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Our family is possibly going to Asheville over the summer for a reunion and would like to hire a photographer to take a family picture. It will be informal, nothing fancy. We are not necessarily looking for professional wedding type photographers, we'd be happy with an up and coming or student photographer so long as they are reliable. Any suggestions?? or suggestions on where to start looking for one?
Big group family pictures are the most labor intensive photos to take. More people to be distracted and look away from the camera means more photoshopping to get good pictures.
You get what you pay for. Anyone under 2-300$ for 30mins won't make you happy. Suggestions on where to start is googling "Asheville family photography". Everyone has their own preferred style, find what you want.
I shoot scenes, close ins, cars and stuff...
groups are difficult as saucystargazer said, and most amateur shots are too far 'back' from subjects and not well done.
It is difficult to get everyone in pic dialed in, but looking 'natural'. I have shot hundreds of 'group shots' of my Fam, and some friends. All were just OK.
I agree with ssg, that the OP should find a reasonably priced pro that is used to doing groups. GOOG Asheville photographers: there are dozens listed. Make a few calls and narrow done one who is willing to come shoot a few dozen 'candids' and deliver the jpegs to the OP for their use. A couple hundred bucks for a family group shot(s) is well worth it, imo.
If the OP was in my 'backyard' of Waynesville and I was around that day this summer, I would shoot the Fam for free, or a decent blt of wine.
GL, mD
This is a 'selfie' I did with my Canon 70D, on self timer, on our Fam trip to Riviera Maya for my 70th last summer. Selfie Groups are difficult, and I rapped off half a dozen to get one where everyone's face is viz, and then I cropped and 'adjusted' it in Adobe Lightroom.
And, here is what a modestly priced pro photographer did for us at that Fam week, for my 70th...
She was a resort/on site photographer, but we chatted, (in my so-so Spanish and her so-so English), about what I/we wanted.
She shot literally dozens of shots, in several different locales on the property, and I got all of her jpegs. (No need to shoot RAW, imo).
I worked on many of the 'pairs'/different groupings for various fam members, and this one that I selected for our 'group shot' was considerably post processed by me in Lightroom. I had large photo canvas framed prints made for each of us in the Fam.
My point is that if the OP wants a snap shot vs a very good remembrance group Fam shot, a decent pro, (even a part time pro or very accomplished amateur), is their best bet, imo.
Solid effort mD... arms are always the hardest of group shots as well as lighting !
A pro is your best bet in a location where they can sit some of you or at least some of the youngsters on the floor. Unless you are going to do a early morning or afternoon shoot they will need some lighting or a nice shaded area or you will get unflattering shadows.
How many people are you trying to do ??
I trained as a wedding/portrait photographer but prefer nature and wildlife... no Bride or MomZillas !
I shoot scenes, close ins, cars and stuff...
groups are difficult as saucystargazer said, and most amateur shots are too far 'back' from subjects and not well done.
It is difficult to get everyone in pic dialed in, but looking 'natural'. I have shot hundreds of 'group shots' of my Fam, and some friends. All were just OK.
I agree with ssg, that the OP should find a reasonably priced pro that is used to doing groups. GOOG Asheville photographers: there are dozens listed. Make a few calls and narrow done one who is willing to come shoot a few dozen 'candids' and deliver the jpegs to the OP for their use. A couple hundred bucks for a family group shot(s) is well worth it, imo.
If the OP was in my 'backyard' of Waynesville and I was around that day this summer, I would shoot the Fam for free, or a decent blt of wine.
GL, mD
This is a 'selfie' I did with my Canon 70D, on self timer, on our Fam trip to Riviera Maya for my 70th last summer. Selfie Groups are difficult, and I rapped off half a dozen to get one where everyone's face is viz, and then I cropped and 'adjusted' it in Adobe Lightroom.
Nice shot, mD! I truly would not have been able to tell the difference between the two shots as far as which one was done by the professional and which one was the one you took.
So, for some reason I happen to love looking at photos of people I don't know, especially group shots. It is fun for me to try to figure out who everyone is to one another. Here, then, from looking at both photos and the body languages involved in each one as well as resemblances, is my guess as far as the photo you took:
Going from left to right - your wife, you, your daughter, your son-in-law, your granddaughter, your daughter-in-law (who is also mother to your granddaughter in the picture), I cannot quite figure out the next person, maybe either a family friend or your sister, and last, but not least, your son all the way to the right who is also the father of your granddaughter in the picture.
How'd I do?
lukasage:
On the selfie I shot, good eye & you are right on!
The lady you could not ID is my ex-wife, biological mother of our two kids. There was much time between she & me and Veronica & me, and they both are good friends/she is included in any/every fam function.
LookingFromLI: Thanks. The resort 'pro' shots were decent, very well lit/good settings, big Canon D6 Mk II, jpeg...but, as group shooters often do the framing was too far back, so I cropped her jpegs in LR and fiddled with the contrast/light, et al.
I did a ~ hundred weddings back in the day: a Rolleiflex with a big off cam strobe/side power pack. One couldn't pay me enough to do weddings again. I sold the Rolleiflex years ago. Wish I still had it, along with my Calumet 4 x5 view cam and my Pentax 6x7.
LFLI, Monte Zucker: big time portrait photographer artist...
Back on track, I still rec'd that the OP contact Susieisanartist's rec'd, or call UNCA and ask the Art Dept to put up a notice that you are looking for a photography student for a couple hours on such and such date.
My point remains that a pro, or an advanced amateur with a good eye/good equipment/good post processing, will provide the best opportunity for a vg casual Fam portrait.
GL, mD
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