Help me pick a photographer!

[alotofyarn]

I want to get some new maternity/family pictures done, and I can't decide on a photographer. I have higher standards now that I've learned a little bit about photography myself and sort of developed my own style. I really like clean, warm, vibrant shots, some portraits, some with more of a lifestyle/real life kind of feel.

This girl did our last ones. She's gotten better since then, but she's also changed her style a bit, and some of her editing has more of a matte style, which isn't my favorite. I'm also kind of annoyed that she did a free shoot for E around 9 months to build her portfolio, but she never sent us the images, despite my asking a few times. I sort of feel like she's a friend though, and I'd feel a little bit bad leaving her, even though we haven't done shots with her in over a year.
https://www.facebook.com/Rachelclesiphotography/

This girl has come recommended. I like her style a little bit better, but I assume she's going to be more expensive.
https://www.facebook.com/AmyCherie-P...0405850636741/

Here's another whose style I like better, but I don't know anybody who uses her, I just saw her recommended on the local Moms FB group. It's a little weird that her minis are the same as the previous? I don't know if they're friends and doing them together or what.
https://www.facebook.com/KVRPhotographyNOLA/

Or a longer list from the Moms blog: http://www.neworleansmomsblog.com/20...photographers/

So, how do I decide?

[SoonerTexan]

Are all the choices mini sessions? Totally my favorite way to do it now. We cant afford a full session and my husband and kids cannot handle more than 20 min of pics anyway

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Unless you do minis like my fav photographer. $400 by the time you purchase the 5-10 digital images. Brutal. I can't do it anymore.

We will do newborn ones.

[MsSassyBaskets]

I'm with you on the matte style of the first one... I would skip her. I'm pretty sick of the filtered look. It's one thing on Instagram, entirely different if you're paying for professional photos. How annoyed are you going to be in 20 years when all your photos have a pink haze?

[gcuthbe1]

We had a terrible experience with our wedding photographer... The only thing I can really suggest that might be helpful is to try them out with a very small/low priced package, and see how you feel.

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[rufflesanddots]

I feel like something is missing from the first one, but maybe I'm just used to over-exposed photos now? Am I even using that phrase correctly? I like the third one the best!

[alotofyarn]

Are all the choices mini sessions? Totally my favorite way to do it now. We cant afford a full session and my husband and kids cannot handle more than 20 min of pics anyway

No, I want a full session so we have a better chance of E cooperating.

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[MrsC]

I would go for the second one. The first has a lot of weird cropping besides the color issue.

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[alotofyarn]

I sent a message to the second one. We'll see if she has any openings. I wish I could do them myself, but I can't get decent pictures of the 3 of us these days.

[alotofyarn]

Of course between hubby's schedule and her schedule, we can't get a shoot in until after Christmas. I still want to do it, but...we need to figure out what we're going to put on our Christmas cards.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm taking them myself this year. We just won't be in them. I wish we could do them but can't justify a mini session plus a newborn session.

[alotofyarn]

We're going to try to make something work, probably getting my parents to help out for a group shot, and then I'll see if between hubby and me we can get a couple of each of us with E, and some of E herself.

[niener]

Late to the convo but I totally agree about the faded/muted look being completely overdone these days. It'll be retired in the filter hall of shame some day alongside selective coloring and white vignettes. I like the second one's work, I hope y'all can work something out with her!

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

OMG, selective coloring. I can't stand that!

[alotofyarn]

So, the photographer hasn't gotten back to me about booking anything...

We did make plans to do a photo swap in a couple of weeks with some friends here like we did last year, so we'll at least get some pictures. He's a hobbyist photographer like I am, and I was happy with the shots we got last year, especially since they were free and I was able to edit them myself.

I think this is what we're going to wear. Hubby's gingham shirt isn't quite so red, and he'll wear it tucked in with a belt, and my red cardigan is a thicker cable sweater type, but you can pretty much get the idea. Hopefully with accessories it won't be too much red. I'll either wear my brown boots or my gold flats. E will wear gold flats and probably a white/gold bow. I could also pick out a different shirt for hubby - he's got some with red in them that aren't all red, I think.

pictures.JPG
Here's an old picture of me in the actual sweater:

And hubby's shirt:
11165204_10102095722532133_3943119007540886024_o.jpg