5 tips to help you choose a photography studio that fits your style

So, you’ve decided to finally get photos made of your family and have actually said this out loud to your friend over a happy hour rosé. This means you’re really going to do it. For real this time. There’s no going back. You know that Melissa is going to ask to see your photos the next time you get together. You must come through.

The next day, you Google your city + photographer + family. You come up with pages upon pages of photography studios. Options are great though, right? But then you realize you aren’t exactly sure what you’re looking for. You go to a couple of websites and quickly know, you’re not looking “for that.” Or “that.” You start to realize this is about finding, not just any photographer, but the right photographer.

We can easily get into all the things—cost, experience level, etc.—but today we’re only going to focus on style. This is probably the very first thing you notice when you visit a photographer’s website. You’ll notice that it will have a certain style to its design elements, down to its font choice. But the real heart-grab should be the photos.

When you look at them, you’ll want to take note of what you like, or maybe don’t like. It’s okay to be discerning. No one will know what you’re thinking. I won’t tell a soul either—promise. These will be your images that you’ll hang on your walls for years and years. You want to be sure you love them.

Below are some tips to help you find your photographer match, so you end up with the style that suits you best and keeps your head turning for decades to come.

1. Check out lots of photos and photography websites

Click into several websites to see what style draws you in the most over and over. Do you tend to prefer moody images? Urban images with a raw, high-def effect? Light and airy? Take this a step further and decide if you like real scenic images (on-location) or classic studio portraits. If studio work pulls you in, do you prefer bright, colorful backgrounds or subtle, dark, and classic backgrounds? Knowing what you’re drawn to can help you understand the style of photographer you’d want to hire.

2. Look around your own home

The key to what types of photos you’ll like lies in your home décor. This probably isn’t a time to push your aesthetics into a totally new area. (But, hey, maybe you can surprise even yourself by not playing it too safe.) If the artwork on your home’s walls tends to be pop art, you may want to look at studios that tend to use bright, bold colors with a conceptual spin. If you’re into realism or baroque artwork, you may opt for less cheesy, forced smiles (please, please do this anyway) and more classic or fine art styles.

3. Choose studio or on-location

Whether you love studio work or locations out of the studio you can’t go wrong. In fact, I do them both because of the variety they offer. But not all photographers do. You may have your own reasons for choosing one over the other: Your kids tend to be better behaved when in a new place. Or your senior dog would be less stressed during a photo session if they could stay at home. Whatever your reasons, they’re valid, and there will be a photographer who fits your needs.


4. Decide on posed or candid images

Whether your family is looking right at the camera or not is a huge style choice. I’ll tell you a secret: Some photographers hate having to pose people, so they only tell people they photograph candid images. I love to mix it up a bit during my sessions, capturing you looking at the camera and also at your beloved dog. Usually a photographer will state the type of posing or not that they do on their website. If not, the images in their portfolio should give you a good idea of how they tend to direct their subjects.

5. Talk to photographers

I know, I know, no one “likes” to talk on the phone nowadays. Truth be told, anyone who likes my work enough to call me to inquire about a session has me excited to talk on the phone! You want to give me an opportunity to photograph your adorable pup? Call me now please!! Here’s the thing—you may hear my voice on the other end of the line and be ready to book. Or you may find me too casual, too “whatever” for your liking. The point is, you want to be sure you can jive with your photographer for that hour-ish session. You want to like the person with whom you’re investing your time and money. This is also one reason I try to be open about who I am—so people know who they’re hiring. If you like your photographer, you’re going to feel more at ease during your session and have better images.

BONUS TIP: You can use AI to help you search for a photographer near you who has a similar style to an image you find online that you love.

Hopefully, these tips come in handy when you’re searching for your next portrait photographer. If you love my style and are interested in booking your own session with me, please send me a message at info@andykarol.com.

Tags: #ChicagoPetPhotographer #ChicagoFamilyPhotographer #SavannahPetPhotographer #SavannahPets #PhotographyStyle