Finding the best family photographer in Phoenix can feel like a tall order. You want someone who knows exactly how to wrangle energetic toddlers while still capturing those perfect, sun-drenched desert moments. 

A brilliant photographer also transforms a stressful afternoon into a relaxed, enjoyable experience for everyone involved. So we’ve spent hours looking at different portfolios, comparing pricing options, and evaluating the overall client experience.

Our goal is to help you find a creative professional who perfectly matches your family’s unique style and personality. Let’s dive in!

Service Type	Average Cost (USD)
Mini Sessions	$250 – $400
Full Family Sessions	$550 – $950+

1. Memories by Candace

Website:https://candaceweir.com/

Address: Phoenix, AZ

Contact: Contact via website

Hours: No Hours Listed

Candace Weir runs Memories by Candace, and she focuses on timeless, natural-light portraits. She has a brilliant knack for capturing life’s fleeting moments with a bubbly, approachable energy. 

In fact, she ranks highly among the city’s photographers for good reason. As an established family photographer, she really understands how to help clients relax during their session.

We recently chatted with a friend who used her for a toddler shoot, and they loved her endless patience. Plus, she appreciated her clear direction and ability to tease out genuine smiles. 

A slight catch is that her Essentials Package only comes with a 20-minute photoshoot, which leaves you feeling hurried.

Customer Reviews:

We couldn’t be more satisfied

A friend recommended Memories by Candace to shoot our family portrait in honor of my husband’s 80th birthday.  We couldn’t be more satisfied.  The shoot was easy to arrange, Candace immediately responded to our questions and helped us choose appropriate clothing. The photographs she took are absolutely stunning.  She captured all 7 of us looking our best, relaxed, and joyful.  She even charmed our two-year-old grandson into smiling for the photos, no small feat!  She was kind, funny and patient.  We would choose her again in a heartbeat.

• Harriet Smith | Google Review

Highly recommend

We scheduled family photos as a gift for my mom for her birthday and it was the best decision. Memories by Candace was easy to schedule with and gave all sorts of tips and tricks online with style guides and tips for  easy photos. Candace worked so well with my family and was amazing with my two girls, even coaxing smiles from my toddler. The landscape she chose was breathtaking. I was amazed that she had our photos ready in just 2 days!!! I highly recommend using her for your photos, we will definitely use her again!!

• Bailey Waddell | Google Review

2. Lia’s Photography

Website:http://www.liasphotography.com/

Address: 3314 E Rosemonte Dr

Contact: 602-503-8019

Hours: 24 Hours

Lia’s Photography stands out for delivering incredibly vibrant and crisp outdoor portraits. She excels at using iconic desert locations like Papago Park to create stunning backgrounds. 

Every capable family photographer knows how to use natural surroundings, but Lia takes it further with her meticulous scheduling. She arrives early to scout the absolute best angles for your group. 

If you need a flexible photographer, you’ll be happy to know her business operates around the clock. Many clients also praised her for delivering edited galleries quickly. 

In fact, many recommend her as a wedding photographer.

The only catch is that she tends to book a lot for large weddings, which splits her attention and can make booking quick portrait sessions difficult.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended

We visited Phoenix, Arizona, for our family vacation this summer and hired Lia Photography to capture our memories. What an amazing experience from beginning to end!

Communication was clear and easy, the session was wonderful, and the final photos turned out absolutely beautiful. We were also so impressed by the fast turnaround time.

Lia Photography is definitely the place to go and the team to work with when you are looking for beautiful family photos in Arizona. Highly recommended!

• Svetlana Boyko Photography | Google Review

Fabulous job

Lia’s Photography did a fabulous job with our family photos.  We are thrilled with the quality and number of photos. Max was great and took a ton of pictures with various backgrounds and photos of whole family, individual families, couples and kids alone.  Max came to our resort and took the pictures on site which made it convenient for everyone.  They were easy to work with and accommodating to our needs. We highly recommend Lia’s Photography for your family/vacation photos.

