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family photo shoot {final favorites}

January 17, 2011 by 29 Comments

family sitting on suitcases family photo shoot {final favorites}

Tim’s cousins Megan and Lacey recently did a photo shoot for us. They don’t have a biz (yet), but they have super nice cameras and a flair for the creative (as you can clearly see).

looking up with leaves family photo shoot {final favorites} big smile family photo shoot {final favorites} sitting pretty in a tree family photo shoot {final favorites} standing with a smile family photo shoot {final favorites}

I want to make it a goal to get professional family photos taken at least once a year (and I’m not talkin’ Picture People).

Have you ever hired a professional photographer? What was your experience like (and how much did it cost)? How often do you get family photos taken?

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  • http://www.theopinionatedmama.com Janelle – The Opinionated Mama

    These are wonderful! And I love that you are sitting on suitcases for that first photo, so fitting! Your girls are darling and I love your boots! I have been drooling since your post about them.

    We also try to get professional photos about once a year. We are one of the lucky families that have a wonderful friend who does it for free (we make sure to get him a lobster gram to thank him!). But around here it is not unheard of to pay $300-400 for a 2 hour session with about 30 edited images on CD.

  • Becca

    I love that your 4yo is such a poser, yet she doesn’t have a big fake grin (well, in most of the photos). It gives me hope that my 3yo will grow out of her “picture smile” soon.

    • Stephanie

      She has plenty of those squinty-eyed, squished-cheeks smiles too. I think fake photo smiles are one of the “trademarks” of being a toddler/preschooler, no? :)

  • http://blog.suchthespot.com/ darcie-such the spot

    I love that first one; the Christmas lights in the background add just the perfect amount of whimsy!

    Like you, I cherish our family photographs. I think they’re so important that I’m willing to spend gads of money to get really great ones. We seem to get ours done about once every two years.

    • Stephanie

      I agree! I’m typically a big saver, but I make an exception for photography.

      Since it’s not possible to ever “go back” and see your kids (or yourself) growing up, I want to capture TODAY as much as I can. In essence, photos “freeze history” and make memories more vivid in the future.

  • http://www.workingmomjournal.com Blessing

    You parent’s are too lucky. Love the setting.

  • NancyS

    I need a new family photo to replace the old one I took down from the wall(too difficult to look at everyday). Really, I’d just love some pics of me and the girls to display.

    Your pics are lovely!

  • http://www.allisonannejohnson.com Allison

    I recently started portfolio building my own photography, and am so frustrated that I do not have many photographs of us as a family because I am always behind the camera. What I really want (and now do myself) is a photographer to give/sell me just the digital files, at a reasonable price. It seems like all of the ones I want to hire for our family photos only want to sell prints, and want to charge an arm and a leg for them.

    I think I should make this a goal of my own, family photos, once every year. I hate the cost, but the memories are worth it.

    • Stephanie

      I love that you sell the digital files, Allison!

      I am the same way. I don’t care much about the prints. What I really want is the electronic images (so that I can edit, re-size, and print photos myself). I hope more photographers head in that direction…

    • http://carrollphotography.shutterfly.com/ Kara

      I’ve had this discussion with many of my photographer friends, especially lately. I am one of the few who does sell the digital files (I include a CD with all the edited images with my session fee of $75), but I think because I do photography just as a side interest (and mostly for charity work, donating portions of the proceeds to different organizations.) I think when you have to do it for a living, it gets a lot harder to provide that kind of service and make enough money. I know for some its a quality concern too, bad prints don’t make your photography look very good or help your business, so some photogs prefer to control the print quality.

      Stephanie, your family photos are wonderful! Tim’s cousins should definitely start a biz, I’d hire them! We do family photos once a year, but I trade with my one of my favorite photog friends- she does our family pictures, I do hers!

      • Stephanie

        Trading family photo shoots with another photographer is a fantastic idea!

  • http://www.frugalfitandfabulous.blogspot.com Kathie @ Frugal, Fit and Fabulous

    Love the photos. I think getting pictures yearly from a professional is a great idea. I should really think about that myself.

  • http://www.discoverystreet.blogspot.com ruthy

    only at my wedding! but the experience and results are so much fun! i think its worth the expense!

    happy birthday btw!! :)

  • http://www.colorado-mama.blogspot.com Tiffany

    Beautiful pictures! I just love how blond your girls are!

