Are all professional photos tacky?

[backonthewagon]

I really don't like studio/back drop photos as they look so staged and unnatural. I have been thinking about getting a photographer to take action shots of us at home, in the garden, park, woods etc instead giving as gifts to grandparents. My issue is both sets have stated they find professional photos tacky/cheesy so not sure if they will like them. It's a lot of money if they won't and if I ask it will spoil the surprise and they may lie to spare hurt feelings.

[WhoisLucasHood]

Its not my taste tbh, so I can understand your Ps and PILs. They're not all tacky, some look amazing but it's the contrived ones I'm not keen on. You might want to reconsider your gift idea if they have stated they don't like them.

[TheDaerieQueene]

There's a difference between a beautifully shot photo of your family at home or in a park etc., with natural poses, and a shot of everyone in a studio against a white backdrop/ wearing matching clothes. I think it's the more contrived studio shots that aren't to some people's tastes - you should be able to tell from a photographer's online portfolio what sort of style they specialise in.

That said, could you ask a friend/family member with a decent camera and an interest in photography to take some pictures? They might not have the polish of a professional shoot but it would be free/cheap and hence lower risk and lower pressure. There'd almost certainly be some which were nice enough to give as a present - and they might have a more informal, relaxed feel as well.

[RitaConnors]

I don't like them because when I look at a photo I want to remember the moment or the day it happened and I don't think I'd feel the same if it was 'set up' for want of a better phrase.

I like seeing the other things in the background as well. Remembering how dd2 would only drink out of the orange cup and there it is on the table. That sort of thing.

[minipie]

If you look up "photojournalist" you will find photographers who do a more "capture the moment" style. These photographers are the best of both worlds IMO, they do not stage anything so the moments they capture are real, but their skill with lighting and composition etc means the photos look much better than amateur efforts. So the photos look like you could have taken them if you'd got really really lucky, iyswim.

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

Yes.

Don't do it. They've said they don't like them and they'll feel obliged to put them up.

[minipie]

Sorry "photojournalist" gets mostly news photographers, try "reportage" instead

[GingerFoxInAT0phat]

I don't mind professional photos if people want to display them in their own homes. I think there's something a bit weird in giving them to other people though.

[MildVirago]

OP, there's no hard and fast rule about whether a certain kind of photo is 'tacky', but I don't understand why you would even be contemplating spending a lot of money on something the two sets of recipients have told you they don't like? No one can tell you whether they only mean 'studio photographs', or all professiinally-taken photos. Personally, I'm with a pp who thinks the gambolling through the woods/skipping on the beach thing is beyond awful, but I'm not the potential recipients!

[iwannadancewithsomebody]

Instead of a professional photo, why not a calendar?

With young children you would have to keep updating the original one as they keep growing

[minipie]

Oh just realised these would be for GPs rather than for you. No don't risk it.

How about somehing made by the children instead? a drawing they have done, printed onto a bag or something like that?

[Toffeelatteplease]

I hate them too, I also agree the "natural ones" look just as bad. I'd be hmmm if someone got them as a present because then I would feel obliged to put something that wasn't to my taste somewhere in my house.

Some of the fantasy ones are quite cool...

I find if I trawl through all the pictures I take I tend to find beautiful natural shots of the kids. Bit if cropping and you beat the "professional" photos hands down.

[DinoSnores]

Look for natural light photographers. We've had some lovely, really natural, uncontrived ones done recently that I am so pleased with.

[Alibabsandthe40Musketeers]

If they have said they don't like them, then for goodness sake don't buy them for them.

If you want some, then do them for yourselves, but don't give them to other people.

I hate these kind of photos, the more 'spontaneous' they are supposed to look the more I cringe.

[FurbysMakeSexNoises]

Yes. All professional photos look naff to me no matter how beautiful in afraid. But all depends on taste. If you'd had hints they won't dig it then do something else- agree desk calendar etc better

[backonthewagon]

What do people dislike about the natural light reportage type then? By that I mean the 100% capture the moment type where the photographer has no input and just follows you about as you go about your day.

[RitaConnors]

Presumably they are not actually natural though.

There will be you making a nigella style repast, looking over your shoulder at your dc adding the olives (that you have decanted into a bowl first) on to their home made pizzas. Not you tearing open the cardboard box of a supermarket pizza whilst yelling that no that you don't know where their football boots/favourite goat from the farm is.

Next, you on the school run, jumping into puddles. Laughing with the dc. No saying 'make sure your book bag doesn't get wet and hurry along along, swimming starts in five minutes and we have to borrow some goggles from behind the desk because we couldn't find yours last week. '

[minipie]

rita if only my DC were that 'programmable'! sadly we would still get the same whingy natural DC no matter how much preparation I did!

[backonthewagon]

I would just take them to the park/woods as normal and hopefully the photographer would capture some good pictures and delete the others

[TremoloGreen]

Do your parents have other family photos on the walls? We don't really go in for that in my family, I don't have any, DPIL have a few unobtrusive 6x4s in a silver frame on a shelf (their wedding and ours), but no big ones on the walls. I think it's very much a personal taste thing. I prefer art on the walls. A diary or photobook or something might be nice as a gift though. If you want natural anyway, I wouldn't go to the expense of a photographer if you have a friend with a DSLR who knows how to use it.

[ConsciousPilot]

What makes you think they want you and your family on their walls? Genuine question.

[CocktailQueen]

I'd do a photo calendar tbh - memories of what you have been up to in the year, poss including the PILs, and they can bin it after the year...

Photobox do great ones.

[Sunnyminimalist2]

Woodland natural shots - nice
Studio cheesy shots - tacky