The perfect portrait of you and your loved ones must not only accurately capture your unique personalities, but must also showcase your individual looks under a flattering light. You’ll be living with these family portraits for the rest of your life, so it’s important you choose the right picture professional. Here’s what to look for in a portrait photographer around the Twin Cities metro area:
● Style
What type of portrait are you looking for? A headshot for a business website? Snapshots of your newborn you want to announce to relatives? A family group picture to hang in the living room? While any competent professional can take any kind of photo, you want to look for one who specializes in the type of picture you want. Ask to look at the portfolio to see what the majority of pictures emphasize so you can locate an expert who specializes in the portrait you want.
At CLIX Portrait Studios, we have years of experience capturing all kinds of family portraits to fit our clients’ needs and personalities.
● Setting
Portraits can be taken in the studio, at an indoor setting such as your home, or at an outdoor location like a park. Where do you want to have yours taken, and do you have time to spend at an offsite location? Even if you have your portrait taken at home, which involves no travel, you’ll still have to spend time and effort setting things up for the camera. Do the photos taken in your preferred location reveal that the photographer has the requisite equipment, experience, and skill for that area?
● Experience
Believe it or not, many photographers take pictures only during their spare time because they need to earn a living in a day job. While they may have a passion for portraits, they will definitely not have the experience of a professional, full-time photographer, like ours at CLIX. In addition, they may lack backup equipment in case of failure, assistants to answer the phone if you have questions, and business insurance to address any problems. They may not also be able to devote their full attention to your service because they’re more dedicated to the job at which they earn a living.
Ask your photographer if he or she is a photographer full time and how many years they’ve been operating the business.
● Planning
Are the photographers that you’re considering willing to meet with you ahead of time to discuss the locations, poses, clothing, and ideas that go into a perfect portrait? Such advanced planning can be invaluable in creating a picture session that doesn’t waste time, especially if you have kids in tow.
Ask him or her about the logistics of the setting and how they plan to deal with your rambunctious children or fussy newborn. The more time you allow for planning, the more likely it is that you’ll get the picture that you want.
Need more information about family portrait photography or taking portraits in general? Or do you want to get started in scheduling a session? Please contact us today at CLIX Portrait Studios, located in Plymouth, Minnesota.