Has anyone had professional pics taken of their dc? Did you have to re-mortgage?

[maggiethecat]

I would like to finally have some really nice pics taken of my dc but have this notion that they cost the earth. Has anyone had them done and really liked them and how much did they cost?

I love taking pics and will manage a really nice one now and again. I'm wondering if I should try to do a basic photo course and invest in a good camera - perhaps that way I'll capture great images of my children {hmm]

Yes, I love them, but was shockingly expensive. Around £2500. AND that was with a discount from a friend of a friend photographer.

They are lovely photos, really good and unique, they aren't your usual photos, they are almost Warhol-like, but I still think it was a bit much for what we got. They aren't particularly big.

And, we got them done when he was 2, and it would be nice to get more now, but TBH I am not up for spending that amount of money every couple of years, for I know I would want to keep 'updating'.

You can do better yourself with a good camera and photoshop. I have a big canvas picture of DS that is enhanced colour (basically red and white) that I did myself, and sent the photo off to be put on canvas. Total price, around £60.

STREWTH!

I thought the studio we went to was bad, but that's a LOT of money.

We had one set done because I picked up a voucher for a free studio session plus 1 free framed 6x8" photo - value = £135.

Of course, after they'd taken about 2 dozen shots, and we'd sat and gone through them all and picked the best, we were left with 3 that we couldn't choose between. So we had them all - this cost us £190 (£75 for another 6x8" and £115 for an 8x10", all framed).
Worth it as a one-off - won't be doing it again for a while.

I do get DS photo'd at Tumble tots when the man comes around - £19 for 2 A4 and 4 A6 pics of DS with cardboard presentation frames (one pose only).

We went to our local Snappy Snaps, which have a little studio upstairs. The sitting was free and the prints were I think 30Pounds for an 8 by 10 inch (IIRC). We bought 4, so really it was a very good price!

The results really are lovely - I'm sure you could compare them to a professional's photos and find fault with them, but I think they look great. The lady who took the pictures spent about 40 minutes taking them - blowing bubbles and chatting to the kids to get them to play and laugh, and we got really nice natural candid shots.

Sounds like there's a wide range in price and quality. I like the idea of Snappy Snaps - that way I could get a couple of decent pics every year or so.

DSM, sounds like you're really pleased with your pics despite cost - and that's the thing, if you can afford it then those images are priceless.

I really would like to explore doing stuff myself though to allow for spontaneity and being creative, like you were with canvas.

What do you think a good camera would cost?

We had studio pics done of 2 DDs, only chose 1 which consisted of three pics, still cost £500, but TBH honest if the house was burning it would be one of the few things I would go back in for so definately worth it

The snappy snaps ones really are great - I wouldn't pay more now, knowing what you can get for that price. By the time you have taken 200 photos, there is bound to be a few lovely ones there aren't there - I mean, children are just so naturally beatiful and generally so phogenic.

I'd try them, because if you end up going and not liking them, you don't have to buy any at all.

We had some done of DD when she was about 18 months - they were about £750 if I remember rightly. THe photographer was great - we got some outdoor shots and some studio shots - which were really natural. I love them.

maggie, for the sort of camera you need for these sort of photos, you'd be looking at a minimum of £500 new, I would think. It needs to be a SLR camera (digital preferably) from a reputable camera manufacturer (e.g. Olympus, Canon) to get the best results.

Theres a company round here that specialise in natural photography of children - usually outdoors or at home, and the shoots costs 45 quid, and then a 7x5 is 15 quid. Totally gorgeous too

ooh, where's "here", CMOTD? Do they have a website?

here is one I did myself with a point and shoot camera and photoshop, it was thrown together quite quickly from three quick and not-very-good snaps. Photoshop elements is the cheap, cut down version which is all you need for stuff like this, and earlier versions can be had for a few quid on ebay.

Worcestershire Jumping in Puddles

When we were in West Sussex there was a lady over the border in Surrey who did lovely natural photography at very good prices too - I'll try and remember her name

Seriously, I think consumer cameras are so good these days that you have a better chance of getting a perfect shot than a pro photographer, although it might take you a bit longer. Any 10+ mega pixel camera will produce an image of suffient quality to print out at a large size if your technique is good, DSLR cameras give the best results, and there are good entry level DSLR's on the market for £250 including lens, however point and shoot can give great results, especially 'bridge' cameras with control over aperture and shutter speed. You can then play around with photoshop or similar and convert to black-and-white or get a venture-style white background - and it will be all your own work.

Pixiefoto and similar companies do regular photoshoots. Our local paper does an annual competition and the photos are good.

We had a family photo session a couple of years ago and bought a huge photo of all of us that cost £1000

A good camera is at least £500 plus you'll need additional lenses so you are looking at another £300. Lighting can be complicated if you are trying to do it yourself.

I've never had professional ones done, a friend of a friend took photos of my dc at a christening last year on a very fancy camera and sent me the cd of the pics. They are AMAZING!
Its inspired me to save up and we've just got ourselves a digital slr camera (canon) for £400 ish. I've taken a few pics and have got some fab ones already! Its lovely to have natural ones, not posed iyswim

I'm excited at the prospect of getting a good camera myself. We're off to the US soon and it might be worth considering getting one there.
Thanks for the inspiration!

ooh, we;re actually off to get some photos done of ds in about an hour. the studio is a local one and they had a deal for red nose day and the studio fee was only 15 pounds. packages are relatively cheap. really hope they turn out!!

jill your pictures are beautiful! very cute little lady.

if you're looking for a DSL, as thumbwitch said, it'll set you off £500 minimum, but add a good quality lens (not the kit ones, as they are usually no good in the long run), and it'll set you off another £500 or so. and then you gotta have to practice, practice and practice again! totally a valid option, though!

photographers' prices vary greatly and for different reasons. Still, you can find a great photographer for a reasonable price. first I suggest you need to decide what type of pictures you want (studio or lifestyle, on location ones) and then pick a photographer. snappy snaps is no use to you if you want really natural, outdoor shots of your kids!

we went to local studio - the sitting fee is £25. they keep the photos forever so I figured that we would capture the moment(s) and then buy pics as and when we could afford them.

we ask relatives to buy them for us for birthdays etc

£25 pound an hour is what I paid for pics of me. I didn't get any prints, but I did get a make-over and a CD full of very high resolution photos.

I had a photog follow me around for an afternoon doing normal things w my dc, I wanted good but unposed mainly. She got some beautiful ones. The sort of photos I imagine I could take, but evidence says not. I think it was quite £££ but nowhere near Venture type, plus I got cd's with ALL the photos on.

I would buy a digital camera and do your own. Then you can make your favourites into canvas or large prints on Next. Much cheaper than some places I have been to