How to Choose an Atlanta Family Photographer
Choosing an Atlanta family photographer can feel a little overwhelming. There are a LOT of incredibly talented photographers in Atlanta, and thanks to social media, it’s really easy to assume the photographer with the biggest following or the prettiest Instagram feed is automatically the right one for your family.
But after 16 years of photographing families, I can tell you that beautiful photos are only part of it.
The person behind the camera matters, too.
Don’t Choose a Photographer Based on Popularity Alone
One of the biggest mistakes I see families make is choosing a photographer simply because they’re popular online.
Followers don’t necessarily tell you what it will feel like to stand in front of that person’s camera with your kids.
Before booking someone, pay attention to how they show up. Watch their behind-the-scenes videos. Read their website. Listen to how they talk about children and families. Look at how they interact with people.
Do you feel like you know them a little bit already?
Because being photographed is vulnerable, especially for moms who are usually the ones behind the camera. You should feel comfortable with the person documenting your family.
Most of the moms who book sessions with me have followed me online or spent time on my website before we ever meet. It’s incredibly common for a mom to walk up to me at her session, immediately hug me and say, “I feel like I already know you.”
That connection matters.
Look for Connection in Their Family Photography
When you’re looking through an Atlanta family photographer’s portfolio, don’t just look for pretty light and beautiful locations.
Look at the people.
Is Mom actually in the photographs?
Do the children look comfortable?
Do you see genuine expressions and physical connection between family members?
Can you imagine your own family in those images?
My goal has never been to make children perform for my camera. I meet them exactly where they are.
If your toddler is shy and wants to bury their face into your shoulder, that’s where we start. If your child needs time before they want anything to do with me, they get time.
I learned very early in my career that forcing a child into a pose they don’t want to be in almost never creates a photograph worth keeping.
The good stuff happens when we let kids be who they are.
Your Kids Shouldn’t Have to “Behave” for Family Photos
This is something I talk to parents about before almost every session.
Unless your child is doing something genuinely disrespectful that requires you to step in and parent them, I don’t want you worrying about correcting them during your family photos.
You don’t need to tell them to smile.
You don’t need to point toward my camera and say, “Look! Look! Look!”
And you definitely don’t need to spend your entire session stressed because your three-year-old is acting exactly like a three-year-old.
Your kids just met me. If they’re already hearing constant instructions from Mom and Dad and then a stranger with a giant camera starts giving them even more instructions, they’re going to get overwhelmed.
Instead, I want you loving on them, talking to them and enjoying your family.
I’ll take care of the rest.
Find a Photography Style You’ll Still Love Years From Now
Editing style matters, too.
My own photography has evolved quite a bit over 16 years, but I’ve settled into a much more timeless editing style with beautiful, natural tones.
I pay close attention to light, skin tones, clothing and the landscape around you. I want all of those things to complement your family rather than overpower them.
When you’re choosing a photographer, look through several full sessions if you can. You want to know that the work is consistent and that the style you’re seeing is something you’ll still want hanging in your home years from now.
Ask What the Entire Family Photography Experience Includes
When you’re comparing photographers, remember that you’re not only comparing the hour spent taking pictures.
For my Atlanta family photography sessions, I help families prepare before we ever meet. You’ll receive styling guidance, and I create a style board with clothing ideas and links based on the answers you give me in your questionnaire.
I also choose my outdoor locations intentionally.
Instead of asking families to choose from a giant list, I select locations based on the light, season and time of day because knowing how a location photographs is part of my job.
After your session, your images are individually edited and your finished gallery is typically delivered within three weeks.
All of those things are part of the experience you’re investing in.
Why Family Photography Prices Can Be So Different
You’ll find Atlanta family photographers at almost every price point.
My own family sessions currently range from $625 to $850, depending on the session.
When you’re comparing a $250 session with a $625 session, don’t assume you’re paying hundreds of dollars more for the same hour of photography.
You’re paying for the entire experience.
You’re paying for years of experience behind the camera. In my case, that’s 16 years of learning how to work with different families, lighting situations and approximately eight billion toddler moods.
You’re also paying for planning, communication, styling assistance, travel, photographing your session, culling your images and the hours spent editing your finished gallery.
Price shouldn’t be the only reason you choose someone. Look at what you’re actually receiving and decide what matters most to your family.
The Right Atlanta Family Photographer Should Put You at Ease
I always grab what I jokingly call the “grandma pose” at the beginning of my sessions.
You know the one.
Everybody together. Everybody looking. The photograph Grandma absolutely wants.
After that?
We move.
I may place your family somewhere because I know the light is beautiful or bring you together in a certain way, but I’m not interested in spending an hour forcing everyone into stiff poses.
I want movement. I want connection. I want your kids climbing into your lap. I want the little things your family does naturally.
Because the right family photographer should make you feel completely at ease. Almost like you’re spending time with a friend who just happens to have a camera in her hand.
And when you receive your gallery, I don’t just want you to think, “These are beautiful.”
I want you to feel seen.
I want you to look at your children and realize how quickly they’re changing. I want you to see the way they fit against you right now, the expressions they make and the tiny pieces of this season you don’t realize you’re going to miss yet.
And I want you to be really, really glad you didn’t wait.
If you’re looking for an Atlanta family photographer and this sounds like the kind of experience you want for your family, I’d love to photograph this season for you.
