Tommy Williams / L’Observateur / April 13, 1999

We all seem to assign or assume particular roles and responsibilities in the household, other than being just the photographer, gardener, mechanic and carpenter.

I am also the “financial manager.” (Sounds a little better than saying “billwriter,” don’t you think?) Well, if you hold a similar such position in your household, you know that all expenses fall under budget scrutiny, even the portraits of the children.

When your having professional portraits being taken, it doesn’t take very much effort to spend $150 or more on photos. So, if your going to allocatethe funds for photos, take a few extra steps to make sure you get not only your dollars worth, but great portraits as well.

Proper scheduling and communication are two important steps to consider when having portraits taken, especially of children.

The biggest mistake anyone can make is to schedule photo sessions according to your own schedule rather than the time when your child is at his or her best (meaning attitude). Children tend to keep certain physicaland emotional patterns throughout the day, so keep track of when they’re at the best for over a period of a week or more to determine an average time period to insure success. Ask any photographer, and I’m sure they’llreply with the same answer, “Any time is a good time to take portraits if the child is in a good mood.” For parents this may mean taking time off from work for pictures. Seemslike a costly idea, but not when you consider the total cost having to re- shoot photos or paying for pictures of crying children.

Next, most of the professional photographers in our area are good, but they don’t have ESP (extra sensory perception). They will never know what typeof portraits you want to have taken unless you express your ideas to them.

Sometimes it helps to bring in samples of photos you previously seen, even pages from a magazine can help. Do this before, well in advance ofthe photo session, and it will give your photographer time to plan ahead for the best results. He may even give you suggestions of whataccessories to bring with you for the photos. Some children may feel morecomfortable using their own personal props, like stuffed animals, chairs or a wagon.

Portraits can become quite expensive, so take the extra steps to improve your chances of a successful portrait session. Great photos normally makethe price tag a little more easy to chew and swallow.Back to Top

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