Kirsten Bethmann began photographing families in 2005. She lives on the Outer Banks, North Carolina. And I found the default aesthetic of the era less than inspired: “a family standing stiffly in a sand dune,” as she described it to me. So when she hit the field, She took her background in photojournalism and tried something more natural. She recommends that families Played on the beach for almost an hour. Then spend 10 minutes taking traditional photos. She even drafts contracts so clients swear never to show up in matching outfits or dress head-to-toe in khakis and white.
The first year she had dozens of clients. Twenty years later Her services are in great demand. Until someone flew her out of state. Even left the country and paid $7,000 for a day of filming.
In a time when almost everyone can easily take high-quality photos with a smartphone, You might think that people like Bethmann would struggle to find work, but actually the number of working professional photographers has increased by about 15 percent in the past decade. According to the Census Bureauand is expected to continue increasing Family photography is a field of study. most popular Special, a price as steep as Bethmann’s is unusual. A report by Professional Photographers of America found that only 3 percent of families who received a photo paid more than $4,000, and more than a third paid less than $500. Still, many people spent more. Where you think: Nearly 40 percent of clients spend more than $1,000 on photography.
Spending a lot of money on professional photos can seem extravagant. But family photos are, of course, a valuable heirloom for a long time. The impulse to cling to memories is almost primal. Think of our ancestors drawing on cave walls or telling stories around a campfire. Today, those ancient instincts for conservation are colliding with new pressures. From social media that allows people to be measured based on what they see online. stimulate demand and changing how and why families capture their memories – what the photos look like, how much they cost, and most importantly, who they do it for.
For thousands of years Only the elite could afford it. Picture of the person you love But in the early 1800s, the invention of the camera gradually took off. Opening luxury to the middle class especially to commemorate important family moments, even deceased– at the end of the century Pictures have become the basis of wedding rituals. It’s like saying “I do,” Alex Alberro, an art history professor at Columbia, told me. They serve as an “endorsement” of what happened. Over the next several decades Independent portrait studios are starting to pop up all over the country. so that families can capture important moments can be less as well The Olan Mills photography store chain opened its first permanent store in Arkansas in 1938, and many department stores added studios. Before long, driving to the mall with the family to get the biggest, most intimate smiles for a photo 15 minutes that are not very expensive (Sometimes they dress together) It feels like a middle-class custom.
Then, in the 1990s, digital cameras revolutionized photography, and in 2007, the iPhone, with its built-in camera, further disrupted the market. If digital cameras were causing problems for photo studios early on, By offering a cheaper and more convenient alternative to filming. The flexibility of smartphones will almost certainly supersede the studio’s rigidity. In the mid-2010s, photography studios began to close. Sears and Walmart closed their last companies. In 2013– JCPenney About 400 are still in operation.The only remaining department store photography studio.
At the same time that smartphones are redefining how and where families take photos, social media is redefining how those photos are shared with others. In the past, pictures were for you and your family and friends. They might decorate your walls and complement your albums. “Instagram changed everything,” Karen North, a professor of digital and social media at the University of Southern California and a licensed psychologist, told me. This app brings personal photos to a larger audience than ever before, now across all social media platforms. Hundreds of millions of photos are posted every day.
The potential dangers of scrolling through highly curated images are well known. Research has found that social comparisons create Can be linked to Feelings of anxiety and depression And getting likes and comments on your posts can stimulate the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine. Professional photos promise to attract the clicks that some people’s brains crave. Mother who spends He has more time to take care of and be responsible for housework than his father. For example, timing these photos. It can feel like too much pressure to project the perfect image: According 2016 study commissioned by InstagramOn average, mothers check the app six times a day, and Found the 2023 CDC report. that most mothers who use Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook come and see every day Moms on social media are flooded with pictures of their families smiling and happy. When looking at this aspect It’s no wonder then that they might choose to spend hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars on beautiful family photos. To keep up with my cousin colleague Or anyone who has an enviable online life.
But today’s families have forsaken the studio’s well-timed smiles and cringe-inducing antics. To convey a sincere atmosphere instead, such as children laughing mid-sentence. Parents breastfeeding their babies on the couch, Instagram hasn’t completely elevated professional photography. It has diminished its beauty. Today, stylish photographers photograph families playing in open fields and record births in detail. The platform is full of candid selfies and snapshots. Or at least that snapshot. watch Frankly, blurry images generate more social buzz than sharp images. And an overexposed strobe has a mesmerizing charm that a perfect setup can’t achieve. “On social media The photos posted are rarely neat and accurate. Instead, it focuses more on sharing experiences and telling stories,” Drexel University professor Tim Gorishanaz wrote in Conversation–
All of these imperfections might seem easy enough to capture on an iPhone, but that’s an underestimate of just how sophisticated the average person’s photography tastes are. “It’s not just about pushing buttons,” Jenny Jimenez, a Seattle-based freelance photographer, told me. Photography is a highly technical art. Successful photography requires proper adjustment of lighting, location, and weather conditions. Not to mention the skills in framing, editing, and maintaining trust with your subject. After working with families for 20 years, Jimenez knows the challenges well. Whether it’s teenagers or spouses who don’t want to be there. Parental control that interferes with children’s natural spontaneity Family members who won’t let go of candid photos She learned some important lessons, including that children often feel more comfortable in their own homes. And good images come when they feel comfortable. But sometimes her antics still surprise her. Once, when she was with her family at the park, her 9-year-old son saw two schoolmates standing next to a bridge where customers were headed to shoot. with embarrassment when someone sees The son then ran away with Jimenez’s camera. and threatened to throw it over the bridge (Fortunately, she convinced him to give it back.)
For families who cannot afford high-end photography There are professional options that are more reasonably priced. While reporting this article I learned about Shoott, which operates in more than 60 cities across the United States. and offers affordable 30-minute photo sessions with a freelance photographer in locations such as parks or public squares. Families account for about 80 percent of customers, CEO and co-founder Jennifer Tsay estimates.
Of course, families can use their smartphones too. But for mother (which in some families They didn’t take pictures with their children. a lot) for single parents (where there aren’t always adults around to take photos) or for people who don’t like to collect documents themselves. Asking for help may make it easier to retain memories. Maybe they’ll choose to post the photo on Instagram, or maybe they’ll leave it for future generations as a small but shiny reminder of what it’s like to be together.
