If you’re wondering whether it’s worth it to hire a professional makeup artist for your family photo session, my answer is always YES! This question comes up a lot in my pre-session consultations as clients decide what sort of experience they’d like. I wanted to take a minute to round up my favorite resources about professional makeup for photo sessions, and my favorite Portland makeup artists that serve my family photo clients.

Benefits of Hiring Portland Makeup Artists for Your Family Photo Session

1. You don’t have to plan your makeup at all! No researching best makeup looks for family photos on Pinterest, no shopping for and testing out new makeup, no trying new techniques…your professional makeup artist knows exactly what will look good and has all the supplies ready for you.
2. No guesswork about what will photograph best! Any professional makeup artist will tell you that there’s a big difference between what looks great for everyday makeup and what will actually photograph best. Why take the time to learn all of that? Leave it to the pros? A professional makeup artist will know how to make your best features stand out on camera.
3. Actually relax on your portrait session day. This one makes it ALL worth it, friends. I know from personal experience that it can be pure chaos getting the whole family ready for pictures and out of the door on time. It makes no sense to be stressed out trying to apply makeup perfectly (and get those darn false lashes to actually stick, right?) while ALSO making sure all the kids get dressed. You only have so many hands. The last thing you want is to show up to your session feeling frazzled and exhausted. By hiring a professional makeup artist, your day can start off calmly, and you can show up to your session ready to take intentional time to focus on connecting with your family.

The Best Portland Makeup Artists for Family Photos

I keep all of my recommendations for hair and makeup artists on my preferred vendors for Portland families page here, but these are my favorite Portland makeup artists for family photos:

1. Powder, Inc
2. Renee Bruhn
3. Kelli Thomsen
4. Allelu Beauty

Amie at Allelu Beauty did my makeup for a recent branding photo session and I adored working with her! She does a fabulous job of creating natural looks so you can still look like “you” on your photo session day.

Planning to DIY your Makeup for Family Photos?

Megan at The Beauty Snoop shared 5 Makeup Tips for Better Family Photos that will come in handy if you’re planning to do your makeup on your own. I love her simple, straightforward, actionable tips.

Need More Help Planning Your Portland Family Photos?

Check out my post on how to prepare for your family photo session! If you still need to book your family photos this year, head over to my main website to learn about the experience, then contact me!