A Family Portrait is an Orchestration

Although many of us recognize the value of a great family portrait, making it happen can be a lot of work. As you lug a suitcase filled with clothing to the photographers door, “is this worth it?” Well, just consider that a home filled with family photography sets a tone of togetherness; at a glance family is reminded of their tribe.

As time passes, a family portrait becomes a historical document that can be passed between generations, and let’s us see how much we’ve grown as a family. Portraits, as effortless as they may seem, do take planning, but in the end it will be worth it.

Our Evolution in Family Portraiture

For many years we focused on taking interactive, imaginative and playful family photography inside our photo studio, and eventually, outdoors in a lovely natural-light portrait studio.

Family portraits taken at our Sellwood portrait studio are called Original Portraits™. The transition outdoors called for a new line of portraits, called Vignettes™ — Visual Tales of Home and Family. Vignettes™ takes family photography into the home with a photo-documentary approach to your personal environment. A photographer soaks up our families’ favorite activities: cuddling on the couch, baking cookies, playing with the kids and jumping on the bed.

Designing a family picture wall

As family’s grow so does their picture collection. What to do with family photos is a question we are frequently asked. Creating dynamic groupings on stairwells or hallways can be a great starting point. We suggest building your wall over the years to capture the many milestones of your family. Portraits arranged asymmetrically follow the lines of stairs, while precise arrangements provide powerful impact as many photographs become a single piece of art.

The logistics of large family group portraits

In the rainy season we have limits to how large a group we can accommodate in our photo studio. Twelve seems to be the largest group we can photograph indoors. From Spring to Fall, we have managed groups of up to 18 in our outdoor portrait garden. To ensure the highest quality experience families with seven or more people will have an Original Portraits™ – Signature session and do not qualify for the Light sessions.

Including your pet in your family portrait

We are often asked whether “Sparky” can be included in the family portrait. Of course! Working with pets is something we enjoy and know is important to families.

We’ve found it best for the whole family to focus on Fido once the non-furry family portraits are out of the way. Just do us a favor and let us know in advanced when bringing a pet to your family photo session.

Exploring relationships

For Original Portraits™ – Signature Series & Associate Edition sessions, we spend time exploring the relationships that make up your family.

Naturally, the most common dynamics we like to capture are individual relationships within the family: mom with the kids, dad with the kids, mom and dad together, and the siblings together. These combinations allow for the variety and intrigue when creating a wall arrangement. Don’t you agree?

In Original Portraits™ – Light sessions, we focus on a few select groupings: the whole family, and all the kids together. This makes Light the perfect option for updating the family photos, or if you’re interested in an abbreviated children’s photography session!

How to choose a family photographer.

Professional photography is an investment of time, love and money. Choosing the right photographer is no small matter. Here are some things to consider when selecting a photographer for your family.

• Experience — How long has the photographer worked with children and babies? A seasoned photographer should be adept at handling tantrums with tickles for your family portrait.
• The Look — Reviewing portfolios is a great way to start the process. Look for images that really sing to you. If you love black and white portraits you’ll be better off with a photographer who specializes in producing true black and white photography. Do you prefer something formal or casual? Looking at a portfolio will be a great reflection of how the photographer will approach your family.
• The Convenience Factor — Full-service studios like Campbell Salgado will offer printing and framing. Some photographers will prefer to hand off the images for you to print. If you are handy with design and framing, DIY production may make sense. But, convenience isn’t always a substitute for expertise: you want high, lasting quality.
• The Experience — Campbell Salgado views your experience as part of our relationship. Visit the photo studio or meet with the photographer to get a feel for the fit. Some family photographers offer complimentary planning sessions to ensure a successful photo session. By visiting us, you get a chance to relax, which translates to a more natural “you” in front of the camera.
• The Kudos — Ask your friends for recommendations, or whether they’ve heard of the family photographer you are interested in hiring. Check online reviews and social networking sites for fan pages in your community; the voices of the public are widely available and telling on the Internet.