Let's face it if you have a family portrait with severely outdated clothing and hair styles it's time to get a new one created. But is that the only time to get a family portrait taken? What's the best time?

This is a question we are frequently asked. Much depends on your timing and what, if any, changes there are in your family. We recommend a family portrait when there is a new addition- like a new baby, or a blended family. You may want a new portrait more frequently when you have young children as they change rapidly in a very short amount of time.

Christmas is a great time of year to get an updated portrait for those holiday cards you want to send to friends and family. But really why wait until the end of the year rush. Why not plan your family portrait in advance. Fall is a beautiful time for outdoor portraits. It's cool and crisp and the leaves are gorgeous. But maybe you just want a simple in studio portrait. We do that too-see the family above.

There are many types of family portraits to be made. If you have an artistic bent why not try a Relationship Portrait. We photograph these in black and white and focus on the relationships within a family. Not into that? We can do a formal studio portrait or a more casual what we call Contemporary portrait (see above). These are the most popular because the background is clean and simple. It's really up to you. Have a pet? Why not add your dog to your family portraits? We are dog friendly and gladly welcome pets to the studio.

When you reach important milestones in life it's a good idea to get a professional portrait made. Why? Because you should have something archival to pass down to the next generation. Let's face it, your daughter or son will be more impressed with an archival framed print or book of the family rather than a hard-drive that they made not be able to even access in the future.