It’s about to be busy season for me. Folks usually book me around this time of the year for photos and at the time of this post, my November is booked out. I have a few spots open for December for now so if you are looking to book me I would do so now (I’m in Atlanta and I do travel). I stay booked during the holidays because of my prices and because my clients just love me. I had a new client say thank you so much for your prices because we always wanted family photos without the price tag and now we can have them which propted me to do this post. Here are my 5 pro tips for getting great family photos without the price tag.
First I want to say there is nothing wrong with paying $400+ for a photoshoot. There are some great photographers that are worth that price, and if you have it, spend it. I think there is a need for high-priced photographers and budget-friendly photographers. Both matter because everyone is in different seasons of their life when it comes to money. I can pay $400 for photos, but to save money for other things, I prefer not to spend that much and look for someone a bit cheaper for my budget at this time.
So how can you get great family photos without the price tag?
- Swap photos with someone else. This is how I got my photos a few years ago. They don’t have to be a photographer they can use your camera that you have. Take photos of them and they take photos of you. Even better if you have a photographer friend you can do this with.
- Go somewhere for fun and let someone take a picture for you. For example, if you visit the Coke Center here in Atlanta, you can take photos with the bear. Let that be your family photo. They usually take the photo and then you can pick it up for cheaper than paying someone else. It’s not the best option, but it’s a decent one.
- Seek out students or people who may do photography as a hobby. You never know and this can be fun for them to do. It won’t cost a lot, and they will be happy to shoot how you want so that they can learn. Have your Pinterest board ready for inspiration and poses so both of you won’t be lost when it comes to the shoot.
- Hire me! Or hire a photographer who isn’t high-priced. I know we are hard to find (I’m word of mouth and word does spread) but look for them, maybe search on tik tok for your area, or use Google or AI to find a few. We are out here; you just have to look because most of us aren’t promoting like that. Most budget-friendly photographers have day jobs or other forms of income, so we don’t have to promote or run ads or anything to get clients.
- Find coupons or sign up to photographers newsletters to see if they have mini sessions or discounts. I don’t know if groupon is still around but that’s one spot. Thumbtack I’ve heard you can find people on there. Maybe look around in your local Facebook group or ask around on the next-door neighbor app. I’ve heard of a company called Shoott and I know a few people who have used them. The difference with them and me is I won’t cap you at a certain amount, and you get all the photos that come out good with me for about the same price because I give you the photos digitally.
I know you thought I was going to say buy a tripod and put up your own camera (or rent both) but that would have been too obvious. You can do that, though but it’s a hassle. I even hate it as a photographer, I prefer to shoot with someone. AI can also do something, but that looks fake and that would be up to you to use that.
