Here are the top 5 reasons why you may NOT want to hire me to photograph your family.
I know what you’re thinking…. What? Shouldn’t you list the top 5 reasons why one SHOULD hire you to photograph their family? Nope, I want to tell you why you SHOULD NOT hire me!
And in this post, I’ll be including images from a recent session with one of my favorite returning families! We have done a photo session every year since their oldest was born! I love that this couple loves to have their sessions right in the comfort of their very own backyard.
And can you blame them, they have an amazing backyard! This would have been the yard of my dreams when I was little!
I love that this Mom and Dad value having images that portray a glimpse into their everyday lives. If you follow my work then you know this is where my heart is when it comes to photographing families!
1. You want Pinterest-Perfect images of your family in a field at sunset while wearing perfectly curated and coordinating outfits.
Sure, it’s ok to go buy everyone a new coordinating outfit but the last thing I want a family (Mom) to worry about is having to put together the perfect wardrobes and spend money on new clothes for everyone. I know firsthand what a stressful process that can be!
I prefer if you wear your favorite comfy jeans and sweaters or hoodies and let your kids wear what they want. Yes, even if that means a superhero cape or they refuse to wear shoes.
And I’d love to get photos during the golden hour, but our goal is not to be Pinterest-Perfect! Our goal is to capture fun images of you with your family, being your awesome selves dressed in the kind of clothes you would wear the other 364 days of the year.
Check out this blog post to read more about what I think YOU SHOULD WEAR for a family photo session. And although I will not curate a wardrobe for you, I will still give you some guidance on what to wear!
Mostly because I want to make sure I do not show up to find you all wearing the same white button-down shirts and jeans. 😆
2. You want everyone to smile perfectly while looking into the camera.
While I will get a few of those kinds of images that Grandma will love, or to make your profile photo on Facebook, I will mostly capture moments of your family hanging out and having fun together.
I shoot a mix of lightly posed and candid images during your photo session. While I will give you some direction, I will not be posing your family together the whole time I am there.
And I do not expect everyone to be smiling and pretending to be happy the whole time I am there! It’s more than ok for your kids to express all of their emotions…which leads me to #3…
3. You expect your children to be on their very best behavior.
I prefer that you let them just be themselves and act like a kid. Begs, bribes and threats do not have to be a part of our photo session!
Check out this blog post with 5 TIPS TO TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF FAMILY PHOTOS, or maybe this one about NOT WORRYING ABOUT YOUR KIDS BEHAVIOR during a family photo session.
4. You would like me to edit out all of the flaws you see in yourself and your home/yard.
I know it is easier said than done, but I want you to embrace and love yourself (and your home), just the way they are. Unfortunately, I am not the type of photographer that will edit your skin to look flawless and I will not edit out all of the things in the background.
You do not have to look like a model and your yard does not have to be perfectly manicured and your home does not have to look like a page from an Ikea catalog. I want you to embrace your imperfectly-perfect real life.
5. You prefer perfectly styled and curated over embracing who you really are.
So lastly, I want you to not only embrace real life but to embrace all of the quirks that make you and your family unique! I do not want the results of your family photo session to look like a box on a Pinterest board that looks just like all of the other family photos out there, because your family is not like every other family out there.
You and your family are unique, so let’s embrace and photograph that!
So those are a few reasons why you may not want to hire me as your family photographer.
If you want a photographer that will curate and style the perfect wardrobe for your family, help you coordinate an appointment for hair and makeup, and then perfectly pose your family in a field at sunset, then there are many talented photographers in the Pittsburgh area that would love to work with you!
Please note that there is absolutely nothing wrong with going in that direction for your family photo session and it will most likely result in some very lovely images!
However, if you prefer a laid-back photo session in your own yard or in your own house where you and your kids get to dress in comfy clothes and embrace real life, then I would love to work with you and get you on my schedule!
Check out my galleries of images and go read more details about a family photo session with me.
If you’re looking for a family photographer in Cranberry Township or North of Pittsburgh, please get in touch to inquire about a session! I’d love to plan a photo session for your unique family!
Here are some other blog posts that you will want to read!
Are you on Instagram? I’d love to connect with you there!
All images by Mary Beth Miller Photography
Mary Beth Miller Photography specializes in family and newborn photography in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and many of the surrounding areas. Mary Beth has over thirteen years of experience photographing families, newborns and babies in Pittsburgh including Valencia, Mars, Wexford, Seven Fields, Warrendale, Bradford Woods and Adams Township Her style is very relaxed and natural and your family session will feel like a stress-free Sunday afternoon with your family!
