There’s no such thing as the perfect number of portraits. However, there is a number that’s perfect for you. But, you’ve likely found yourself asking, ‘how many portraits do I really need’ when selecting your portrait packages.
Let’s be honest, professional photography is an investment. While it’s a worthwhile investment, you don’t want to pay for more than you really need. Read on to learn how to choose the right portrait package for your next session.
What's the Occasion?
The first factor in determining how many portraits do I really need from a portrait session is the reason for the photoshoot. Some of the most common reasons our clients seek professional photographers are:
- Engagement portraits
- Family portraits
- Seasonal portraits
- Headshots
- Weddings/elopements
Wedding photography is an entirely different ball game, so we’ll just focus on portrait sessions for now. Keep in mind, these are general suggestions. How many portraits you need is ultimately up to you to decide!
Engagement Portraits
Getting engaged is one of the most exciting times of a couple’s life together. It also has potential to be one of the most financially straining as well. Wedding costs, bachelor/bachelorette party costs, and more add up quickly.
Engagement portraits are an important part of announcing your upcoming wedding and are often the first set of professional photos for a couple. It’s important to have these taken professionally as you’ll want polished photos to remember this special time by.
While this is a big part of your life, you may not need as many photos as you may think. After all, you’re likely going to have beautiful wedding photos soon as well.
What Are Engagement Photos For?
Deciding how you’ll use your engagement photos is essential in determining how many you need. If you just need a few photos for a Save the Date card, then 3 to 5 will be more than sufficient. If you want a few extra for social media, then 10 is a great option. If you want to build an engagement album or wedding website, 15 to 20 are ideal. These numbers give you plenty of variety for your needs without eating too much into your wedding budget.
Family Portraits
Are you the type of family who get regular family portraits? We are big fans of this type of routine. Time flies by so quickly and you can’t get it back. Taking the time for professional family photos gives you memories you can cherish forever, but how many portraits do you need?
The answer depends on how frequently you update your family portraits and the size of your family. Some of the most common timeframes range from seasonally (see below), annually, every other year, or every 3 to 5 years.
The short answer is that the more frequently you get family portraits, and the smaller your family, the fewer you need. We strongly believe in variety in family portraits. That means we get many different poses and combinations. We want to capture a shot of just the grandparents, mom/dad with her kids, siblings being siblings, and everything in between.
This is why we recommend a minimum of 10 portraits for a full portrait session per family. For example, if you’re interest in an extended family session with three different families, we recommend at least 30 portraits.
Alternatively, if you only get family photos once every 5 years, we definitely recommend upping that number to at least 20. You’ll be thankful you have them when your children are grown!
Seasonal Portraits
There’s so much to love about the Pacific Northwest in every season. Summer means wildflowers at Mt. Rainier National Park, Fall is the time for Washington apples and the turning of larches, and the holidays are just downright magical. When it comes to portraits, some of our clients have a hard time choosing which season is best.
If this is your experience, there’s no reason to choose!
We offer seasonal mini sessions for this exact reason. Not only do you get to enjoy the beauty of each season, but you also don’t have to take on the financial undertaking of a full portrait session. Booking 2 or 3 mini sessions per year gives you 10 to 15 annual portraits (5 per session) for the same price as a full portrait session with the same number of photos. It’s the perfect way to round out a family album and always ensures you have fresh family portraits.
Headshots
Professional headshots can be used for your LinkedIn profile, your company’s website, your business cards, and more. Having polished headshots with good lighting is essential to making a good impression. The industry standard is a minimum of two headshots per person for variety. If you want to extend your session to include some business portraits (which show more of your body and the background), then consider upping this to 5 or 10 depending on your uses.
Need Help Deciding How Many Portraits Do I Really Need?
If you’re still asking yourself, ‘how many portraits do I really need’, we’re here to help! We can create a custom package that checks all of your boxes. Contact us today to get started!