Hiring mom-friend photographers

brachysira · April 2014

My mom's group has a seasonal photo session. I think they used to have a professional, but I'm not sure. You pay $50 for a 20 minute session at a park. We signed up last time and they had a friend of a friend in the group do it--I think she was trying to transition into a full time photographer. DH thought she took a lot of pictures where our faces were in shadows and used the flash inappropriately. She did pose us some, but I thought she wasn't super aware--like she didn't tell us to straighten out DD's dress, etc. We got about 50 photos from the session on a CD and of those, about 10 I liked and a few were good enough to send out. Compared to a) my senior picture person or b) our wedding photographer, the image quality, our attractiveness, and the details were all not as good, although we paid much less but also had a much shorter session. Also, we could pay $1000 easily for a longer photo session around here, and we don't want to do that all the time.

Now they are offering the spring session, but this time they are using a mom in the group, and she organized it. She is a SAHM who left a corporate job and is trying to now work as a part time photographer. I just feel like it is kind of scammy--I mean, she doesn't say she has any experience or training. Couldn't we just get a friend to do it for free? But then it is only $50 and it will get us some updated photos where we're actually organized. Do you pay your friends to photo shoots for you?

magentawarped · April 2014

I have a couple friends that I would be willing to pay, but I've seen their work. You get what you pay for.

brachysira · April 2014

No, the photographer gets the money. She's make a lot because she gets $150 an hour for all day. I just wish she could give us some evidence that she's qualified at all. A website, etc. I mean, practically every SAHM I know is like, oh, I am also a photographer.

nonoemily · April 2014

It kind of bugs me when people with no training or skills call themselves photographers.

I sing along with the radio, but that doesn't make me a singer.

DHs crazy cousin started a website for her photography business, and she literally took all her fbook photos and made them black and white. Uh, ta-da! I made art!

LoveBeingMama · April 2014

If I lived in an areas where picture sessions normally run $1000, and someone was going to do a small session for $50, yeah I'd do it. I would know that I am getting what I pay for, and hope that I get at least a few cute pictures. I mean, I just paid $35 for DS2's school picture, and while it is freaking adorable, I only got about 10 prints for that price. For $50 I would do it, and if I hated the pictures, I'd book a separate session with another photographer in a few months. It's not a one time event like a wedding - you can always do different pictures on a different day.

ETA: or just ask to see her portfolio first. Anyone serious about a photography business will have at least some pics to show you.

penguingrrl · April 2014

Ah, the momtographers. Yeah, 99% of them suck. I wouldn't pay $50 for a session with someone who bought an expensive camera and hung a shingle.

rosesandpetals · April 2014

nonoemily said:

It kind of bugs me when people with no training or skills call themselves photographers. I sing along with the radio, but that doesn't make me a singer. DHs crazy cousin started a website for her photography business, and she literally took all her fbook photos and made them black and white. Uh, ta-da! I made art!

Lol, even better when it is an IG filter and they think they are so clever like no one can tell they have no idea what they are doing.

Also, brachysira, I don't know how old your kid is but they say 18 - 24 months is the hardest to photograph because they're so fast so I would want someone who was used to working with kids that age, otherwise it is a waste of $50.

brachysira · April 2014

Well, M is 15 months and she's wiggly, but she is some kind of model. It's like she knows when you are taking a picture and looks right at the camera and smiles. DH's dad likes photography, so maybe I should just have him do it. He always gets good candid ones of her, although you can't get too close or she throws a fit that she can't have the camera.

bumpuser924057 · April 2014

I would totally do it for $50. If she's doing any editing on those photos then she's spending a whole lot more time on it than just 20 minutes during the shoot. I usually see mini sessions for $150-200 and they promise you like five images on a disc. Shoot, you can't have the teenaged lackey at the mall take your picture with the Easter Bunny for under $25!

AimeeL85 · April 2014

It is cheap, but I think it's in poor form for them to assign this person to do the pictures and not provide the customers they want (even if it is fellow club members) with any info and portfolio pictures from the photographer. I guess I could go either way...I might chance it for a shot at good pictures for cheap, but I'd also be wary of getting us all ready and looking nice and spending the time for pictures that might look like crap.

It definitely bugs me when anyone with a camera or even an iPhone thinks they're a photographer, they're a dime a dozen.

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