I’ve been a photographer in Charleston for years now, and family portraits in the studio are one of my favorite things to create. Through the years, I’ve helped hundreds of families look their best through formal or relaxed studio portraits (based on what a family wants) and onsite portraits, and I’ve noticed one thing almost always seems to be a challenge for families: The patriarch (whether he’s the husband, boyfriend, dad, or uncle) almost always seems to be less than enthused about the idea of dressing up and spending his day awkwardly smiling in front of a camera lens.
Look, I get it! Most men aren't as excited about this as women are but it IS VERY IMPORTANT!
AND . . . Even the most hesitant husbands end up loving their family portrait after it’s all said and done.
After all, what could be more rewarding than seeing the family you’ve built looking their best. It is such a source of pride for the man of the family. The men I’ve worked with always end up being so glad they did it--and they usually tell me it wasn’t nearly as bad as they thought it would be, too! (In fact, I think some of them even enjoy it!)
Meet Robin, Jonathan and Christian!!! LOVED working with this family - and I feel all three of them were very into this! (although that is not generally the case for DAD)
This gorgeous family is a military family here in Charleston SC and they were amazing to work with! AND LOOK AT THIS GORGEOUS LITTLE BOY!
Need some ideas for how to get your guy on board with your next family portrait? Here are some tips.
1. Do what you’d do when you want your toddler to eat his vegetables. Negotiate. Let him know that if he’ll spend just an hour doing this with you, you’ll give him a day to do something that’s important to him. A whole day watching football and drinking beer with his friends? Done. His favorite dinner? No problem. He gets to pick the next movie? Sure. Even if you have to sit through two hours of a film genre you hate, It will be SO worth it!
2. Promise him it won’t take long! Not all family photographers can make this promise, but because I do so much of the polishing AFTER the photo is taken, I can! In fact, the last family portrait I made was on sight in Downtown Charleston in chilly 40-degree weather. The young girls were wearing sleeveless dresses, so we took just enough frames to make one amazing family portrait. The family only “posed” for less than 10 minutes.
3. Give him some creative control. This one is hard for many of us women, but your husband will be more likely to put a smile on his face for your family portrait session if he feels included in the process. It's always a good idea to ask his opinion on the type of portrait he'd like--studio or on site at one of the many amazing locations available to us here in Charleston, SC? Formal or more casual? Let him tell you what format he'd be most comfortable with because when everybody's comfortable, they'll look better in the portrait and the session will be much more enjoyable for everyone.
You know your partner best. If you think he'd rather not be involved at all, that's fine, too! But a quick conversation to confirm that is always a great idea.
Need some inspiration? Browse through our gallery of on location portraits.
4. Let someone else take care of the details. Portraits don’t have to be stressful. If you're working with a professional, there's not much more to do than show up after you have the general idea for the portrait down. Promise your guy he’ll just have to come to the studio or the location you've decide on, wearing the clothes you set out for him, and we’ll take care of the rest.
5. Do it for a special occasion. If all else fails, let your guy off the hook for a gift-giving holiday and ask him for a family portrait instead. Birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day are all great times for a portrait. And then you might as well go out to dinner, too, since you’ll already be dressed!
At the end of the day, your significant other really just wants you to be happy. So, if you let him know that having a beautiful memento of the amazing life you’ve built together is important to you, there’s a good chance he’ll step up and make it happen.
When you’re both ready, I’d be honored to make your dream portrait a reality. Send us a message and we'll talk through the details and get your portrait scheduled.
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