our other FAVORITE subjects :: babies | maternity | children | HS Seniors | commercial

 

A Family Photography 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As time passes, a family portrait becomes a historical document that can be passed between generations, and let’s us see how much we’ve grown as a family.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.

Choosing the right photographer-family style for your tribe is key in creating the right artful and emotional statement on your walls.

Our Evolution as Photographers - Family Grows

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.

At your multi-media order presentation we will dazzle you with exciting wall layouts - from funky to classical - we're sure to have your taste in mind.

The logistics of large family portrait photography

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 extended session and do not qualify for the Light sessions.

Gathering your clan takes time and effort and we promise to make it worth your while. Many families additionally opt for extra poses including individual families, cousin photos, brothers and sisters, grandparents with grandkids. Virtually any combination you come up with our family photographers are happy to compose and snap.

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. After all, they are part of the family - right?

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.

Whether it's a bird, a cat, a dog or a rat we'll make sure they are remembered for all time in your family portrait. See some critters our families have brought along.

Exploring relationships

For Original Portraits™ sessions, we spend time exploring the relationships that make up your family. Parents love to share tidbits about each child and that helps us choose the groupings that will mean the most to 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 a variety of interactions and unique relationships - that are key - when creating a wall arrangement. Don’t you agree?

In our in-home Vignettes™ sessions, we put a photographer in your most personal and story-rich space.

By choosing a few of your favorite activities as a family - whether it's baking cookies to cuddling - we'll make sure your family narrative is told from start to finish. Special time spent with mom and dad, sisters and brother are artfully documented in a narrative style and beautifully bound in a coffee table book.

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.