Five Questions To Ask Your Photographer Before Your Family Portraits

Pre-Session Questions to Ask Your Photographer

One of the most important things to make sure you have a GREAT experience with your Photographer is to be on the same page. This is especially the case if you have worked with a different Photographer in the past or if it is your first time taking family portraits. Every Photographer does things a little differently than the next and being on the same page is important. Here are five questions to ask your Photographer before the start of the session.

Make Sure To Address Any Questions You Have About The Contract

One of the most important topics of discussion, before the start of the session, is to address any issues you may have with the contract. I recommend doing this well in advance of the session. And definitely not on the day of the session. Being on the same page as your Photographer is really important in setting expectations. Anything that is written in the contract is something that the Photographer thinks is important for the client to understand.

For example, most family portraits consist of a certain number of family members – say 6 people. If you happen to show up on the day of the session and have 8 people, you’d want to make sure this is OK with your Photographer.

Ask Advice on What Locations Photograph The Best

If you have never taken family portraits before, you may not know exactly what to expect. If this is the case, I recommend touching bases with your Photographer on details like the location. Certain locations photograph better than others at certain times of the day. For example, I hardly ever photograph at the beach in the middle of the day. Beach locations are best photographed in the EARLY morning or in the evening.

When Can You Expect The Images

Another important question to have answered is when you can expect the images. Most Photographers will have this information in the contract – but if this is not the case make sure you ask. Also, if you are on a deadline and need to have the images a little faster – make sure to run this by your Photographer. In most cases this is not a problem; however, there may be extra fees associated with getting your images sooner.

Can You Take My Headshot?

Another one of the most important questions to ask your Photographer before the session is if they are able to take any other images that differ from the type of session you are scheduled for. For example, taking a quick headshot at the end of the session. While it may not seam like a huge deal, there is more that goes into taking a headshot than just snapping a quick picture of you because your Photographer has a camera. For example, I shoot and edit headshots MUCH differently than I do family portraits… the same goes for breaking away and doing a few engagement portraits, etc. Make sure to run all of this by your Photographer beforehand.

Can I Bring Our Dog?

Last but not least, another you will want to ask if including your dog in the photos will be OK. Nine times out of ten, it will not be a problem at all. However, some locations do not allow dogs. You do not want to show up and be turned away because of this 😉 Giving your Photographer a heads up will also allow them the opportunity to bring any accessories that will help get their attention.

Hopefully these five questions to ask your Photographer before your family portraits have been helpful. Thanks!