Investing in Family Photography, A Decision
Not all images are equal. Some have a more significant impact than others, and human subjectivity plays into this as well. What one person appreciates, another will not.
Our Experience
My wife and I have observed these simple facts in our own lives. When we started our family, photography took on more importance for us. We started investing in images that documented our time together. We hired a photographer for our wedding, and we hired a photographer for a maternity shoot. We then went on to hire a photographer for several different milestones in our child's lives.
We also invested in an upgraded camera for personal purposes. We wanted to capture the many candid moments our family would experience as we grew together. That camera became the basis for my passion for photography, which became our passion, and then our business.
Several driving forces spurred our decisions, but we can denote two different methodologies at the heart of them, and it is those methodologies we want to discuss here.
Formal Portraiture vs. Candid Captures
From the beginning, my wife has placed a higher value on formal portraiture than I, and I, in turn, valued candid moments more than my wife. These values are nothing more than preferences, but I can assure you they caused us some hardships. We attempted to resolve our differences and make material decisions for ourselves and our family.
You may find yourself in a similar situation. One partner may feel that formal portraits are a great and beautiful way to document the family. Another may want to capture more candid images, feeling that traditional portraiture is too stiff and doesn't demonstrate who the different individuals are within the family.
Each family needs to determine how they want to handle this important decision, and, as we observed in our own lives, this is not always an easy decision to make. If you're in a similar position as we were starting our family, we want to help.
We want to offer a way to help. We want to make this decision easier for you.
When it comes to family portraiture, there are two basic questions (outside of budget) to answer.
How often and at what moments to invest in photography?
What style of photography is most appropriate or most valued?
The answers to these questions will determine what kind of session you will have and, more importantly, what value you want to get out of them. These decisions will also help you select your photographer.
But what if you can't agree? Is there a middle ground? Can both partners get what they want without having to invest thousands of dollars into professional photography?
We think so, but everyone must begin on the same page. You and your partner need to understand your desires, and then your photographer needs to know them too.
Are you looking to have a large print hanging above the mantle? Do you want a collage of candid moments capturing the essence of your family? Do you want to create a photo album from your images?
These are all valid questions, and ones a trained photographer can help you figure out. Even when two partners value photography differently, there's a way for everyone two people to get what they want.
Our Style
We have created a system of working with our clients to produce two distinct styles of photography from one session. We collect formal portraits and candid moments as well. These sessions are often considered a lifestyle session. They blend various schools of thought and allow for more variety. We can document, create art, and have fun while doing it.
Your family can take a pose and let loose, and throughout your session, we will be there capturing your time together.
This practice is the beauty of being your photographer, we get to help you create the style of images that work best for you, and we're not afraid to adjust our approach to meet your needs.
Not all images are equal. Nor should they be, but we create every shot with the same intent. We want you to cherish the memories, and our photography sessions help you do that.
Thank you for joining us and supporting us. Contact us today to plan your next session. We look forward to hearing from you.