19 Family Photographers near you

Q: What do family photographer services include?

A: Family photographers got their name from the family photo sessions they offer. These photo experts work with families of all sizes and constitutions to catch unforgettable family emotions on the faces of all members. Besides people, some photographers also work with pets because many families consider the smaller friends to be a part of the family.

After the actual shooting is over, family photographers require a couple of weeks to retouch your photos and provide edited images without any drawbacks. Some photographers also create photo albums, large photo prints, and beautiful online galleries for their clients for an additional charge.

Q: How do family photographers charge?

A: The standard charging method in the industry is for a full photo session. The sessions generally last between one and three hours, letting two-hour sessions prevail. In addition to the actual session, you should also be ready that there are additional services not included in the initial cost. For example, printed photos or presence of pets are not universal services offered by all photographers.

Besides the photo services, photographers may also offer makeup and stylist to be present on set but such an addition will also influence the final charge.

Q: What is the average cost of the family photographer services?

A: Family photographers usually charge between $175 and $350 for a full session that lasts about two hours. However, most families spend about $670 for a family photo session in total due to a number of additional services. You can read more about the prices for family photo sessions in our family photographer cost guide.

Q: What factors affect the cost of the family photographer services?

A: Besides the services included in the photographer’s package, there are particular cost-affecting factors that might appear on your bill.

• Number of people. Generally, family photographers consider a family that is a group of people fewer than six. Should you have more family members, the shooting process will be more complicated and so tiresome. As a result, most photographers will charge extra for every additional participant over six.
• Presence of pets or animals. Not all photographers love working with pets so sometimes they may charge extra cash for another family member of yours.
• Extra edited images. There are always several edited photos you will get after the session. But in case you want to get more of them in high resolution and without any flaws on your faces, you will have to pay extra.
• Location. If you hire a photographer from a different city, then be ready to cover travel expenses as well. The same rule applies to the open air sessions or when a photographer takes pictures in your home instead of a studio.

Q: How to avoid dealing with a scam family photographer?

A: Scam photographer is the one who has no skills and no artistic view of the world. Hiring such a photographer means wasting your time and money on lower-than-average photos. Here are the top signs of bad family photographers:

• Natural light only. Skilled photographers know how to work with artificial light and use additional lamps to make your skin look better on the shots. Those who right off the bat declare not using artificial light usually don’t know how to use it.
• Stamp-like photos. If you browse through the albums of a photographer and notice that all the poses and arrangement of people are the same on every photo then it’s a sign of a creativity lacking. You want a photo session that will highlight your family’s personality, catch your spirit, and depict your character instead of getting some dull copypasted images.
• No prints. This is one of the basic signs of a novice to the industry. All pros know how to make prints and how important they are. Very often lack of prints on the shelf of offers equals complete lack of experience and so the lowest quality of the service possible.
• No click in your head and heart. This is not a physical sign but rather your own feeling. When you look at "your" photographer, you will feel some click in your mind. You will trust the expert and listen to the tips given. You will feel that you’re working together for the greater cause. And without this kind of "click," there is no use making a session because it will be one of the many instead of being unique.