or a series of large photos. A hall way or somewhere with a closer viewing distance would suit smaller photos. The decor of your home is a good guide to the presentation of your portraits. A colonial home might suit a traditional wood frame. An ultra modern home might suit an acrylic IceMount or a large lcd display. An informal area would suit a canvas or a blockmount.
I hope that this helps you get the best from your family photos.
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