Question on Yearly Family Photos...

Y

yari

Sweet Shoppe Designer
Do you hire a professional photographer, ask a friend to take them, or take them yourself with a tripod and timer or something? Do all of these options have the same value to you or is there one that you prefer over the other for the turnout? I hope I'm making sense.

Here's my ordeal. I REALLY want family pictures of us, great ones, not just your every day kind. I tried taking pictures of us with the help of a friend (unfortunately she knew nothing about photography) and she kept changing the settings on the camera by mistake. The result... not appealing in the least. And I was SO BUMMED! It took me the entire stinking day to get my family ready for the "photoshoot" only to have nothing in return. Anyway, so I decided to hire a local photographer who is GREAT. But I know that photographers are pricey (for a really good reason). Only problem is, we just bought a house and cannot necessarily justify the family photoshoot with the professional photographer. So now I have another option. I can either spend the money anyway (it is an investment) and I know I would be completely happy with the pictures OR I can ask another friend who actually does know a thing or two about photography (though her framing is off) to take the photos and I edit them myself. What would you do if you were in my shoes?
 
unless you have 100% confidence in this 2nd friend I would make the investment and spend it on a pro :) I woudl hate for you to go through all that trouble a 2nd time and get nothing in return.....
 
nun69 said:
unless you have 100% confidence in this 2nd friend I would make the investment and spend it on a pro :) I woudl hate for you to go through all that trouble a 2nd time and get nothing in return.....
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^this. especially since you already did it the first time & weren't happy.

and i totally get you on this! hiring a pro photographer just isn't in our budget when i want family pics so we try but it's never quite as i envisioned. i'd love to get great, professional pics of our family.
 
i usually take my own with a tripod as i've had fairly good luck with it, but thus year i'll be going to my friend who is a well known wedding/portrait photographer to get ours done. i'm sick of the hassle of doing my own, haha!

i would save and invest in a real pro. notice the word "real". you should have to save to be able to afford it, that's the mark of a good photog.
 
How recently did you last get ones you were happy with? If it's been years and that's truly bothering you, then pay the professional. If you can make yourself wait a bit, go for semi good with either the friend or some place like Picture People. I know they're not the photos you're dreaming of, but you can do those in the spring.
 
I don't have any words of wisdom...I have a pro photographer friend who does ours for free.

I agree with Rachel...we've gone to Portrait Innovations when we didn't have anyone who'd take our pics and couldn't afford to hire anyone.
 
I did my own the last 3 years. Last year, I just did one quick shot of the family and that was it because I had no remote and relied on a timer (not recommended). This year, I invested in a remote and now have a good tripod (thanks to my sister & BIL) so I got several shots. However, it is hard to be the one taking photos and be in the photos as well. My brother took the photo of me and the kids and he did as I directed. The photos came out great :) It works for me and if I ever want more creative and more shots of us interacting, I would totally go with a pro photographer. It is just worth it. Honestly. Save up the money all year and use it for a pro photographer. My two cents :)
 
Why don't you try putting the camera on interval timer and setting it up on a tripod. As you can see, it worked for me. I only stepped out of the room for a moment.....
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For the past 8 years I have done them, with a tripod and/or timer, sometimes without the timer just running back and forth. It's A LOT of work, A LOT. This year, I traded with another pro photographer from here. I think it may have been the best idea ever. Do you know any others in your area who would be willing to trade?
I do still plan on taking the kids out and doing some just of them own my own.
 
I'm a photographer and I typically use my tripod and a remote for Colby and I's pictures. Once we have kids, I totally plan on hiring someone at least once a year. It's just so much easier.
 
In my mind, you are already tried doing it the least expensive and stressful way. Now you deserve the opposite... to pay someone to do the work and be happy with the result!
 
I have been thinking about this too. If you can find a professional that could possibly work with you on a payment plan, I would try that route. On a photography forum, I have seen some that are willing to work with families that really want quality "wall art" photos. It will be less stress for you and you would not have to worry with making sure everyone is in the right place while you run back to get in the photo. Amanda's suggestion is also a good one...some sort of trade with another photographer in the area.
 
nun69 said:
unless you have 100% confidence in this 2nd friend I would make the investment and spend it on a pro :) I woudl hate for you to go through all that trouble a 2nd time and get nothing in return.....
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Totally this.

