Where Do I begin?

Tips for picking the photographer that suits you.

We hear it all the time, so you're not alone.

"We've never had family pictures done before."

You know what? That's totally fine. For some people pictures just aren't at the forefront of their minds. In today's day and age we all walk around with a pretty decent camera in our pockets and for some people that's good enough. If that sounds like you, that's just fine too! If you're thinking you just want a good family portrait because your kids are a little older now and you don't have any pictures with all of you in them (and better yet actually looking at the camera), then here are some helpful tips to point you in the right direction. Now while obviously I would love to work with everyone, that's just not feasible or realistic. While I hope you take the time to reach out after reading this, I also understand if this information points you towards someone else.

First and foremost is the photographer's personality. This might sound hard to identify or get a feel for, but it's actually quite easy with just a few clicks around a website. Does their site have an "about me" or a "backstory" on it? If so, great! Read it (see my "About" for a great example) and get a feel for who they are, what makes them tick and if their story is something you can identify with. If not, that might be a good indicator to move on to someone else.

The next thing to look at is their work. Get a feel for the types of poses they feature on their site for each style they off (families, couples, seniors and so on). Most photographers are going to pick what they feel are their absolute best images and will draw in the most attention from potential clients, so if those don't grab your attention and make you want something similar it's probably best to move on. Another important note is the photographer's editing style. Not sure what that means? Editing style is the color palette they choose to model their final results after. Some photographers lean heavily into the dark and moody style whereas others will pursue the light and airy look, so it really comes down to what look you love most. While some photographers will edit to a customer's specific request, most will stay in their comfort zone and only edit to their chosen style as it's part of their workflow which can be hard to defer from over time.

The last thing to look for is usually the least obvious but can be of the utmost importance, the locations. Many photographers have a laundry list of locations they frequent based on areas they like or versatility and variety. Odds are if you share a link to one of their images and say you like the location they'll know exactly where to take you. Another great tactic is to search "family portraits ____" and fill in the blank with a place you love. One place of particular popularity here in the Twin Cities is Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis. While this sounds a bit one dimensional in theory, this location has everything from the falls to open grassy areas and lots of foliage to provide a profoundly diverse session if you're willing to walk around a little bit.

If these bits of info have helped you prepare for a session, feel free to click the button below and book your session today!