10 Important Roles of a Calgary Family Photographer
Family photography captures memories and milestones that can be cherished for a lifetime. As a Calgary family photographer, I will capture these memories in a way that reflects the unique character of each family. Here are some key points that highlight the role of a family photographer:
1. Preserving Family Legacy
Family photography is not just about capturing memories, it’s also about preserving family legacy. As a Calgary family photographer, I want to not only preserve your memories, but capture a family’s appearance, their relationships, personalities and how the family changes over time to keep their legacy alive for generations to come. These images will not only capture a family’s history, but will also evoke emotions and memories that will be preserved in their images.
2. Capturing Extended Families
Part of being a Calgary family photographer is photographing big extended families and I love it! When everyone is together for an occasion or the occasion is to have family pictures done. These sessions are wonderful to create images like grandparents with all their grandkids, all the cousins together, just the grandparents, each family unit and of course big group shots with everyone in it. These pictures are useful to all the family members and goes back to my first point about preserving family legacy.
3. Knowing the best locations around Calgary
A big role for me as a Calgary family photographer is to know where to go. Most of my clients do not have a location in mind, so I am happy to make suggestions. Calgary is a beautiful city with many fantastic locations for family photography. We have numerous beautiful parks, cool urban spaces with interesting textures and colours, as well as hidden away spots that aren’t as well known. When my clients reach out to book a session and need some location ideas I will email them 3 – 5 ideas with my scout shots to help them visualize the area. We find the location that best suits their needs and personality.
4. Customizing each Session
No two families are alike, and their photography sessions should reflect that. As a Calgary family photographer, I take the time to get to know each family and customize each session to their individual needs and preferences. Some families may have a specific purpose for the session such as capturing a growth milestone of a child, an anniversary, graduation or even re-creating a past picture. Whatever it is, I want to collaborate with my clients and create images that are unique to each family and reflect their individual stories.
5. Providing Guidance & Posing Suggestions
Another job as a Calgary family photographer is to provide suggestions to my clients on how to pose, how to interact with each other and how to use the environment to create great images. I have many ideas and experience with dynamic compositions that I bring to each photo shoot and work with families to create beautiful pictures. By guiding families in posing, I take the pressure off and help them feel confident and at ease. Some families may feel awkward or self-conscious in front of the camera, so I provide positive feedback and encourage them to relax and have fun throughout the photo shoot.
6. Capturing Candid & Posed Images
It’s important to capture both candid and posed portraits to create a comprehensive collection of images. A highlight of being a Calgary family photographer is the ability to photograph a variety of different types of images during a single photo session. In addition to capturing candid moments, I also need to be able to produce well-composed and well-lit posed portraits. This includes individual portraits, the kids together and group portraits of the entire family. These posed portraits showcase the family’s connection and provide a more formal and polished aspect to the collection of images.
7. Calgary Family Photographer who provides Professional Quality
While everyone has a camera these days, there is a big difference between taking a snapshot and creating a professional quality family photo. As a Calgary family photographer, I have the skills, equipment and experience to create images that are high quality and will stand the test of time.
To achieve professional quality images, I have professional cameras and lenses, as well as advanced editing software. This allows me to create images that are sharp, vibrant, and well-exposed. My experience shows in my understanding of composition, lighting and the ability to work with a family to showcase their unique relationships and bring out their natural expressions to create aesthetically pleasing and emotionally impactful images.
8. Delivering Display Worthy Images
I always hope after a session that my clients don’t just store their images on the USB drive I provide. My wish is for everyone to have some family photos on their wall, where they can find joy in seeing the faces of loved ones every day.
I provide my clients with a variety of print options, including professional grade enlargements, canvases, plaques and photo albums. This allows each family to choose the print option that best suits their needs and their home decor. Here is an article that goes more in-depth on the variety of choices.
I can also provide guidance on how to best display each family’s images, taking into account factors such as lighting, wall colour, and room size. This ensures that each family is able to create a stunning visual display of their memories and relationships. Here is another article that talks about displaying your pictures.
9. Providing a Personal Touch
I like to talk to my families while we explore the location and take pictures. Getting to know my clients is enjoyable for me as a Calgary family photographer and also creates a more relaxed and casual atmosphere, which lends to better images and natural smiles.
I understand that children can sometimes be shy or nervous during a photo shoot, so I always come prepared with some candy to help bring out their smiles and make the experience more enjoyable. The treat is a great way to break the ice, and with the approval of the parents, I often make a deal with the kids to trade the candy for smiles during the shoot. This fun and lighthearted approach has proven to be very effective in helping children feel more comfortable and relaxed with me.
I never rush any session or watch the clock. Whether it’s a regular family session or an extended family session, I allow plenty of time for each family to feel comfortable, relaxed, and for those candid moments to unfold naturally. Typically, family sessions last around an hour, but I am happy to allow additional time if needed. Extended family sessions usually last an hour and a half to 2 hours, providing enough time to capture all the important combinations of family members.
10. Providing a Personal Touch
Things happen – weather changes, lighting conditions may be challenging, a little one might have a melt down or a location might have changed or be unavailable. Being able to adapt to different environments and unexpected situations while maintaining a professional demeanour is another part of being a Calgary family photographer. After 19 years of experience, I am flexible and able to handle unexpected situations that may arise during a photo shoot with a professional and positive attitude.
