Everyone wants beautiful photographs of their young family. But so many parents resign themselves to believing it’s basically impossible.  So, they do one of two things.  They don’t schedule sessions with a professional photographer at all, and settle for yearly school pictures.  Or, they look for the cheapest route they can find thinking it’s low risk and “maybe they’ll get one or two good ones.”  Sound like you?   BE ENCOURAGED!

Gorgeous photographs (with genuinely happy children) does not have to be so elusive!

Tip 1 Hire an actual professional.

That’s right, it cannot just be your neighbor who has a “bigger camera” than yours.   You’ll know a professional photographer by the consistency of quality images across their website. (Heads up! Facebook and instagram don’t count as a website).  A true pro will have many years in business.  And a bona fide professional will not do business ‘under the table’.  They will be insured and legal (so they do charge sales tax).  They’ll also be very focused on whether you are completely pleased, not just whether they got paid!

Tip 2 Find a photographer who understands how to light.

Believe it or not, stepping outside into a beautiful sunny day does not automatically mean you have “good light.”  This subjective term, “good light” really means light which is flattering on the subject.  A lot plays into flattering light: the direction it comes from, whether it is hard or diffused, and the color temperature top the list.  Seasoned professionals understand this, and years of experience has taught us how to “see light,” where to look for it, and how to modify it!  So even on a pretty day, the ambient light still needs to be modified to best flatter any portrait subject. Look for photographers who do this consistently, and without employing the low hanging fruit of an on-camera flash, which is terribly unflattering!

Tip 3 Consider their specialty.

It’s kind of a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none situation.  If you have a young family, your best bet is to choose a photographer whose main gig is child photography.  Just like I don’t shoot weddings, many wedding specialists don’t jive well with small children.  Much of the ‘professionalism’ in our industry has to do with how we are with people, not just the gear we own or the education we have.

Tip 4 Sync your styles.

I think all of us would agree Claud Monet was a brilliant painter, however not everyone would select his art, or any impressionist painting to showcase in our home.  It is simply a matter of preference.  Even when the subject is your family, styles between different professional photographers vary quite dramatically.  Even if your best friend had a wonderful experience with her very talented photographer, you might have a different style.  So vet their website, and communicate your preferences with whomever you choose.

Tip 5 Don’t break your back trying to select outfits that match.

Some of the nicest images I’ve made have been quite rebellious against the idea of perfectly matching.  If you insist on some coordination across wardrobes, (I’m looking at you, Type A moms), try choosing analogous colors as your theme, or a variety of muted colors. You’ll find that when you don’t pigeon-hole yourself into an exact color, your options open up.  If you’ve already booked your photographer, bounce the question of what-to-wear off him or her.  I know that I recommend slightly different color schemes depending on where we have chosen to shoot.  And you can look around at wardrobe color schemes online for hints too, like here!

Tip 6 Breathe a bit.

If you’ve done tips 1-5, then now you get to relax a bit and trust whom you hired!  Professional photographers do not expect their clients to know the best places to shoot, or times of day to pick. Nor do we expect you to be the one to produce genuinely happy expressions on your children’s faces.  That’s our job!  Your photographer probably will actually enjoy listening to your preferences, and making recommendations.  So hire your favorite and open up to him or her about what will make this year’s family pictures a dream!

Look at that!  Once you hire an experienced, legal professional, who knows lighting, who specializes in exactly what you need, and whose artistic style fits your own, all you need to do is breathe a bit and pick some colors!