Choosing Your Perfect Family Photography Package, Curate Your Collection | Utah Documentary Photography
How To Choose The Perfect Package For Your Documentary Family Photo Session
Best Utah Family Photographer Photo Collections
You’re not the type that wonders if family photos are even worth it. You already know it, and you want beautiful, artistic images of you and your loved ones. It’s easy to get overwhelmed at all of the options available, and there are so many different ways photographers price their family or portrait photo sessions, and the cost of their packages. As a Utah family photographer, I’ve documented families throughout the state and within the US, and each family has a unique way that they’d like their story to be chronicled. A common question is how much do family pictures cost in Utah. There are as many ways to design photo collections as their are photographers, and I’ve taken a simplified approach to creating photo collections to choose from. The pricing is simple and straightforward, and there are no surprise costs afterward. Every collection comes with digital files, and you get all the good ones that we take within the time frame your session is in. In this blog post I wanted to break down how to choose the perfect collection, and what options you have that you can include in your family session experience.
My Approach to Family Photography
My main focus as a photographer is not on “perfect” posing, with everyone looking at the camera and smiling. While I do try to go for a shot that shows everyone’s faces, I am focused on personality and connection over perfection. We aren’t going to check off a Pinterest checklist—your family is too unique for that. We are going for a feeling, and for creating imagery that is unique to you. This approach feels comfortable and authentic, and tells more of a story, and really highlights your love and connection.
My sessions are part portrait, and part storytelling, which means we will get a mix of a variety of guided poses and natural moments that unfold, creating artistic, unique photos of your life. I love to use unique posing that create layers and dimension for an aesthetic that makes you want to pause and enjoy a new perspective with details and shapes that draw you in.
TURN YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR ART COLLECTION
There are a few questions you should ask yourself when you’re trying to decide what type of session experience you want to have, but the main ones that will help you curate your own family memory collection are—what do you want to remember, and how do you want to remember it? By thoughtfully approaching this, it will help you narrow down how you would like your family archive to look.
Film Photography
Do you want to flip through film photos in an old school photo album? Does the nostalgia and grain that comes with film photographs speak to you, and remind you of old family photos you love looking through? Is there something magical to 35 mm film images that feel imperfect in the best kind of way, in a world where everything feels so curated? Do you love the soft blur, the touch of grain, the wash of light that sometimes brushes across film? Then this is definitely for you.
Digital Photography
While film is MY FAVORITE, digital photography for sure has a place in capturing your story, especially when it comes to families. It does the job, and allows for multiple attempts when you are going for certain types of shots, which really comes in handy when it comes to photographing little kids. It’s great on it’s own, and also makes a good supplement if you choose a film focused photography collection. Or if film is something you like, but you just want a mini film collection of your memories, you can add a roll of film to your digital session.
Family Video
As much as I value and love still photography, there is NOTHING like video. There is a life to movement that does not exist in still photos, and when paired with music, touches your heart deeply. Adding video to your family photo package creates a more complete collection, and is something you will watch a hundred times and never get sick of.
Utah Family Film and Digital Photography and Video Packages, The Best Investment
Starting at $375
What Do Family Photography Packages Include?
I offer 4 different photo collections, MINI, STORY, FILM LOVERS, and HEIRLOOM, and a small handful of add-ons because each family is unique in the experience they want to have, and in how they want to enjoy their photos. The collections I’ve put together allow for you to enjoy them digitally, and back up in your own online cloud storage, and also allow you to print photos at any print location of your choice. You do not have to pay more to get the digital files—they come with the collection you choose, and you get to download all the good ones we get in your session time. There are also different add-ons you can choose from to curate your artistic collection of your memories.
Digital Family Photo Session
The mini collection is for when you really do only need a few images, have some milestones or new life events that you have reaches, and want to keep it short, sweet, and simple. If you want to supplement this session with film, I would recommend polaroids, or 120 black and white film.
The story collection is a combination of guided portraits/documentary, and storytelling. They allow time for everyone to warm up to the experience and feel comfortable, and allows the candid moments to unfold with ease, and more fully capture a story. If you want to supplement this session with film, one roll of color or black and white film does this beautifully.
Film Family Photo Session
We live in a world where everything has become so heavily curated, and I think a lot of people are getting kind of tired of it. Film has such a draw to it because it has those little “imperfections” that digital photography actually tried to eliminate to “improve” the quality of photographs. People were blown away at how crisp and sharp an image could be, and at how there was a minimal amount of noise (the digital equivalent of grain) there was in photos.
While film never went anywhere, it got put on the back burner by a lot of people, and the things that digital photography eliminated, became the things that we love about film photos—the softness, the blur, the grain, the light washes—that is what makes film magical. And I swear, you could take a picture of the ugliest thing you can see, and film will make it beautiful. I love the concept of your life being art, and showing that through photography, and film is one of the most powerful mediums I have found to do this.
I do always like to get digital backups and supplement with it for film sessions, but the focus is on the film, using the tool of digital photography to fill in some of the gaps.
Mixed Media Family Session with Film Photography, Digital Photography, and Video
This collection, also known as the Heirloom Collection, will tell the most complete story. You’ll have a combo of plenty of film, from color to black and white, some digital photos, individual color video clips, and a beautiful video in black and white and color set to music. You’re 100% going to want to print all of these photos on 4x6s and to get a cool photo album you can sit down and enjoy with your family. My favorite albums for this will be linked below, and comes in a variety of neutral colors. Click the image to shop the album.
Add-Ons For Your Family Photo Session
How you can create the best family photo package for the moments that become your memories.
1 | Fine-Art Photo Album
8x8, 20 pages, linen or leather option
Now there is a group of you—and I know you exist, because I am in the same group—who KNOWS they will not get around to printing their images, or putting an album together. You’ve got great intentions. Again, I know this, and have this in common with you, and I’m here to help you out. :)
These albums are GORGEOUS, and everyone should absolutely have one. I’ve got a more cost effective option, and then a splurge option, and I promise you will not regret this add on.
2 | One Roll of 35 MM Film
A Mini collection of your memories
I mentioned this earlier, but there are some of you who really do love the look of film, but just want a mini collection of it instead of your entire session, and this is for you.
3 | Video
Comes with video clips in color, and a color and black and white video set to music. These videos are so cool and nostalgic, and a beautiful chronicle of movement and life, that captures your story, love, and connection.
For years I’ve hesitated to call myself a videographer. I’ve said often that I can do video, but I’m not a videographer, but I’ve found myself drawn to creating video for clients anyway. I have really fallen in love with Super 8 video that is shot on old school film, but am so hesitant because I’m nervous about something going wrong since I”m really not familiar with it, so I’ve found an alternative that I LOVE, and use often. It creates a video with the same style of super 8 video film, but in a digital way. I like to shoot these videos vertically so that you can archive them on your social media and share them easily with all your phone using family members. I used to do these exclusively in black and white, but have started including the color options as well.
Loving what you’re reading, and want more details? I’m a Utah based family photographer who travels throughout the state of Utah, and within the US, and would LOVE to document you and your people in a beautiful, artistic way that feels true to who you are.
Whether you are local, are traveling to Utah, and are wondering what family pictures cost in Utah, you can get family picture pricing near you. If you are looking for a documentary photographer to travel to you, I’ve got packages for you to choose from as well. Professional family photos are so worth it, and something that comes without regret.
Click the inquiry button below to get more details on what my photography packages include, and the prices of each of them to find the collection that will tell your story.