  • http://www.lettners.blogspot.com Nini Lettner

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! Happy Happy Birthday! If I were near I would bring you a cupcake and sing to you in person…although the singing may not be much of a gift :)

    LOVE these pictures! We have had pictures taken as a family….we are blessed to have SUCH a talented friend take pictures for us. Jessica has SUCH a gift and…it may be time for a new photo shoot when you land in the Santa Cruz area :) You can see her talent at http://www.gigglebean.com. She captures such amazing moments…and her prices are among the best in the business around here (her price of $300 includes a CD with all edited images – typically between 100-150 pictures!).

    Hope you have an amazing day!! Happy Birthday!

    • Stephanie

      I totally just bookmarked gigglebean.com for future reference. Her prices ARE reasonable…and her work is beautiful. Thanks for the recommendation!

  • http://www.stickyfingerprints.com Christine Jensen

    That is darling! We don’t do professional photos…I wish we did, but they cost too much. I just posted some photos of my kids today on my blog too :)

  • http://www.thedrunkenhousewife.com Brandi

    Your pictures are great. We are so bad about getting pictures taken anywhere or by anyone other than me. we always intend to, but we never do. I guess there are worse things we could do!

  • http://mybusychildren.com/ Marina @ My Busy Children

    I always try to save on photos. the worst thing – we never had a professional photo shoot

  • Joy

    We have never gotten a professional family photo done. We MUST this year. I love these pictures of you guys, they did a great job capturing you all.

  • http://ryanandabbygreen.blogspot.com abby

    LOVE your photos!! The old suitcases and the boots are such great touches! :) We had family photos taken before Christmas by a friend who has snazzy cameras. It was lots of fun. In fact, I should do a blog post soon of the results! :)

    • Stephanie

      Please do! I’d love to see them!

  • Melinda J

    We try to get ‘real’ pictures done at least once per year. It’s a splurge, but I think it’s completely worthwhile.

  • http://parenthood.phibian.com Mary @ Parenthood

    We’ve had “professional” photos taken on my husband’s side of the family when Erika was first born and then when her sister was born (shortly after our daughter Elizabeth).

    Both were at Sears, hence the quotes. The first time was a pretty good experience but the last time the photographer was terrible and told us it was impossible to get a good picture of the three little girls together. News to me since I do so every month for a family calendar! Mind you she had a point because she yelled at the kids to get their attention and then wondered why they cried!

    My husband, Elizabeth and I also had our picture taken for our church photo directory. That was a disaster; photographer was in a hurry and also of the theory that if you yell at a small child it will startle them into looking. All our photos had a very cranky Elizabeth in them and they wondered why we declined to pay their exhorbitant prices at the end for our very own copy!

    So far I’ve preferred to take our own although that has meant very few of the three of us. Maybe once my parents actually head overseas.

  • http://www.culturemami.com Marcela

    I love love love your pictures! All of you look great!

    I have always wanted to take professional shots but just never get around to it…always,either time or money get in the way.

    Maybe soon?…..

  • http://www.ayearwithmomanddad.com JulieK

    Yes, we do go to a professional photographer – but luckily it’s a friend of the family and we barter – I write for him and he does photos for me! :) It all works out – b/c I would never be able to afford professional photos otherwise! :)
    My sis and bro-in-law are also good amateur photographers so I might have them do some “photo shoots” in the future.
    Your photos are amazing! What great coloring!

  • Bob Hitchcock

    Tim & Steph – So soon you forget about the professional sitting that I did with your family. You might post some of those as an example of pro photos. I would greatly appreciate you telling all of your experience with Design Photography -Tucson 298-7007 . By the way – we almost always have a Family Special for families to save a little on those professional portraits. In this digital age it is sad that more families do not have a professional sitting every few years. Those memories dissappear and fly buy if you do not take the time to capture the family as they grow. How vividly I remember our time with your family creating those images at the Creek.
    Design Photography’s slogan – Memories for a lifetime! Guaranteed 520-298-7007 Tucson

  • http://www.kathymomofmany.blogspot.com Kathy

    When your children are as young as yours, nice photos are something that should be done more frequently, say, annually. I just had some taken by an “up and coming” young fashion photog who I’ve known for years in our homeschooling community. He charged $125 for our whole family photo session. He edited them and then gave me the disc with the photos to do with it what I choose. He signed a release form so I can get them printed anywhere. You might try contacting a community college and ask for students who won’t charge much, or a homeschool support group who can recommend someone. So many young people are into photography today that it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one who is reasonably priced.

    • Stephanie

      It’s so nice that professional-quality photography equipment is mainstream now. It certainly makes it much more feasible for a family on a budget to get incredible photos at a fraction of the cost.