Sarah Jane Photography. Nowra Family Photographer.

Choosing a photographer can be a bit like choosing a doctor or a dentist. Granted, this is not going to make the difference between whether you live or die or get ill or stay well, but it is still someone that you want to choose carefully, considering whether they are the best fit for you and your family. Your photographer is likely to be someone that you build a relationship with, not just see once and never hear from them again. They may cover many important events and moments in your life, such as engagements, birthdays, weddings, births, milestones and regular family photos. Just as these moments are priceless for you and your loved ones, so to, your photographer should fully appreciate their value and importance and even share in your excitement.

Finding a photographer that you trust and feel at ease with, is extremely important. Below are a few tips that you should consider.

1.Do you like their photos and editing style?

When searching for a photographer, I highly recommend that you check out their galleries, portfolio, website and social media pages to get a better understanding of their style. Then ask yourself. Do their photos make you feel something?
Are they candid and relaxed? Sharp or blurry? Moody or light and airy? Do you like the poses they used, the angles and does the overall look appeal to you? Every photographer has a unique style and approach, to both running their sessions and editing their images. The idea is to find one that “speaks” to you and that will best convey the uniqueness that is your family.

2. Are they creative and flexible?

Will this photographer go the extra mile to get different shots, or to persevere with a difficult shot? Are they able to adapt and create something amazing from any situation that arises? Will they consider and try to accommodate your expectations and ideas? Is the shoot location flexible? Do they have any experience relating to small children? All of these questions are worth asking. If it is not evident from their website or social media, do not be afraid to ask! Ask them what they will do if a child throws a tantrum. Ask them what happens if the baby won’t stop crying.

Nobody wants a photographer who cannot adapt to screaming kids or annoying relatives and won't even consider your idea for a fun family shot.

5 things to look for when choosing a photographer

3. Do they have a good reputation?

Ask around. Talk to the past clients of the photographer. Everyone knows that word of mouth is THE best advertisement and often people will readily tell you if they were unhappy with a service. How were they to deal with? Do they deliver on time? Are they reliable and trustworthy? Did you feel comfortable with them during and after the shoot? How did your children respond to them?

4. What do they specialise in?

This is a no brainer really. Just as you wouldn't go to a GP for a tooth filling, you may not ask a newborn photographer to shoot your wedding. (NB. Many photographers cross over in their areas of expertise and are very capable of doing multiple different events and genres. And they will always take a much better photo than Uncle Bill with his 20year old camera who offered to shoot your wedding!) Photographers often specialise in certain areas eg. weddings/newborn/family/branding etc. Often they will be more passionate, creative and experienced in the area that they specialise in. I mean, people are often good at and work hard at something which they love. They will likely have invested both time and money into honing their craft and continuing to learn to improve their skills, in the area they have chosen to specialise in.

5. Are they relatable?

To have amazing and meaningful photos, you need to feel comfortable and at ease with the person taking them; as much as possible. Can they make easy conversation with you? Do you have common traits/interests or connections? If you are after a family photographer, can they easily chat with and interact with your children? Do they have children of their own? How much of their life have they made available for you to learn about them? The more they have freely shared, the better an understanding, you can gain about them as a person. The more you understand about something, you more you trust it and like it. My personal point of view is this. How can I expect someone to be vulnerable in front of my camera (and let’s face it, most people are,) if I am not completely willing to be open, transparent and vulnerable on my end? If I am prepared to share my life with them, they are more likely to feel ready and at ease with sharing their life, with me.

So when it comes time to choosing a photographer for your family, do yourself an enormous favour and consider these 5 aspects. They will make your experience not only 100X better, but actually enjoyable, fulfilling and rewarding. Finding the perfect fit for your family is crucial to creating meaningful and memorable photos.