Family Portraits at Home | The Stann Family

I looooove these portraits from my session with the Stann family. It's so fun to be part of making a permanent family memory for these girls and their parents. 

As you can see from the indoor shots, the Stann family has some beautiful rustic decor, and we echoed that in the framing for their over-the-fireplace portrait. Thanks, Teressa for the cell phone pic! 

I try to make every session as painless as possible for parents and kids--especially because I know how stressful it can be to get your portraits taken. My philosophy is, if you're having a good time at the session, then the smiles are going to be natural and genuine! I'm an easy-going person and can handle just about any little hiccup during a shoot, including pets and rambunctious kids. (I love rambunctious kids!)

I have an awesome time doing my job and I hope my clients have an awesome time with me too! You can see a little behind-the-scenes from our shoot here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BZZgxe9nz7E/?taken-by=southernsavvygram. 

Also, make sure to check out the terrific foundation that Teressa and her sister have spearheaded, the Lou Ruspi Jr. Foundation, focusing on improving mental health and suicide prevention in schools and in the community. We featured their story in Our Milton Neighbor and I was so moved by their work. 

Marchet Butler is a family, high school senior, and headshot portrait photographer in the Atlanta area. A Certified Professional Photographer, Marchet's family portraiture is regularly featured on the cover of local magazines including Our Milton Neighbor, Sandy Springs Living, and My Brookfield and Wexford Neighbors. Marchet's work has also been featured in Atlanta Parent. Best known for her custom-framed fine art wall portraits, Marchet's art is a perfect Christmas present for yourself or the people you love. It's not too late to book a holiday family session. Contact us for more details. 

Headshot Event Friday, Jan 19, 2018: Roswell GA | Roswell, Milton, Alpharetta, Woodstock, Sandy Springs Headshot Photographer

You are your own brand. 

When it comes to your business, you and your image represent your company and your services or products. People judge you by the image you present both online and in print, so your headshot makes a big difference in whether or not potential clients will engage with you. 

Join us for our next Headshot Event at the Roswell GA studio on  Friday, Jan 19, 2018 for a headshot experience you won't forget. Watch the video below for an idea of how our Headshot Events work. 

Clients have this to say about our Headshot Events:

"They made me feel so comfortable and beautiful."

"It was quick and easy."

"I had a lot of fun."

"These are the best pictures I've ever had taken of me."

Your session includes:

• One Fully-Retouched Professional Headshot by Marchet Butler, Certified Professional Photographer
• Hair & Makeup Touchups by Deborah Fawaz, Makeup Artist, DDFaces
• Jewelry & Accessory Styling by Yvonne Ervin, Premier Designs

$199 (prepay only, regularly $279)

Dora Photography Studio

425 E Crossville Rd, Suite 105 

Building C, Roswell GA 30075

Limited spots are available. Call 770-363-1547 to book your session today.

Marchet Butler is a family, high school senior, and headshot portrait photographer in the Atlanta area. A Certified Professional Photographer, Marchet has photographed headshots for real estate agents, authors, actors, mortgage brokers, small business owners, CEOs, and C-suite executives for 10 years.  If you can't come to a headshot event, Marchet is available for headshots on location at your home or office. Contact us for more details. 

Atlanta Family Photography Tips from Milton, Alpharetta, Roswell portrait artist, Marchet Butler

As an Atlanta-area family photographer, I work with all sorts of age groups and my fair share of pets, not to mention the occasional horse or two. Over the years, I've developed some "best practices" for working with everyone during a session--and I'm going to let you in on my secrets. Here are my top tips to get the best results out of your portrait session with Butler Family Photography.

Get advice on clothing before the session

Besides booking the session, choosing clothes is probably the hardest part of the process! I have a lengthy page about what to wear for your portrait session, and I'm happy to make recommendations. Hint: I generally recommend selecting attire based on where you are going to hang your portraits in your home. 

Complimentary Image Consultation

Clients are also welcome to work with my image consultant and makeup artist, Deborah Fawaz, to determine best colors to wear as well as hair and makeup tips for the session. Deborah has generously offered a complimentary 30-minute image consultation to any client who books with Butler Family Photography during the 2017 season. Thanks Deborah!

Think about having portraits at your home

In general, we come to our clients' home to do most of our sessions. We find that holding the session in a familiar place makes the process go a lot smoother. Clothing options, bathroom facilities, and air-conditioning or heating is readily available. There's also something wonderful about having a family picture in a place that has a special meaning to you.  

Let the photographer handle the smiles

At the session, it's time to let the photographer take charge. That means if a grandchild isn't smiling or a sibling is feeling rebellious, don't scold or reprimand. Kids need time to warm up to the idea of having their portrait taken, so it's okay if they aren't cooperative at first. We have lots of tricks we can use to get smiles. The main takeaway here is that people smile naturally when they are having a good time, so we do our best to make the session a fun experience. Oh, and please, don't say cheese. The "cheese" smile is unnatural and not flattering. We have much more funny things to say to get a better smile (and maybe a laugh) out of that shot. 

Choose a professional

Being a family portrait artist isn't an easy occupation--there are so many moving parts to handle when posing a group, coaxing out smiles, even getting the dog positioned just right all while coordinating lighting, exposure, and other technical aspects of photography. As a Certified Professional Photographer, I've been vetted by my peers and regularly participate in continuing education with some of the top photographers in the nation. You're in good hands when you choose Butler Family Photography!

Contact us for more information about booking your family session.

Marchet Butler is a family, high school senior, and headshot portrait photographer in the Atlanta area. Specializing in fine art wall portraits, she creates one-of-a-kind custom-framed pieces for the home. Contact us for more information about working with Butler Family Photography for your holiday or Christmas pictures this season!

