It is almost family picture season and I'm gearing up for all the wonderful families I'll be photographing this year. The other day my "memories" popped up on Facebook and it had been 10 years since I got my very first DSLR. It's insane to think that that's how long I've been shooting. As I've progressed from hobbyist to amateur to professional, I've picked up a thing or two and as I've raised prices, specialized and restructured my business. Throughout all this growth I've found that when people are not educated, they make mistakes. These mistakes, when it comes to your family pictures can leave you dissatisfied with the results. To combat this problem, this guide was born. 

#1. You let the price tag do the shopping.

     This does not mean that you need to shell out thousands every year for the best photographer. We all have budgets that we need to stick to as responsible adults. What I mean is, rather than falling in love with a photographer that fits in your budget (or adjusting your budget to fit the photographer), you only see the dollar signs. If you are not willing to pay the price the photographer has, I can guarantee you that you will find somebody cheaper. Cheaper does not always mean better. 

#2. Overlooking your photographer's personality. 

     When you invest in family pictures, you want someone behind the camera that you feel comfortable with. They are going to bring out the best of you and capture your families' essence. But if you find you don't mesh well with your photographer's personality, that's going to be a problem. Every photographer has their unique method of working with families to capture the joy that is your life. If you think cheesey jokes and weird noises are lame, then we are probably not a good fit and you most likely won't like your photos. This is one of the perks that come with booking with me; we have a pre-consultation beforehand to see if we'll work well together. 

#3. Failing to look through the photographer's website and an entire gallery.

     This is where you need to do your research instead of relying on social media. People share their best work on Instagram and Pinterest. It's essentially their digital portfolio. To be frank, if an amateur took 1,000 photographs, I will bet that there is at least one that is good and turned out. Quantity over quality. It takes looking through galleries and blog posts to see a real session and the flow and progression of the images. That's why I blog so much, not only to show off more than the handful of pictures I share on Instagram, but so that people can get an idea of what a full session looks like and what they can expect when working with me. 

#4. Waiting too long to book.

     I'm not sure if it's a culture thing, but i've noticed that a lot of Utahans wait until just before they want to have pictures taken to get a hold of their photographer. Many book out months in advance, so if you want to secure a date and you have an idea of when you'd like to have it happen, email your photographer! 

#5. Hiring a photographer that doesn't specialize in families.

     Not all photography was created equal. It takes a different set of skill sets to go from shooting a wedding and a bride and groom to wrangling and capturing a family of two year old triplets. Not that it can't be done - but it makes things more difficult for everyone involved. You want to pick a photographer that specializes in your needs. You can't expect your photos to look as flawless and majestic as that engagement photographer's portfolio if you give them a subject that is not their norm. It's why we specialize, so we can be really good at what we do and deliver top notch images.