When Should I Hire a Family Photographer?

Picture this: your daughter just lost her two front teeth, your son has a cast on his arm with colorful signatures from all his friends, and your partner is rocking a scraggly beard for no-shave-November. It’s definitely not the right time for family photos, right?

As a family photographer, I completely disagree! Now is the perfect time for a family photoshoot. In fact, any time is the perfect time for photos. These phases of life are beautiful for their mess, nuance, and uniqueness. Family photos are memorable snapshots of your kids’ childhoods, your parenting years when you’re in the thick of it, and, yes, even your partner’s unique choice of facial hair.

Family photoshoots freeze memories in time for you and your loved ones to look back on. Years down the road you won’t care about perfection, but you will care that you have images that captured the joy of your family being together in that wild season of life.

What Time of Year Should I Hire a Family Photographer?

As a New England photographer, many of my clients prefer to book photoshoots with me in the fall to capture the fall foliage. This also ensures that they have more recent images for when they’re designing their holiday cards later in the year.

However, there is no bad time to hire a family photographer. Family photographers typically have two busy seasons: spring and fall. Those that do weddings will likely also be busy straight through the summer. No matter what type of photographer you’re hiring, it’s best to reach out as early as possible to secure your date on their calendar.

Work Within Your Existing Schedule

Between sports, holidays, and work schedules, it can feel impossible to find the time for family photos. Which is why I tell all of my clients to work within their existing schedules. Look at your calendar and identify a few areas that might be more open and available, such as school vacation weeks or between sports seasons.

This advice includes day-of timing! If your toddler goes to bed by 6:30pm every night, then a sunset photoshoot at 8pm in July may not work for your schedule. Family photoshoots are all about compromise and finding the right mix of structure and flexibility that works for your family. Do you want to organize your day to accommodate a sunset timeslot or sacrifice the Golden Hour for a time that your toddler will be more agreeable?

If sunset is what you want, then let's make it work! I’m talking about snacks, toys, bribery, games, etc. Or if adjusting for a late night bedtime is just too hard, let's aim for a time when your kids will be alert, engaged, and enjoying themselves. In my experience, a bright and sunny middle of the day photoshoot may limit options for location, but will likely result in more authentic images because your whole family had fun.

Focus on Life Events

There are a few times when family photoshoots might be most beneficial, such as seasonal documentation and life events. Seasonal documentation is always fun because you can compare photos each year and watch your family grow and change right before your eyes.

Consider hiring a family photographer if your family is about to grow or has recently grown to commemorate the occasion. Engagement photos are typically organized a bit differently than family photos, but if you’re blending families or interested in having your kids involved in your engagement photos, this would also qualify as a life event.

If you have an event coming up where your extended family will all be in one location, that’s likely a good time to hire a family photographer. Half the trouble with extended family photoshoots is organizing everyone in one place with conflicting schedules. Piggyback off of an existing event and just focus on the shot list pairings.

On a more somber note, family photos are also incredibly meaningful with family members that may be experiencing failing health. Each year I get a handful of inquiries from clients who are dealing with a new diagnosis and want to memorialize their loved one with professional photos before they start treatment or their diagnosis worsens. Those photoshoots, though heartwrenching and bittersweet, are also sometimes filled with so much joy and appreciation. They’re focusing on the now, living in the moment, and honoring their loved one while they still have them. Prioritizing family photos while your loved ones are healthy and able can make all the difference down the road.

Are You Ready to Hire a Family Photographer?

Finding the right photographer for your family may take a little research. Like any artistic medium, photography is subjective. What you love about one photographer’s style, may not work for someone else. Shop around a bit: ask your friends for suggestions, do a location-specific search on social media, and send out a few inquiries.

When you’re ready to hire a family photographer, think about your research in the following three stages:

Stage 1: Focus on location, style, and cost when choosing a photographer.

How far are you willing to go? What style do you like best and does the photographer you’re contacting do that? What is your budget?

Stage 2: Focus on personality, communication, and availability.

Do you vibe with the photographer you contacted? Are they transparent about packages, pricing, and everything included in a session? Are they available during your requested dates?

Stage 3: Focus on booking in advance and preparing for the big day!

Make sure you reach out well in advance of the busy seasons to secure your dates! And follow up with your photographer for what props to bring, style questions, location and time confirmation etc. Most photographers will provide all of this information up front, but if they don’t, you should definitely reach out before your shoot.

Abigail Egan Photography offers family photography sessions all year round. Let me tell the authentic story of your family through images and give you something to look back on for years to come. Reach out today to schedule your family photoshoot!