Five Tips for Making Portraits Part of your Summer Plans

The other day I was looking for some recent portraits of my family that weren't selfies or quick snapshots, and I realized it had been over a year since we'd had formal portraits taken. I used to be so good about doing formal portraits every spring and fall, but with our lives getting more busy and with my business growing, it's been hard to prioritize family portraits. However, we are going to have them done as part of our vacation this summer. And I'm so excited!

I know I'm not the only one who has good intentions about having portraits done but never get around to them. (I even bought a new outfit for my son which, I'm sure, he has grown out of by now!)

That's why a call to a photographer to get your session on the calendar really helps move the process along. If I had set a date for those portraits instead of waiting for "when I had time", I'm sure we would have done them by now. So, lesson learned. I've got a date and a location for our next family portrait session and now I just need to make sure we have the right clothes for the occasion -- it's going to be a formal portrait. Did I say I was excited?!

Here are 5 tips for getting your portrait session plans moving this summer:

1. All Together this Summer? Schedule Portraits. This season is one of the only times some families are together -- especially if older ones are off in college or have their own families and live farther away. As kids and families get older, there are only certain times that a family portrait is possible. Make sure to take advantage of the occasion to have a family portrait.
   
   
2. Have Portraits Taken while on Vacation. If you are going on a trip, plan to have portraits taken as part of the experience. Many cruises have photography sessions available, and there are seasoned photographers who do portraits in popular vacation spots. Check out the Professional Photographers of America "Find a Photographer" resource for a qualified photographer in the area. By the way, if you are vacationing in the Atlanta-area, I'm available for Atlanta family portraits.
   
   
3. Plan a Family Portrait Session before the Wedding. Summer is a popular time for weddings, so if you have a wedding in the family, consider having a family portrait session a couple days before the wedding. My family did this before my brother's wedding several years ago and I'm so glad we did. It is the only portrait we have of everyone in the family including grand kids and spouses. I'm not sure we have all been together in the same place since then!
   
   
4. Hit the Beach First, then the Portrait Session. Have a beach vacation planned this summer? A lot of my clients like to have their portraits taken after they've had a little sun. Scheduling your session a week or two after you get home from vacation is great. It lets you have a bit of a rest from your vacation and you'll still have your summer tan. You can even wear a new outfit you bought on vacation!
   
   
5. Book Fall Sessions Now. Want to wait until fall when the leaves are changing and the weather is a little cooler? Book your September, October, or November session with your photographer now. Fall is the busiest season for family photographers and spots fill up fast. Getting your date on the calendar now is the best way to ensure you'll have that spot you want.

If you are in the North Fulton area (Milton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Johns Creek), we'd be thrilled to take care of your family portraits!

Summer is a great time for portraits, especially in the evening when the light is so beautiful and it has cooled down a bit. I regularly create portraits at my clients' home -- where we have an air-conditioned space to duck into between takes. And yes, we can do them indoors instead if it's raining or if it's too hot outside.

We regularly do weekend sessions because we know that's when families can be together. Contact us for more information.

Our Next Headshot Event - Friday March 24, 2017

Thank you clients! 

Our January headshot was a blast! Along with my makeup artist Deborah and stylist Yvonne, we created some really wonderful headshots at the studio in Roswell GA. 

What Headshot Events Include 

Each headshot event package includes:

• One Fully Retouched Professional Headshot by Marchet Butler, Certified Professional Photographer
• Hair and Makeup Touchups by Deborah Fawaz, Makeup Artist, DDFaces
• Jewelry and Accessory Styling by Yvonne Ervin, Premier Designs
• AND the option to purchase additional headshots, business card designs, business cards, and other branding tools incorporating your headshot. 

Special pricing for headshot events is $159 (prepay only, regularly $229). 

When's the Next One? 

Our next headshot event is set for Friday, March 24, 2017. As of today, I have the following spots left.

11:00

11:30 Booked

12:00 Booked

12:30 Booked

1:00 Booked

1:30 Booked

2:00 Booked

2:30 Booked

3:00

3:30

4:00 Booked

This event will sell out, so book now to secure your time. We can't wait to see you!

Interested in our next event in May? Contact us. 

Why I do what I do | Alpharetta Family Photographer

"Mommy, since it's getting to be New Year's--" my son Peter said this evening "Wait. Has New Year's already passed? Well, since I didn't make a new year's resolution, I'm making one. I'm going to sleep on the couch for an entire week!"

So, Peter brought down blanket, pillow, fan, and the ubiquitous Garfield comic book to settle in for the fulfillment of Peter's New Year's Resolution Day 1.

In the middle of reading, Peter said, "Mommy, do we have a picture album?" In the world of cell phones and digital photography, I definitely don't have the volumes my own mom had, but I do have a small album I keep on my desk for snapshots and prints. Some are professional portraits I've done. Others are from camps or other places where we got snapshots. I have a wide collection of silly selfies we need to print for that album!

This latest portrait's going in there too. And on the wall as well.

As we looked through the album, I though about how much photography means to me. With my little guy growing up so fast, I am reminded again and again how important it is to take time to record these small, special moments. Life is so busy and I know I won't remember them if I don't take the time to write and photograph our quirky, funny lives. (By the way, he enjoyed it looking through the album too, for other reasons--memories of favorite stuffed animals.)

I hope you are taking the time to record your special memories with your family. And yes, selfies and Facebook count! But don't forget to print some of those too. Well, now my son's out of "bed" and drawing. I have a feeling this "New Year's Resolution" might not work out exactly like he had planned.

Thanks to Miranda Johnson for manning the shutter and getting this beautiful shot. (It's fun to do some self-portraits after a friend and client's headshot session.)

Here is another of our photography experiments. Time lapse photography with two weeks of laundry to be folded!