We grew up in the 70’s and 80’s, which wasn’t much of a heyday for family photography. It was all portraits done in basic studios with rolled up vinyl backdrops that pulled down behind you like a classroom map of the US.
The last actual family portrait I have is from 1974, which if I hadn’t told you the date, our outfits and hairstyles would’ve been a dead giveaway.
We had our kids in the late 90’s, when Anne Geddes dominated greeting cards and calendars for years. (She is the photographer famous for pictures of infants asleep in a head of cabbage or nestled in a pot of sunflowers.)
Today, we’re happy to have as our guests a couple of moms who are amazing photographers, and we thought it’d be fun to have a conversation about how family photos have changed over the years & what’s trending these days.
Rachael Shannon & Dawn Harrison. (Introduce, tell us a bit about yourselves…how many kids, marriage, etc.).
When our kids were little, family photos started to change a little bit. We didn’t have the money for a big-name local photography session, so I have plenty of pictures when the kids were little that were taken at the Sears or Walmart “studios”. Again, with the predictable backdrop and stiff poses. Or, we’d get a “free” one with a donation to the local fire department. OR, we might have one via the church directory—which was always somehow slated for mid-January when everyone was pale and turtle-necked.
Friends at the time, though, had the all-in-white mom and baby portraits on their walls…where mom looks like a serene angel holding a sleeping cherub.
D&R: What was your experience? Similar? Different?
We didn’t have much money for extras when our kids were little, but I made sure that we did the one-year package at the local photographer, Loveless, for both Emma and Houston. I can’t remember exactly how much we paid for the package, but it was several hundred dollars ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO. These were typical infant photos: 3 months laying on the piece of carpet or fabric, 6 months sitting in a fancy wooden chair or on the floor, 9 months standing, and 12 months they may even be outside, depending on the time of year. We got a leather album with the photos and they tried to entice us to purchase more portraits for each birthday year. The nice thing was that they kept the negatives so, in theory, you could go back and order more when you had more money or if you just wanted to. That was nice as well, because we were using film and digital cameras that all required printing photos at a lab.
And yes. We did JCP or Sears several times as well as an Anne Geddes look-alike shoot at Emma’s private school in kindergarten. (Cringe) They were dressed in lace (Emma) or an old vest and floppy hat (Houston) and printed in sepia tones. I felt so fancy. 🙂
From There to Here
Once upon a time, of course, before photography, people used to sit for portraits to be painted by artists. Typically only the wealthy classes who could afford such a luxury.
In the early 1800s, the camera came along and eventually the middle class got in on family photos. By the end of the century, photos (wedding photos, death photos) became kind of a “proof that it happened” document.
Remember Olan Mills? It opened its first shop in 1938 in Arkansas and after that department stores followed.
In the 1990s, digital cameras changed everything. Suddenly you weren’t paying for film & waiting for your pictures to be developed. You could fill up an SD card, download it, and start all over.
By the mid 2010s, photo studios like the ones we used began closing. Sears and Walmart shut down theirs in 2013. JCPenney is the lone holdout.
Note: The viral trend of “awkward family photos” at JCPenney is going strong on social media. It has been so popular that JCP’s website even has this explanation:
Back in the day, families would flock to JCPenney Portraits, often around the holiday season with their favorite outfits. With a backdrop of iconic designs and setups, families would pose in ways that, in hindsight, may seem a bit unconventional. Whether it was an overly staged pose, an attempt to fit everyone in the frame, or even a peculiar choice of props, these photos became a representation of a moment frozen in time.
These snapshots weren’t about perfection; they were about capturing a moment, encapsulating genuine love and joy. The slightly awkward poses and candid moments told stories beyond the polished and posed. They spoke of authenticity, reflecting each family’s unique spirit.
Fast forward to 2024. Everyone has a smart phone—one that can take some pretty darn good photos, even in amateur hands. And instead of a single portrait on one wall of your home that your family & friends might see, now the point often is to share those far & wide. Now hundreds of millions of personal photos are posted every day.
D&R: How have you seen your own photography change? (for personal photos and those you do for others)
For a time, everyone had the khaki & white beach photos, and then everyone had the family on the lawn in the fall leaves…. Do people go for what’s trending or are they typically open to your suggestions?
I don’t think I will ever master even the selfie, let alone the aesthetic, lighting, timing and all that goes into capturing the sweet moments that you both do. I know it’s more than just pushing a button or setting a timer.
What are you considering when you take a photo? What goes through your mind when you’re trying to catch the perfect shot?
Is it about the photo or the skill of editing the photo?
What’s it like working with families? (some fun examples, things gone awry or some yikes moments?)
The saying is try to never work with children or animals (b/c of their unpredictability). I’m sure there’s been family drama (the pouting, grumpy teenager—or spouse!), stiff family members, parents who want everything “just perfect.”
Some photographers get flown to destinations for a day long shoot and might make $7000 for a session like that. That surprised me, given the smart phone. But number of pro photographers has grown about 15% in the past decade & is expected to keep rising. Only 3% of families pay more than $4000, and more than a third pay less than $500. But nearly 40% pay more than $1000 for a shoot.
An article in the Atlantic suggests that “the instinct of preservation may be colliding with new pressures from social media for people to measure up to what they see online, increasing demand & changing how and why families capture their memories, what the photos look like, what they cost and who they’re for.”
For example….
“Event” photographs are a thing now, documenting milestones, which maybe used to be more private. What’s been your experience with those? (Maternity pictures, engagement pictures as proposal unfolds).
What are your favorite kind of photos to take?
Can you describe one or two of your favorite photos and why they’re your favorites? (either your own or some you’ve taken for others)
What are some best practices—or things you wish families would do—for families who want family photos done? (Clothing, communication, make a list, etc)