Whether you are planning your yearly shoot or you are long overdue, it is so lovely to get updated photos of your family. But how do you know which photographer to go with? There are a few different factors... budget, location, style of photography, or you might just want to go with a photographer you have worked with before because you already trust them. I have laid out a few important considerations and insights into how I work that might help you decide:
Style of Photography
First order of business is to check out photographers' portfolios to see if their style matches what you want for your photos. You can check out my family portfolio here . I do mostly outdoor shoots for family sessions, but I do have my studio space that can be used for small groups.
Type of Posing
When it comes to posing, you have two clear styles: posed and lifestyle. Posed is being told where to sit and where to look (mostly at the camera), whereas lifestyle is more natural, documentary-style and involves a lot of interaction between everyone. You will be able to see which posing style a photographer has from their portfolio. I try to do the best of both in my photoshoots. When it's an outdoor shoot with young kids, I always put a big emphasis on lifestyle because getting little kids to sit still and listen to you is only going to work for 5 minutes tops. On the other hand, if we're shooting in the studio or we have a big group of people, the only way to go is posed.
this is an example of my mix of lifestyle & classic posing
Digital vs. Printed Photos
We live in a digital age, but that doesn't mean that printed products aren't important. If you are interested in creating beautiful wall art and fine prints from your photoshoot, then there are some amazing photographers around that provide these. There are special printing companies that only work with professional photographers, so you are not able to order these high-quality items yourself.
I personally do not offer this service, I am a complete lover of all things digital and like to include all digital photos in my session price. Because of this, I give out full printing rights so you can go out and have your photos printed yourself. Please note that often photographers will retain the printing rights, so make sure to get in touch with your photographer before you try to get photos printed yourself.
a photo of my girls that I had made into a canvas
Budget
Budget can be an important factor. When deciding between photographers, make sure you consider how the pricing structure works. Does the session fee include any digital or printed photos, how much do you think you will spend on extra photos?
I pride myself on affordable prices with all digital photos included. My pricing is set in such a way that families can afford to come and get their photos taken 1-2 times a year, and I love seeing people come back. If you find that I am the right photographer for you, you can be assured that there will be no extra cost, only the printing that you might want to do afterwards.
Location
Luckily there are some photographers based in Te Anau, but I also know of some people going with photographers based in Invercargill, Queenstown and Wanaka. It is extra travel time and cost, but if you have a certain vision in mind and you fall in love with a photographer, you should just go for it!
My favourite locations are by the lake and in Ivon Wilson Park, but I am also open to other locations as long as they are within 25km of Te Anau.
one of my lakeside locations
In Conclusion
So that's a few considerations on who to choose for your family session. If you think we might be a good fit, please get in touch to choose a date for your photoshoot, but if you think another photographer might be right for you, then I hope you have a lovely photoshoot.
Who knows, I might see you in the future for a different type of session. I also do newborn portraits, milestone & cake smash portraits, maternity portraits and occasional special mini sessions. Follow me on Facebook to keep up with news and specials.
All the best,
Liz