Columbus Photographers Columbus, OH

For several years, photography was just a hobby for Adam Squier, but about five years ago, he and his wife, Lynn, decided to start their own business, and Squier Photography was born. "He's the photographer, and I handle the business end of things," Lynn says. "I love interacting with the kids and seeing the parents' reactions when they get their photos. Adam just loves providing good photos for parents."

What should a family look for in a photographer?

"There are different photography styles. Lifestyle photography is pictures of kids playing at home or in the park, while studio photography is more formal. Look at photos on a photographer's website — that should give you some insight. Know if you want to be on location or in a studio. It depends on what fits your needs. Some kids are perfectly fine going to a studio at the mall where people can see them, but that might not fit your child.

"We do a lot of baby photos and family portraits. We do high-school senior photos and some weddings, but our main focus is on children. We have a simple style. We don't use a lot of props. The outdoor photos are more natural. There's some posing, but a lot of it is catching interactions and personalities. You probably shouldn't expect an old-fashioned family portrait with a child sitting — it's OK with us if your kids are running around while we take the family photo. Probably half of our work is in the studio and half is outside."

What should families know prior to the photo session?

"We do a consultation. We talk about clothes — it's OK to have color, but the main thing is to avoid bold colors. Try to coordinate with your family by picking two main colors or shades.

"For newborns, we plan on a two-hour time slot. We go on their schedule, so if they need a break, that's fine. For kids, we usually plan on an hour or hour and a half. If your child is shy, we won't make them take pictures right away — we let them warm up. Most little kids won't smile on demand. We have to trick it out of them. We have lots of tricks — we might even let them play with the camera for a while — to get them to calm down or cooperate."

What kinds of portrait packages do you offer?

"We have a standard session fee of $60, and all prints are a la carte. We offer a package for baby's first year for $300. We have a kids club, which is $75 per child. All prices are on our website. We only charge an extra fee if the group has six or more people, and we charge a $35 travel fee if we go to a location that's more than 3 miles from our studio."