Best Guide to Choosing a Toronto Family Portrait Photographer
There are a lot of family portrait photographers in Toronto, but not all are created equal. Or better said, not all practice equally--whether we’re talking about practicing good business, or high quality photography. Here’s what to look out for when you hire a family photographer for your next family portrait in Toronto, but first.. Let’s look at how much family portraits cost, and then let’s look at an example of some family portrait photographers with high quality photos!
How much do family photographers charge for family photos? Is it affordable?
Ok, so obviously if you’re reading this article you know that we can’t speak for every single photographer in Toronto, but what we can do is give you a bit of a sample, at least from the top family portrait photographers we’ve come across.
Janice Yi Photography: $475+, 2 hours, 60 photos
Lucy Literna Photography: $500+, 1 hour, 35 photos
Storey Wilkins Photography: $980+, 1 hour, 40 photos
These were our favorite 3 photographers from the top 10 photographers we looked at on Google. These photographers were chosen because of their unique photographic styles, high quality images, and quality produced vs. price paid!
Overall, if your photographer doesn’t have their own studio, expect to pay their rate, plus about $200 or so for the studio time as well. So whether these rates are affordable, depend on the quality of family portrait photographers you’re looking for. There’s an expression that says “pay the price or pay it twice”. We think that with these 3 photographers you won’t have to worry about paying it twice.
What should I look for in my family portrait photographer?
Professionalism
A photographer who cannot take any suggestions regarding what you’d like done for your photoshoot will be difficult to work with and get the photos which you are hoping for. One good way to test the professionalism of your family portrait photographer is to get them on the phone. If they are constantly swearing, or putting down other photographers, or just have a negative demeanour, take it as a red flag that you may have a bad shoot.
Personality
You want a photographer who’s open-minded and friendly! There are a lot of introverted family portrait photographers who are awesome at what they do! But for family occasions, the portrait photographer who will most likely be most comfortable will be an extrovert, which brings us to our next point.
Phone etiquette
So get your prospective family portrait photographer on a phone call to vibe them out before sending them a deposit. Any family photo photographer who refuses a quick “get to know you” phone call or a Facetime is probably a photographer who’s not very service oriented, in which case we suggest approaching a photographer whose service is more customer-centric!
A quality portfolio
How good is this photographer at making regular people look good? Never book a photoshoot without seeing the quality of work which your photographer is capable of. If a photographer’s portfolio looks a little slim, or is full of models, it may be worth asking them to see their portfolio of “everyday people”, since most photographers will only showcase their best photos, but that may not give you a good idea of what your photos might look like!
What should I expect from a family photo portrait shoot
Have fun with your photographer, make jokes and expect to smile and laugh
If you’re not smiling and laughing with your photographer, your images might come out less than ideal. Unless you’re going for a serious Addam’s family kind of vibe.
Expect your photographer to give you direction
They may pose you, tell you where to stand or sit, or what to do. This is normal!
Feedback from your photographer
It’s important that you know if you look awkward on camera, so your photographer should always tell you if you do! Even more so, it’s even better if you’re able to see a preview of what you look like on camera on a big monitor! Luckily for you THAT Toronto Studio actually has a big screen TV with an HDMI cable with mini HDMI, and micro HDMI adaptors so that your family portrait photographer can plug their camera into the TV and show you a big preview of what your photos look like! This way everyone can make adjustments and take better quality photos.
How long is a typical family portrait photo session?
As you can see from the schedule below, approximately an hour! Anything longer, and the photographer may be very particular about their photos and want absolute perfection--or they might not be very good at managing their time. If you’re spending more time talking than actually capturing images, make sure that the images you DO capture are phenomenal and look good.
What is a typical family portrait photoshoot schedule like?
Unless you have very substantial needs, most family portrait photoshoots last about an hour. Why just an hour? Well, photographers will book a Toronto photography studio for two hours, and their timeline will look something like this.
Most family portrait photographers spend about two hours in our studio for one shoot!
12:00pm - 12:30pm: arrive to the photography studio, bring equipment inside, start setting up, testing the lights and making sure they’re perfect for when you come. Even though THAT Toronto Studio has an abundance of natural light, photos always look better when the photographer uses professional lighting!
12:30 - 12:45: the family arrives, makes some necessary small talk to build some rapport with and feel more comfortable with the photographer. This is also the time in which everyone checks their makeup, hair, and outfits.
12:45 - 1:00: take the first set of photos. The first few minutes is usually the warm-up period for everyone to get comfortable in front of the camera, address any issues they may be having, and then start getting in the flow.
1:00 - 1:30: take the second and third set of photos. Usually if you’re in a studio, the photographer will position you in front of different areas of the studio, and if they’re using professional lighting equipment, the time spent setting these up and then re-testing them in their new position until the lighting is absolutely perfect, may take a few minutes to get JUST RIGHT!
1:30 - 1:45: usually someone from the photoshoot will ask for a specific picture or two in a section of the studio, and the photographer, being courteous, will kindly assist them with their desires as they start to tear down their equipment and pack up.
1:45 - 2:00: the family has left, and the photographer finishes packing up their equipment and takes it to their vehicle. Before leaving, they always make sure that they leave the studio in perfect condition for the next group of clients!
What should I wear to a family photoshoot?
Wearing clothes without lots of patterns will make it easier for the photographer to capture. As for what colours look best on you, our suggestion is to wear clothes which are consistent with the colour of your skin. If you have really dark skin, but wear really light clothes, your photos may come out looking overexposed, since the photographer exposes the photograph’s brightness for your skin when they take the photo, and light clothes will appear to be overexposed.
What’s included in a standard family portrait session?
Well, aside from the actual photography session itself, after your shoot is over most photographers will include the web-sized images for you as part of the portrait session. Some let you choose images on the spot, but most will send you a folder to view and choose your favorite images afterwards. Some may charge extra to do prints for you, but more than likely they’ll provide you with the high resolution (300dpi) print-sized images for you to print out yourself (possibly for an added fee).
When will I get the photos?
Be mindful that if you’re shooting Christmas photos a week before Christmas and you want to print out the photos for mailing on a Christmas card, you’re probably going to have some trouble doing so since your photographer will probably be overworked and not have enough time to send you back your photos in time. That being said, planning in advance is key! The earlier you schedule your shoot from the date you’ll actually need your images, the better! Some photographers may say a week turnaround time for your final deliverable photos, but they may take months (we’ve heard horror stories). As with everything else, it’s always a good idea to check their Google reviews to make sure their business practices are verified by others.
What should I look for in Toronto family photography packages?
The author of this article is himself, a Toronto photographer, and based on his dozen years of photographic experience, his suggestion is to look for the following, in order of relative importance:
Quality portfolio
Professional attitude & warm demeanour
Value provided (the price might be good, but not if you only get 5 mins to shoot and 1 image..)
Well-reviewed and a strong reputation
Price
Decent turnaround time
Is lifestyle photography also popular?
Yes, some family photographers don’t like for your photoshoot to feel staged, so they actually photograph you in a much more candid manner, which in this case could indeed be interpreted as lifestyle photography.
How much do YOU charge though?
Are you a photographer?
Well, there’s likely to be a lot of potential clients reading this so if you’re a photographer and you’re reading this article, comment below with:
Your website URL
Your price for a 1 hour shoot (not including studio rental fees)
How many images are included for that price
Your turnaround time
Perhaps you’ll get booked by one of the prospective clients who are reading this article!
