Top Questions to Ask Your Queer-Affirming Family Photographer in the Greater Seattle Area

Some folks get family photos done every year. We love. But for most of us, family portraits is a special occassion. Regardless of how often you do family portraits, your family deserves to be celebrated and feel like your bond is portrayed a.uthentically.

Listen, I know if a photographer responds to your inquiry with scheduling a call it might seem skech. I’ve been on the other side and I know it can be exhausting reaching out to so many folks. However! Chatting with someone for a few minutes can immediately tell you if they might be someone you’re comfortable with to be behind the camera. Having trust or some familiarity with your photographer is huge because it allows your family to relax and feel comfortable. Also, this is an opportunity to ask any of these questions! Each photographer does things a bit differently and their pricing might change drastically depending on what you’re looking for.

Here are some of my favorite questions to ask a family photographer before your family portrait session.

What time do sessions happen? Where do they happen?

For my clients, these are things we decide together. But I come to my clients with a list of 60+ recommendations for locations and the times that are best for both lighting and low travel times to maximize our privacy.

Will you pose us? My partner(s) and/or child is (or I am) not comfortable in front of a camera. What can you do to help ease the anxiety?

This should be a yes! But more specifically, a photographer should direct an experience. For me, I chat with all my clients ahead of time to make sure we not only get the right images, but also that they are reflective of who your family is. Not every family is stoic or snuggly. I also try to balance giving both specific posing direction as well as promps so that the family leaves feeling more connected to each other. We discuss all this ahead of time so you can walk into your photo session feeling confident!

What will we do with our images afterwards? Where will you show my images? Do you share images of kids’ faces online?

This is huge, especially if you have kids! Your family should have a say of what is shared or not shared. Most photographers have a general image release that provides consent for the photographer to use however they want. For my clients, I have four options to choose from: full release, selective release, anonymous release, and no release. Not only that, but you can change your mind anytime. Because that’s how consent should be!

Do you help with styling?

Before you walk into a photo session, you should know your options. Whether you love to style your family or feel like it’s a battle getting out the door, I love working with my clients to find clothes that everyone feels confident in and looks good. Because we create customized artwork on the walls or family heirlooms, we gotta discuss styling ahead of time!

What happens if it’s rainy?

If you’re an over-thinker like me, this is such an important question. What to do if someone is sick, an emergency pops up, etc. For my clients, we can reschedule anything. There is no such thing as a photo emergency! Well, except for weddings. I always ask beforehand if your family is comfortable embracing light rain - it can definitely be a whole vibe! But if there is any unsafe weather or heavy rain, it’s not worth being miserable.

When will I see my images afterwards?

When this isn’t clarified ahead of time, the wait feels excruciating! For my clients, I show them one week after our photo session so we can order artwork together exactly how they want.

How do I book a photo session with you?

Click Contact at the top of this page. If you fill out the inquiry, you’ll get an email to schedule time for us to chat. I hope to talk with you soon!