Who Takes Your Pictures?

[Melinda]

So I have been mulling this over. I try to take my own family photos and I do a pretty good job but I am starting to think I want someone, another professional to do our family portraits for Christmas. I think it would be interesting to see someone else's "eye" in both the image capture and processing.
I also would love to see how another professional does their business. Has anyone else ever done this?

[candleman]

why do you have to pay someone?
just google "Christmas portraits" and get ideas for poses ... its free

Originally Posted by candleman

why do you have to pay someone?
just google "Christmas portraits" and get ideas for poses ... its free

I typed "bodhi day portraits" and came up with this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/organa/3150100293/

I don't celebrate Xmas (but enjoy all the paid days off!! )

[Melinda]

Honestly this is not what I was looking for for answers. I am not looking for Christmas posing ideas.

I posted it in the earning section because I wondered if other professionals paid for someone to take their picture before. I was thinking of comparing it to your personal wedding. You can't take your own pictures so you find someone to do it for you.

I had a rough time with our family portraits because I couldn't see if everyone was facing the camera, who had their eyes closed, etc. After each click I had to run to the LCD and check. After about 20 "takes" with a two year old he was done. (It probably was more like 5 "takes")

I also would love to see how another photographer does "business" since I am so new to it.

Just curious....

[faeriegodess612]

I think that sounds like an idea,...Like you sid, you'd get to see how he or she handles clients, how they conduct a shoot, theire style of photography compared to yours. I get what your saying, I've thought of contacting one of our local Pros for the same reasons. And when it comes to trying to do your own family portraits, you cant sit back and relax and enjoy it. Your running around trying to make sure everything is in place. And trying to take a shot based on the timer, is gonna take up more time than if someone else just did it. I'd say go for it. It just seems logical to me.

[waffles]

If I need to be in the picture, I don't take it. The most I've done is set the camera on something and asked someone else to press the shutter, but even that's rare.

[Jim Poor]

I think it is Scott Kelby that often runs "assignments" where photographers shoot one another as a project.

[dakwegmo]

My photography group routinely has everyone bring their family in to be models for practice sessions. I'd say find a group, or start one, and then practice shooting people by shooting their families and have them shoot yours.

[THE surfdog]

The Group idea could be fun and would certainly be interesting. Other than that I would find a photographer that has a style/look that you like and go from there.

For me...I just set up my lighting (long before my family is ready) and fire away. FWIW, I do not use the self timer. I use a long wired remote: it's much less "random" that way. Depending on the camera you are using you could also hook it up to a TV/monitor or laptop and check the images without having to run around the back of a tripod with every shot. Personally, I would fire off a few shots BEFORE I evn bothered to check...just to speed up the whole process.

[Ciscley]

I think whether a photographer uses someone else to photograph them depends first on whether they think they look good in pictures or not. And I don't mean it depends on whether they're vain or not. I assume everyone's vain.

See, I have photog friends who are control freaks and insist on taking their own photos (which means they have pratically zero family photos with them in them) because they think they look "ugly" in anyone else's photos. I personally think if I look ugly in a photo it's the photographer's fault and not mine. I can make quasimodo look gorgeous with the right light and lens, they should be able to do the same for me.

Secondly, it depends on the style of photo you want taken. If you just want a classic "posed" photo, I think most photographers would set it up themselves and I personally recommend spending the saved money on the equipment to make it easier. The reason I have had other photographers photograph me is because I don't like posed photos. It's much harder to take photos of me playing frisbee with my dog by myself.