What's the Average Price for Family Photography Shoots?

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Learn how to save money on your family photo session with our tips and tricks

Co-authored by Shoott and Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: November 13, 2024 Fact Checked

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Average Family Photo Session Cost

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Factors That Affect Pricing

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Saving Tips

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Scheduling Tips

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How long per session?

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What to Wear

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Whether you're prepping your family’s annual Christmas card or looking for the perfect pic to have framed in your office, professional family photos can make for a beautiful and treasured keepsake. But they can also be costly—so how do you get affordable but high-quality professional photos for your family? Fortunately, we’ve partnered with the photography experts at Shoott to provide you with the ultimate guide on family photography prices, packages, and money-saving hacks.

Professional Family Photo Prices: Quick Overview

Family photo sessions can cost $75-$660 per hour in the U.S., depending on location, photographer experience, and other factors. To shave money off the cost, try working with Shoott—they'll match you with a pro photographer for a free mini-session and only charge you for the photos you love.

Section 1 of 6:

Average Prices for a Family Photo Session

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In the U.S., family photographers charge from $75-$660 per session. However, the definition of a “session” may vary—for instance, the average cost per hour of a family photographer in the United States is about $100-$400.^{[1]
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Research source} The typical family photo session is just one hour, so if you hire a photographer who charges $200 an hour (a reasonable average cost in most areas), that’ll likely be the total cost for your session.^{[2]
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- If you wanted a longer or day-long session, you’d probably be looking at spending well over USD 1000, depending on your location and other factors.
- In some cases, the session price will include a package of digital images and/or photo prints. Check with your chosen photographer to find out whether your session includes digital copies in the hourly cost or if you’ll have to purchase them separately.^{[3]
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Premium add-ons may include digital copies of your photos, printed copies of your photos, and image editing services. At the session itself, you may also be offered props (like pumpkins, books, flowers, etc.) for an additional cost. Every photographer organizes their pricing system differently, so it’s important to ask any potential photographer what premiums are included or may be added onto their session price before hiring them.^{[4]
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Get a free family photo session with Shoott, then pay only for pictures you love. Instead of hiring an independent photographer and working with their price package, use Shoott to find a local professional photographer and get a free mini-photo session with them. Basically, you can go onto the Shoott website and choose your city as well as the perfect time and location for your family photo session. Then, Shoott will match you with a community-vetted photographer for your session!
- All of the locations on Shoott have already been scouted and vetted, so you can rest assured that your photo spot will be stunning, and you won’t have to worry about getting any permits for the big day.
- There’s no upfront cost for your first Shoott session, which will last about 30 minutes. After completing your family photo session, you’ll receive about 40+ lightly edited digital photos within 5 business days.
- Only after seeing your photos will you be asked to choose which photo package you want to pay for—so you only pay for the photos you love!
- Shoott offers three pricing packages for family photo sessions:
  - Most Popular Package: $180 USD. Includes 10 digital photos at $18 per photo, along with $20 of retouching credits.
  - Best Value Package: $295 USD. Includes 40+ digital photos at $3-7 per photo, along with $40 of retouching credits.
  - A La Carte: Individual photos are available for purchase at $30 per photo.

Section 2 of 6:

What factors affect the cost of a family photo session?

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Session duration, location, and photographer experience may affect price. Most photographers charge an hourly rate, so the length of your family photo session will greatly influence the price. If your photographer charges 125 dollars per hour, for example, that price will double if you’d like to schedule a two-hour session.
- The experience level of your photographer will also affect the cost of your family photo session. An up-and-coming photographer who’s trying to build their portfolio may charge less than the average cost (i.e., $50-$100 per hour), while a highly experienced photographer may charge more.^{[5]
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- Location also factors into the price of your family photo session, both in terms of where you live and if the photographer will have to travel to get to you. If you live in a state or city with a high cost of living, a photographer will likely charge somewhere in the higher range of the average session price.^{[6]
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- For example, photography sessions in California generally cost between $250–$500, while sessions in New York typically cost between $300–$600.^{[7]
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- Some people hire photographers they love who live in another state or nearby city. In these cases, you may be asked to pay for the photographer’s transportation as part of your session cost. Some photographers even offer a free photo session if their transportation is covered, so that’s an option worth looking into!