I do photography for a living but I still hired out. I don't want to do them. I do enough as it is. BUT I am also a big budget girl......even though I totally believe in the investment of gorgeous family photos, I think you need to do what is best for you. Here are the two choices I would give to you......find a photographer that you like that is doing a holiday mini session special to cut down cost OR have your friend do them just knowing it may not be the best composition but at least you have them for your memories. The only thing that is NOT an option is missing the opportunity to capture your family in this stage of life. :)
 
We just went through this process ourselves. And yeah, getting ready twice with double the moans and groans from the kids was no fun. But I deemed it necessary. :)

Sometimes, my SIL will be my "button pusher." However, she isn't always comfortable taking our pictures since I want her to use my camera and she uses a different brand. We had to do a re-shoot since those didn't turn out so well.

I usually do what Amanda does... trade with a photographer friend.

But all I have her do is take the picture with my camera after I have the settings I want on it and have her also be the "attention getter" for my 3 kids. There's no way I could use a timer with 3 kids, especially with one of them being a 2-year-old. It's only a 20-30 minute time commitment since she just takes the family photo and one of me and my husband. I take the photos of my children myself. I am also the one doing all the editing. I like doing my own edits.

I am kind of psychotic when it comes to good family photos, probably because I never had any from the family that I came from. I am willing to pay for quality if I have to.
 
We had my cousin do our portraits just today. She went to college for photography, so she knows what she's doing :) and since she's family, we got a great price and more photos than she normally takes for people. I can't wait until she has the CD ready for us in a few days!
 
I just have my sister take them. lol I set up all of the settings and threaten her with bodily harm if she changes them. I've looked around to use a professional, but the ones we can afford here my kids take better photos than, and the ones that I like there's no way in heck we could justify the cost at this time.

They aren't perfect, but they work.
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MommaTrish said:
I just have my sister take them. lol I set up all of the settings and threaten her with bodily harm if she changes them. I've looked around to use a professional, but the ones we can afford here my kids take better photos than, and the ones that I like there's no way in heck we could justify the cost at this time.

They aren't perfect, but they work.
1468589_10202805408160142_1489124726_n.jpg
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awww i love seeing them side by side like that!
 
We did an exchange with a friend who's interested in photography. When we got there I found out the interest was buying a better camera than I have, but shooting on auto. After she saw the first round of photos I took she shot with my camera. ;) the light was changing, so the exposure isn't perfect, but switching back and forth between our families kept the kids from falling apart right away. Overall it went pretty well.
 
We are fortunate in that we have had the same photographer (professional) take our son's/family's photos since he was born. He is now three, and now that we've had several sessions with her - she gives us a discount! (A free session fee and discount on our prints.) So, it helps to have established this relationship with her. Plus, she has all the cool actions and filters to add to her photos, so I definitely feel like this is a valuable investment (as well as an easy but special gift for our family members.)
 
I trade with a friend too. She is not into photography, but I set it up and she just focuses and hits the button. Since we are usually only going for the Christmas card shot, it works out fine. I take a bazillion other photos during the year so I don't need to hire a photographer. Have you considered hiring someone maybe every 3 years and having a friend do the years in between? I know even trying to get my fam to cooperate for the posed card photo once a year is a challenge. My hubby and kids would never go for a pro shoot every year.
 
I think I've done every combination of the above, plus a few Target studio sessions (not too shabby. Not very original...but cute none the less!). I've been lucky in that I have several photographer friends who give us a great price. We just invested in newborn pics of my son, so no fancy photo shoot for us this year. My mom will be taking our Christmas card pictures with my dSLR!
 
Well we went ahead and invested on pro quality family photos. I have yet to see all the photos from our session but the photographer posted this on her fb page, just not quite sure how much I like how my husband and oldest daughter look on here. I do believe though that the rest are better than this one (I hope!). Wish she would have posted a different one. Fingers crossed.

mowerfam-tickles_zps22e46c4b.jpg
 
I personally love this photo. I saw it on facebook as well when you shared it. It just shows you as a family. The love and connection. I think most pro photographer aim for that to show in their photos rather than the usual smile & say cheese photo. :)

I did my own photos this year and I did have some photos where we are just laughing (and I snapped the shot with my remote). I love those photos. But I picked the one of us all looking straight ahead and smiling for the christmas card. Why? Because that's what my mom and MIL will want. I have shared photos of my kid with them where I love what I captured and they always ask "but they aren't smiling at the camera!"....sigh....
 
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