Chicagoland Family Photographer

I will always tell couples 2 pieces of advice with wedding photography. That advice lends itself to all photography; newborn, first birthday, lifestyle, studio, portrait, outdoor, sunset sessions, milestone…. you get the picture. Your photographer ends up being a big part of that time. You spend a lot of time getting ready, picking out clothing, blocking out time from busy schedules and in some cases, like weddings, this time cannot be recreated.
My two pieces of advice:
1. Make sure they not only love their photographers work but that they enjoy working with and being around their photographer. They are around you ALL day.  Aside from weddings, your photographer is still around you for a long time. With newborns, they will be close to you for a few hours. And you need to trust them with that new life. If the kiddos love having them over or heading to their studio, that’s a HUGE plus, because it is now fun to see the photographer and they are comfortable with them.
2. Make sure your photographer is aiding and providing you long term preservation and display of your images. Please inquire about the details of the album provided for your wedding, or products for any session. An image is only as good as the paper it is printed on and today we can add the proper care of the digital file. Imagine going to a favorite gourmet restaurant, you order their signature dish and they throw you the box of ingredients. Yes, the ingredient selection is important but unless you are a skilled chef, and honestly unless you are THAT skilled chef, it will not taste the same. Sometimes it just doesn’t taste the same if you don’t eat in their fabulous atmosphere.
Part of your photographers job is to provide their knowledge of proper display and proper output methods.I would rather see less professional work done per family at a higher quality. We all have phones in our pockets now for the other stuff.
It’s an honor to watch a family grow and get to know them. I know I am doing a good job when I get invited by the kids to stay for dinner and when they are sad to see our session end.
Chat with your photographer on the phone, or if you are looking at hiring me, I love a reason to meet up at the local coffee shop. I also will stop by clients homes to help with the daunting task of picking out clothing for the session as well as ideas on where to consider placing their portraits, because that is overwhelming.
See this families images on the wall in their own home here.