• Laura Miner-Kowalski | Google Review

3. Summer Elizabeth Photography

Website:https://www.summerelizabethphotography.com/

Address: Phoenix

Contact: 469-956-9596

Hours: Monday-Sunday, 9 AM–6:30 PM

Summer Elizabeth provides a highly personalised approach to capturing beautiful maternity and newborn milestones. She takes time to call every client beforehand to discuss their exact vision and wardrobe preferences. 

Her studio style leans heavily towards clean, soft aesthetics that perfectly highlight the natural connection between parents and babies. If you’re looking for a gentle family photographer, she brings a very calming presence to her sessions. 

She even allows clients to heavily customize their packages to suit specific budget constraints. 

A small catch is that you must often wait up to 48 hours for an initial response. She also requires clients to travel to her specific preferred outdoor shooting locations.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely wonderful

We hired Summer for our family photos with a desert background, and she was absolutely wonderful. She was incredibly patient with the kids and never rushed us—she truly took her time. Summer captured tons of photos and was very creative with positioning us to get the best lighting, sun placement, and desert colors. Her attention to detail really showed. She went above and beyond to make sure we got amazing photos, and the results were excellent. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a talented and thoughtful photographer.

• Jennifer Ernst | Google Review

Strongly recommend

Great family photographer! She is best in the business.  We had some most amazing photos of our newborn and maternity together. She makes you feel special and helps you enjoy the session all the way. Advices you on costume and very friendly to work with. I strongly recommend her for newborn and maternity photoshoots.

• Laxmi Nanditha Vijay | Google Review

4. Shannon Burke Photography

Website:http://shannonburkephoto.com/

Address: 21620 N 19th Ave Unit A7

Contact: +16024486628

Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 AM–1 PM

Shannon Burke runs a beautiful natural-light studio in North Phoenix that caters to growing families. Her minimalist style focuses on neutral colours, ensuring the subjects remain the absolute centre of attention. 

Any seasoned family photographer knows how to curate a stress-free environment, and Shannon certainly delivers. She even provides a growing client wardrobe filled with gorgeous outfits for mothers and babies. 

We’ve actually booked a milestone session for my own nephew here, and the quiet, relaxing studio atmosphere was simply perfect. She excels at capturing delicate newborn features, too. 

The only bummer is she requires a non-refundable retainer to secure your date. She also primarily focuses on babies rather than large extended groups.

Customer Reviews:

Worth it

Love love love!! Shannon did our newborn photos back in 2020 and we returned to her 3ish years later for some family photos. We will absolutely be return clients every year. Her prices are worth it. I’ve been to a few other photographers and nothing compares to Shannon and Alyssa!

Katelyn Lewis | Google Review

Worth the price

Shannon did our family photo session. She was professional, produced a good variety of beautifully edited images in a timely fashion, and was great with our two toddlers and infant. The quality is worth the price.

Lisa | Google Review

5. Carly Weekley Photography

Website:http://carlyweekleyphotography.com/

Address: Phoenix

Contact: 602-481-8821

Hours: 24 Hours

Carly Weekley offers a highly engaging portrait experience aimed at capturing authentic, unposed interactions. She specifically directs clients to play and laugh together rather than stare stiffly at the camera. 

She offers a fantastic “Belly to Baby” bundle that completely covers your journey from pregnancy to early motherhood. Choosing the right family photographer often comes down to package transparency, and Carly lists all her prices and digital image counts clearly online. 

Her full sessions also allow up to ten people, making her ideal for large groups. 

Just keep in mind that if you get the Signature Family package, you get less than an hour of photoshoot despite paying $750 plus tax.  

Customer Reviews:

10/10

Our session with Carly was simply amazing! The entire process from booking to location selection was easy. We had a large group, 13 people and she moved through our group like she’d known us forever. She was so kind and easy to work with. The final product, the pictures, chefs kiss! They were everything we hoped they would be! 10/10 highly recommended her! We will be using her again for the next time we take family photos.

Kimberly Allen | Google Review

Easy to work with

Carly captured our family’s love for each other so beautifully. She was so efficient and easy to work with. These photos are so breathtaking and I will forever treasure them. We do family photos every year and have not known about Carly until now but we will only use her in the future.

Tara Luke | Google Review