How to Choose the Perfect Family Photographer in Hawaii
Getting your family photos done while on vacation is a no-brainer! Especially after the year and half that we’ve had – capturing your family out in the world, enjoying life and each other is such a great idea. And hiring a professional local photographer ensures that everyone can be in the photo (I’m looking at you, mom!) and the photos are high quality and frame worth.
The Hawaii photography market is saturated with talented photographers. Choosing the best family photographer for your Hawaii vacation can feel overwhelming. But if you’re just getting started in your search or have been at it for a few stressful days, we have some tips to help you decide. You want to be sure your investment in family photos is well spent so your family gets the absolute best photos to remember your once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Check the Reviews
When was the last time you bought something online without first reading the reviews? Reviews from Google and Facebook are great places to start your search for a Hawaii photographer. You’re looking for outstanding reviews and clients who can’t stop beaming about their incredible experience. Take the time to read photographers’ reviews and see what kind of feedback keeps coming up again and again. Was the booking experience easy? Did they make kids feel comfortable and at ease? Did they capture unbeliever images? Decide what is most important to you and pick a photographer that gets 5-stars for what you need.
Quality & Consistency
Look thoroughly through a photographer’s online work. Every gallery and every image should be high quality and consistently great. The lighting and color in the images should align with what you envision for your own family photo session in Hawaii. Consistently great work should leave you feeling confident that this photographer will be able to capture your family in a style similar to what you see in their online portfolio.
Responsiveness
I want to preface this by saying that many photographers are small business owners. That means a one-man shop for most. We don’t have communication teams or social media managers to respond to every email and DM in under 5 minutes. So please first, a bit of grace for these very human people who are passionately working in a field they love while also trying to balance a personal life.
The first time you inquire with a photographer you should get an idea of how responsive they are. A response time of 24-48 hours is more than acceptable, but more than that – you should feel like your photographer is more than happy to answer any and all questions you have prior to booking and in the time between booking and your actual photo session. Professional photos are an investment and you should feel well taken care of from first inquiry through gallery delivery and beyond.
What is Included for the Price
Every photographer prices themselves differently based on their CODB (Cost of Doing Business), living expenses, gear expenses, and yearly office expenses. So don’t be surprised if the pricing is all over the map as you are doing your research. Just be cautious for pricing that doesn’t match the work. That can be prices that are way too high for work that looks just okay. Or even prices that seem way too low for amazing work. Either can indicate something isn’t quite aligning. None of this is a deal-breaker, but something for you to consider.
Please don’t inquire expecting to haggle on prices. Remember all those business expenses listed above? Those are just the tip of the iceberg. Pay small businesses what they charge and what they are worth. Consider that some packages include all of your digital files, others may charge a flat price per digital file. It’s important to know what you are paying for ahead of time and a good photographer will feel comfortable sharing all of their pricing with you so there are never any surprises.
Are you planning a Big Island Hawaii Babymoon? Let me capture your maternity trip to Hawaii with a stunning sunrise or sunset photo session on one of the beautiful beaches on the island. I’d love to capture memories you’ll cherish forever!
