Nobody likes a breakup. It’s awkward and uncomfortable and even though generally speaking you know it will be necessary, it always leaves you feeling a little deflated. The silver lining is that behind every breakup, is an opportunity to find the perfect fit. All of this is true in the world of family photography as well. It may be time to stage a breakup with your newborn or family photographer if any of the following are true for you! 1. They don’t help you in the preparation process. A photographer's work starts long before you arrive at your session. Communication is a great indication of how your time together will go. Do they take forever to respond to your questions? Are they easy to contact? Do they leave you wondering where to meet them or what time your session will be? Are there a lot of missing details in the plan and your session is tomorrow? It might be time to look for a new photographer.
2. They are more concerned with time limitations than they are getting to know your family. This one makes my blood boil a bit. One of the greatest parts of my job is that I get to meet so many new families. In doing so, I get to hear all about different families' stories and lives. If your photographer is rushing you along and isn’t asking questions to get to know you or your kids, chances are they are more concerned with just taking your photos and leaving than actually creating images that tell your family’s story and capturing who you are. If that sounds like your photographer, maybe it’s time for a change.
3. They give you no guidance on what to wear. Even if they don’t have a curated wardrobe to assist in the process of figuring out what to wear, do they send you a guide to help you make decisions about your options? Do they guide you on color choices, or flattering dress styles? Do they have a resource that links some of their favorite shops? If you are left hanging without any help- it might be time to move on to someone else.
4. Their editing style doesn’t align with your personal style. If you know at the end of the session that once your images are delivered they will never see the light of day that’s never a good sign. Choose a photographer whose style and images you would be proud to display in your home and not just on your camera roll. If not, it’s time to say goodbye. 5. They aren’t good with directing you on how to pose or what to do during your session. If they leave you feeling like you have no idea what to do or are second guessing how you should pose, chances are they aren’t confident in their abilities to make you look your best. When a photographer directs you with confidence it also builds confidence in how you feel about your session! If they are lost, it’s time to lose them. 6. They aren’t good with your kids. I feel like this one doesn't need explaining. Just ditch them now. Non-negotiable in my book.
7. They don’t make you feel comfortable in front of the camera. Similar to not posing you confidently, this one could also be a deal breaker. If your photographer makes you feel awkward or stiff, chances are that is how your images will translate. It’s better to just move on.
8. They deliver your photos and then you never hear from them again. While this might be the norm for most photographers, I’d like to think my job isn't done when the photos are delivered. Are they assisting you in the process of doing something with those photos? Are there resources available for you to print your images? Are they available to help create albums of your images? Do they wish your baby Happy Birthday or congratulate you on your pregnancy announcement? If they don’t, it’s almost like they’ve broken up with you actually… 9. They don’t require a contract to be signed for your session. A contract for a photography session is just as much protection for you as it is for your photographer. What happens if they don’t deliver your images and a contract wasn’t signed? Even if the session is done for promotional or free, a contract is a must have for each session. Deal breaker if they don’t deliver one. 10.They take so long to deliver your photos that another milestone has already passed. One thing that is really sad is when families don’t get their maternity photos back until their baby turns 3 months old. Or when your fall photos are delivered after the flowers have started to bloom. When choosing a photographer, ask what their average turn around time is. Ensuring you receive your photos in a timely manner is part of the session experience. If the wait time is longer than you are willing to wait, it may be time to have the talk. While no photographer is perfect, and we are all human, the most important element to me is that they are there to serve your family well and intentionally!
Hello Jude Photography provides newborn photography in North Georgia for busy moms who want a stress-free and luxury portrait experience. Also offering maternity, family, and baby photography, our studio is located in the heart of Clarkesville, between Clayton and Gainesville. We serve families in Habersham, White, Stephens, Hall, Rabun, Banks, Jackson, Gwinnett, Forsyth, and Dekalb Counties, and all throughout the North Georgia region.
We offer a high-end, full service experience including a pre-session consultation, exclusive access to the carefully curated Studio Wardrobe and cozy bright and airy studio space, a beautiful gallery of story-telling images, and an array of family heirlooms such as albums, prints, custom framing and more to pass down to your children. If you are searching for the perfect maternity, birth, newborn or family portrait photographer near Clarkesville and are wanting to create heirlooms for your family, we can’t wait to serve you.