In-Studio Family Portraits – Things To Consider

Four Things To Consider When Taking In-Studio Family Portraits

Deciding on the “look” you’d like to have for your portraits is an important thing to consider. There are all kinds of different backgrounds for outdoor locations. The beach, a park, and near a stream all make for great backgrounds. In-studio family portraits have a very different feel to them. Here are some of the things to consider when scheduling in-studio portraits.

Pro: Everything is VERY Controlled

Perhaps the biggest pro with in-studio sessions is that almost every factor is controlled. You do not need to worry about the wind messing up your hair. If it is cold or is raining, this doesn’t matter. And the Photographer can dial in consistent, soft lighting. These are all really great things. Depending on the day of your session, outdoor portraits can pose challenges in all of these areas.

Simple, Plain Background

The obvious thing with in-studio family portraits is that the background is plain and simple. Depending on the look you want for your images, this can be a good or a bad thing. If you plan on taking a family portrait each year, that is easily repeatable, an in-studio session is great. However, if you’re looking to capture fun and candid photos at a beautiful location – the beach may be better 🙂

Not A Lot Of Space For Children

One of the things I have noticed about scheduling sessions in-studio, is that smaller children can feel a little constricted. When I photograph children, sometimes the only way to get them to open up is to let them run around, jump off of things, etc. If your session is in-studio, children between the ages of 2-4 may feel a little restricted. I typically have music playing in the background and we will make the session as fun as possible – but it takes most children a little while to warm up.

The Session Can Be MUCH Quicker

Another great thing about in-studio family portraits is that they are much quicker. Since we will not need to move from spot-to-spot, we are able to get through more poses and groups much quicker than an outdoor session. 30 minutes is typically more than enough time to get all of the different groups.

PRO TIP: One other thing to consider is that with in-studio portraits, you’ll receive your images MUCH faster. Since the lighting will be the same in all of the images, this is relatively easy to edit.

If you are looking to schedule family portraits, I would love to connect with you. The best way to reach out to me is through the contact form on my website. Thanks!