I am going to start this blog post by saying something that might surprise you: I am not the right photographer for every family- and that means I might not be the right family photographer for you. It may seem counter productive to say that out in the open on my own blog and website but it’s true: I want to work with families that are the right fit for me and in turn, I want those families to have a great experience working with me. If we aren’t the right fit that won’t happen; and there’s a good chance that neither of us will be happy with the results.
So let’s talk about why no photographer is the right fit for every family. The number one question you should ask yourself when looking for a family photographer is:
What are you looking for in your family photos?
Do you want perfectly posed portraits, where everyone is sitting up straight, smiling at the camera, in perfectly matching outfits in front of a white backdrop?
Or do you want family photos that show off your personalities, your real interactions, and what life was really like as a family at this point in time?
There is no right or wrong answer here: photography, like any type of art is subjective and everyone is looking for something a little bit different. If you are looking for candid, relaxed family photos you are seeking out a very different type of photographer than if you are looking for perfectly posed formal portraits. Your search for the right family photographer should focus on the style and approach you are looking for, but with so many options out there, and tons of buzz words and phrases being thrown around like “relaxed and natural” or “ contemporary fine art” or “creative and modern” it can be difficult to navigate exactly what you’re looking for.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and I realized that while most photographers share a lot about the type of families they love to work with they rarely say anything about the type of clients who aren’t the right fit for their style and approach. In any creative field, the artists style is constantly evolving, but at the same time that style grows stronger and more unique- we learn what works for us and what doesn’t. And with that, we become increasingly aware of who our clients are, developing the confidence to say out loud who we love to work with, and who just isn’t the right fit.
So here I am, telling you out loud, that I am not the right photographer for every family. If you are looking for:
- “perfectly” posed photos of you and your family, sitting still and forcing smiles
- a traditional, formal family photo session with an emphasis on posing
- a photographer who will tell your children to sit still and stay quiet
- a photographer who will spend your session telling you to look at the camera and smile
- photos that look like everyone else’s
Let me explain why:
- The family photos I create capture personalities, not poses. While we will still get a few planned photos where I ask you to sit together, they will be very casual and relaxed- I’ll get you to sit together as you naturally would. No need to sit still and force a smile!
- Lifestyle family photography is the exact opposite of a traditional studio setup. I’ll photograph you in natural surroundings, whether that’s in the comfort of your own home and garden or your favourite outdoor spot and the majority of the photos I take will be candid. I will offer light directions but there is no need for formal posing.
- My approach is to let kids be kids, and I will never ask your child(ren) to sit still or to stay quiet. I will encourage them to be themselves and the enjoy the space they are in- I’ll capture them running, playing, laughing and just being themselves, so that when you look back on your photos you’ll remember those unique personality traits that were already shining through.
- Very few people feel natural and relaxed when they are told to look right at the camera and force a smile- it feels awkward and uncomfortable and that traditional approach to photography is the reason so many people hate having their photo taken (myself included). Will we do a few photos where you look at the camera? Of course- but we’ll keep things fun and casual and I’lld o my best to get some genuine smiles out of you instead of asking you to force them.
- Your family is unique and your photos should be too. If you look through my portfolio you will notice that every session is different- even when I do some of the same things with my families (ie. cuddle up together and read a story) the photos will look different depending on the personalities involved. I don’t have a list of poses and setups and no two sessions are the same.
So rather than starting your search by looking for the perfect family photographer, try taking a moment to think about who ISN’T the right photographer for your family photo session. Think not only about the style of photos you like, but about the approach a photographer takes and about what the experience will be like.
For example, lot of families that choose to work with me tell me their biggest setback to booking a family photo session was worrying about their kids cooperating; so when they read about my relaxed approach and letting kids be themselves, they realized that it wasn’t having photos taken that was holding them back- but rather having a traditional studio portrait session. If you remove the formal style and approach, there is no need to stress about kids sitting still and posing for an hour- there is an alternative to that.
Once you’ve figured out what you aren’t looking for, it should become clear very quickly which family photographers will be a good fit, and you’ll be able to narrow your list down to a few firm favourites.
If you are looking for those things on my first list, then I’m not the photographer for you (but I would be happy to recommend some fabulous studio photographers nearby who are)!
If you are looking for relaxed and fun family photo session in Glasgow or Central Scotland though, I might just be the perfect family photographer for you! Learn more about my family sessions by clicking here, or get in touch at hello@rhiannoneale.com for more information or to book your session date now.
