I know, I know, you read this post title and are thinking ‘Miss Freddy, you’re a professional photographer. Of course you’re going to tell me to buy photos AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE! HIRE A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR EVERYTHING!”
Nope. I’m not going to say that. That’s completely unrealistic. I know hiring a photographer is expensive. I know you have plenty of places to spend your money. So, how often should you get professional photos? Here’s my honest opinion (and bonus! my reasoning why).
how often to get professional photos
GET FAMILY PHOTOS ONCE A YEAR
There you have it. The short answer: get professional photos once a year.
In my opinion, one annual photo session is the perfect goal. If for no other reason than you’ll have a photo for your holiday card. Beyond that, though, you’ll have new photos to display in your home and a solid ‘go to’ for all the various projects/requests for a family photo throughout the year. Your son’s school bulletin board, your daughter’s study abroad application, a photo for your cubicle, a gift for the grandparents… your facebook profile photo. In my experience, all of these things can be satisfied with one great annual family photo.
It seems obvious, but be sure to get individual photos of the kids from this session, in addition to the family portrait. After their first year of life [see below], once a year is enough to document the significant changes.
BABY’S FIRST YEAR
New parents are under a lot of pressure to get ALL THE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS (thank you, social media). Clearly I personally enjoy documenting monthly milestones, but there’s no need for elaborate photo sessions that frequently. Here are the times I think are most worthwhile:
- Newborn: absolutely. Babies change SO VERY QUICKLY. The adorable squishy, sleeping phase is fleeting and those brand new moments are critical to document. Plus, EVERYONE wants to see photos of your new baby [and they’re not as easy to take as you think]!
- 6 months (or so): wait until baby can sit on their own for the next photo session, but before they are crawling. The photos will be dramatically different than the newborn session. Babies are so expressive at this age!
- 12 months: this session will also be dramatically different because it features baby’s mobility! Most babies are crawling by their first birthday, but occasionally some babies are walking. ‘On the go’ photos are really fun. Or a cake smash!
[Sales Pitch: my The First Year package encompasses the milestones above for a discounted price!]
Other common milestones are 3 & 9 months, except in my opinion there’s not enough change in the baby to make this a priority. However, if you want me to photograph your child at these ages… ABSO-fricken-LUTELY! Happy, not-yet-mobile babies are the BEST!
SENIOR YEAR
As camera gear gets more & more accessible, I’m seeing a lot of DIY senior photos. Please spend the money on a professional senior session. It’s an enormous milestone in life. It should be documented beautifully. You’re not going to get this chance again [headshots aside, I’ve never seen Mom/Dad pay for an individual photo shoot of their 30-something child].
WEDDINGS
Don’t skimp here. Hire a professional. It makes an enormous difference.
What do you think? Is it time to get some updated family photos with Miss Freddy?
Great! I can’t wait to capture beautiful & timeless images of your fun-loving family! You can learn more about me, my style & my pricing HERE!