Section 3 of 6:

How to Save Money on Family Photo Sessions

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Save money with a shorter shoot, shared cost, or novice photographer. Family photography (or professional photography of any kind) can cost a pretty penny—almost as pretty as your dream photos! While you’ll almost always have to shell out a little bit of cash to hire a family photographer, there are a few ways to cut costs when scheduling your photo session:^{[8]
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- Book a shorter session. Ask your favorite photographers if they offer mini-sessions, aka 15-20 minute family shoots, that should cost less than an hour-long session.
- Share the cost with family members. Ask members of your extended family (or even family friends) if they’d like to join your session. You can still get your family shots, but you can also split the cost to save some coin!
- Hire a novice photographer. Photographers who are just starting out are usually still trying to build their portfolio, meaning they’re willing to charge less for family photography sessions.
- Book a free 30-minute session with Shoott. You can get affordable professional photos without sacrificing quality through Shoott. They offer free 30-minute sessions with top-quality photographers, and you only have to pay once you see your photos (and only for the photos you choose to keep!).

Section 4 of 6:

How & When to Schedule a Family Photoshoot

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Choose the season and day of the week you’d like for your session. When scheduling a family photo session, it’s important to consider the weather, day of the week, and overall theme for your shoot. If you plan to do your photo session outside, autumn and spring can be good times to shoot because the weather is cooler but not too cold. You may also want to consider the theme you want for your shoot—if you want a wintry scene, a December session is totally fine!^{[9]
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- Although you probably won’t be able to know the exact weather before booking the date for your session, consider the typical weather for your area around that type of year. For example, if you live in a town where rainfall is common in October, it may be best to avoid an outdoor shoot in the month.
- It’s also generally advised to schedule your photography session on a weekday if you want an outdoor session since outdoor spaces (like parks and beaches) are often more crowded on the weekends.
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Book your photographer at least 3-4 months in advance. Photographers tend to book up fast, especially if you’re looking to do your family photo session on a weekend or during a popular season (like autumn). At least three months in advance, look into photographers and book a session with your preferred professional.^{[10]
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- The exact how of booking your session depends on the photographer you’re looking to hire. Follow instructions on the specific photographer’s website or social media page to contract their services.

Section 5 of 6:

How long is a typical family photo session?

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A family photography session typically ranges from 45-90 minutes. The average family photo session is about an hour long, but every photographer is likely to offer different time slots depending on their preferences and the type of shoot. For instance, a photo session for small children may only be about 15-20 minutes, but a full family session is likely to be closer to 45-60 minutes.^{[11]
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- Also, some photographers offer flat rates while others charge by the hour. Naturally, a photographer who charges by the hour is likely to wrap up your photo session once the hour is up.
- On the other hand, a photographer who charges a flat rate may allow the session to run over if needed, but it’s rare that a family photo session will take over 90 minutes.

Section 6 of 6:

What should I wear for my family photoshoot?

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Have your family wear a coordinating color palette for the family photoshoot. Ultimately, you should have your family dress in a style that’s representative of who they are! However, having your whole family stick to one color palette can help you to show off your individual styles while also having a cohesive, coordinating, and aesthetically appealing look. For example, ask the whole family to wear neutrals, shades of blue, or colors from a customized palette. Here are some other tips on what to wear to a family photo session:^{[12]
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- Wear different textures and fabrics. A variety of textures (like wool, cotton, denim, and leather) can create a visually interesting and dynamic family photograph.
- Keep your shoes in mind. Shoes are an often-forgotten but crucial part of a family photo session outfit. Wear shoes that match your color palette and will look polished on camera, like boots, flats, or unbranded sneakers.
- Avoid neon and super bright colors. These vibrant shades can cast color shades onto your skin, which can be difficult or impossible to edit out.
- Avoid branded clothing. Logos can look dated or tacky in a professional family photo, so skip your favorite Adidas hoodie (for just this occasion).