Pack A Photographer
So, you've sat down and made a simple budget for your family vacation. You have an estimate for the cost of flights, hotels, food, ground transportation, entrance fees, and shopping. This trip will be expensive, but you're excited about it, and you know you and your family will have a memorable experience. You then start checking off the days until you travel and pack your bags.
Of course, you have a fantastic time exploring a different part of the world. You see breathtaking sites, taste delicious flavors, and learn some history. Then you go home. And after all of the thousands spent on this trip, what do you have to show for it? A sombrero or blanket that you haggled over at the flea market? Maybe a tote bag of souvenirs that may end up in a storage closet taking up space? Most people forget to pack a photographer before they travel.
Ok, I get stuffing a human into a checked bag may not be your style. You could add one thing to your travel budget that will enhance your experience, add value for years to come and provide a gateway for you to return to the great memories you will make on your trip. If you can’t pack a photographer, you should at least budget to hire a professional one.
But wait! You say, "I have a great camera, and the quality of photos I can get from my phone is amazing." Yes, this is all true. That being said, there is a vast difference in the quality of photos you can take and the ones a professional photographer can handle.
Why Hire a Photographer?
A good, local, professional photographer will help immortalize your vacation and capture a significant moment in your life that you'll want to look back on. Not only that, but they will give you photos that you'll be proud to share with others. I say this as someone who understands some basics of photo composition and owns some great camera equipment. I'd rather not be the one taking the photos all the time, and I'd like to be in more shots than just what I can take as a selfie!
A local photographer will also have insights and ideas about your destination. They will have ideas about incredible landscapes, cityscapes, libraries, cafés, etc. Hiring a local photographer will give you access to experiences that you had not considered before.
Years ago, we hired a photographer in Iceland to take some photos for us. That decision gave us access to an individual who also happened to be a location scout for a number of movies and television shows. He was able to find us brilliant locations to take our photos that we indeed could not have found on our own. He also introduced us to a small village where we stopped and had lunch, and he acted as a translator for us. While I didn't plan for it, that hot bowl of soup in a small fishing village on a chilly Icelandic fall day is a bowl of soup I'll always remember. A good photographer will not only take great pictures for you, but they'll also help you experience the location.
Last fall, when I traveled to Argentina, I scheduled an appointment with a great photographer who helped me gain access to some great vantage points in Buenos Aires, and he also helped me with some great foodie insights. Had I not had that appointment, I would have missed out on one of the greatest meals of my life! The restaurant I intended to book was impossible to get in because it was in such high demand. My new friend pointed me in the right direction, and I'm grateful to this day!
Photographers who do family photo shoots are also typically well-practiced when it comes to working with children. We've usually ended up with a photographer who also has young children and understands the stresses of trying to pull everyone together to look half-decent. On our most recent trip to Quebec City, we worked with a lady that our boys bought into right away, and she was able to get them to smile and have fun. She also appreciated how hard it would be for us to get up early in the morning, two hours ahead of our normal Alberta mountain time. Her insights into the timing, however, ensured that our photos were not crowded by the public and gave our photoshoot a unique morning sunrise feel.
How much will this cost?
What will a photographer photoshoot cost? It depends on what you're looking for. Fees will vary depending upon the demand for the photographer and their experience. It also depends on how much time you want to spend and how many photos you want. A basic 1-hour family photoshoot has been more than adequate for us as a family, and we're very happy to receive 20 great photos as a keepsake. In Canada, that will cost around $400-$500. Is that expensive? You need to approach cost with an understanding that you're paying for a professional service that requires a human to spend an appropriate amount of time to produce. They also have to account for their travel time, equipment, insurance, and taxes. Keep in mind that you're going to spend money on things anyway, so why not invest in something with little to no buyer’s remorse? We have never regretted hiring a family photographer while on vacation. We spent a great deal more in Iceland, but again, we spent a day with a photographer and received photos that could easily go into an issue of National Geographic. Iceland has one of the most unique landscapes on planet Earth; why leave that opportunity up to chance by only using the iPhone 4 I was using at the time? If you're cheap-can't help you, bro. There are always realistic costs associated with quality.
Good photography is one of the few things we can invest in that appreciate over time. Having photos to look back on of our oldest son when he was a baby bundled up in Iceland or photos of our boys playing on a beach years late in Mexico fills me with a sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity to travel and see us at different stages in our lives. My trip to Argentina was a bucket list item for me, and I have great photos to remind myself, "Hey, you did it man!" Of course, I could have done it with a selfie stick, but I gained more from the experience by having a photographer as a guide to the city. Plus, I made a new friend!
In my current line of work, I'm often reminded that life is very short. Our experiences only last a moment, and then they're gone. They're ephemeral and slip through our fingers, never to be relived. A photographer can help you and your family at least capture one of those moments to look back on with gratitude. Look at it this way: A professional photographer can help you give yourself a gift that stays with you for life. It's important that if we have the privilege of traveling, investing in the local economy is a great way to be a good guest. Artists add value to the life of a community, and your investment in the arts enables you to be a creator and not a taker. I want to avoid getting hung up on vocabulary, but a tourist is a taker. They come to enjoy, take, and then they leave. A traveler is someone who explores, appreciates, and blesses the location they visit, leaving it better for someone else.
Friend, thank you for reading. Be a traveler, make some memories, and make the most of your opportunities by taking some great photos.
