Expertise.com Homepage

2024

Last updated:

Best Portrait Photographers in Philadelphia, PA

Our Recommended Top 19

We did the research for you!

  • Licensing
  • User Reviews
  • Mystery Shopping Calls

Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Philadelphia Portrait Photographers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

493Reviewed

303Curated

19Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

Philadelphia, PA

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Need help contacting a Portrait Photographer in Philadelphia? Call our Concierge team at 848-Book-Pro (848-266-5776 from 6 am - 4 pm PT | Mon - Fri). They are standing by to help you get the service you need.

1410 Baltimore Pike, Suite 5, Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (8)

Why choose this provider?

Kristin Ann Photography is a photography business that specializes in portraiture. Kristin Ann Maitland shoots portraits of newborns, children, families, and couples. Maitland personalizes each photography session according to clients' needs. Prior to a shoot, she asks clients to fill out a questionnaire in order to learn about their vision for the session. The photographer also guides clients in selecting props and clothing to be used for the shoot. Maitland also offers fine art prints and fine art wood products.

10 South Towamencin Avenue, Lansdale, PA 19446

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (3)
Yelp
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Laura McCarney Photography is a studio that serves clients in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. It offers portrait photography services that capture the personality of a person or group of people. The studio also provides newborn, maternity, and children photography sessions. Its photographer, Laura McCarney, uses a natural approach to photography, and she specializes in integrating the element of storytelling into her photography style. She also provides a client photography experience guide, and she makes recommendations on wardrobes and visual boards.

Cherryhill Township, PA 08002

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (27)
Facebook
5.0 (6)

Why choose this provider?

Gene Smith Studio provides headshots, corporate portrait, advertising and editorial, interior and exterior, landscape, and food photography. Owner and chief photographer Gene Smith has photographed Bruce Springsteen and Governor Huckabee and is a featured photographer on the Zeiss/Hartblei Optics lens website in Germany; Gene is the only American photographer on the site with this endorsement.

  • Head shots

Malvern, PA 19380

Why choose this provider?

Serving the Philadelphia and Main Line area, Patricia Figurski Portraits specializes in natural light portrait photography for women. The types of sessions Fig Tree offers include glamour photography as well as child and family photography sessions. Sessions can take place at the location of the customer's choice or can be done in the customers' home if within a 40-minute drive of the studio. Past clients celebrate primary photographer Patricia's ability to put her subjects at ease and find her clients' best angles and they love her excellent attitude.

319 Radcliffe Street, Unit 3, Bristol, PA 19007

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (6)
Facebook
5.0 (2)
Yelp
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Focusing on telling her customers' stories, Jess Graves Photography is a lifestyle photographer serving Philadelphia, Bucks county, and Princeton. Types of photography offered include engagement, family portraits, portraits, event photography such as maternity and graduation, headshots, and commercial and real estate photography.

180 Green Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19127

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.8 (61)
Yelp
5.0 (40)

Why choose this provider?

JPG Photo & Video is a portrait photography business that has been active for over 15 years. The company offers professional headshot, wedding, and aerial drone photography services to clients in Philadelphia. It modifies its style to fit each client's own personality, delivering civil and intimate pictures and thematic and funny shots. It can hold in-studio and on-location sessions, as well as cover high-profile events, like Pope Francis's 2015 visit to Philadelphia during the World Meeting of Families Conference.

2930 Jasper Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Serving Philadelphia and the neighboring areas, Diana Smyth Photography Studios is a photography service provider specializing in maternity, newborn, and family portraits. The studio has several in-house mom gowns and little girl dresses that can be used during the session. The photographs from the studio have been published in magazines, including Child Couture. Diana Smyth Photography Studios is the 2021 Love Award winner for the Best Portrait Studio category given by The Philadelphia Family.

  • Lifestyle
  • Family

Glenolden, PA 19036

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

SGW Photography serves Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York and also is available to travel for destination weddings. SGW Photography offers expert portrait services for families, children, couples, maternity, and newborns. Many of SGW Photography's photography packages include a customized USB and online gallery. SGW Photography takes pride in their work and focuses on documenting the milestones of their customers' lives.

1714 North Mascher Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (86)
Facebook
5.0 (25)
Yelp
5.0 (6)

Why choose this provider?

Vikrant Photography is the portrait photography business of Vikrant Tunious, a professional photographer based in Philadelphia. A graduate of photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York, Vikrant is knowledgeable in creating excellent portraitures of individuals from various fields. He has photographed a celebrity hairstylist, a pastor, a radio host, and a singer. Additionally, Vikrant is also one of the city's top fashion photographers. His works have been published in magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Vogue.

4347 Main Street, Manayunk, PA 19127

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (5)

Why choose this provider?

Aliza Schlabach Photography serves the Greater Philadelphia area. The company focuses solely on portrait photography and operates out of a comfortable, well-appointed studio in Manayunk. The studio offers boudoir, headshots and personal branding, and other types of portraiture including contemporary glamor, engagements, maternity, kids, and families.

127 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (162)
Yelp
4.5 (7)

Why choose this provider?

Christopher Descano Photography provides portrait photography services to clients in Philadelphia. The owner of the studio, Christopher Descano, works on fashion and glamour photoshoots and takes headshots for business clients, actors, and young performers. He believes that his background as an actor and as a member of the Screen Actors Guild for 15 years have provided him first-hand experience and connections in the entertainment industry and gives him an edge in helping clients book potential jobs through his photography work.

3525 I Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (160)
Facebook
5.0 (25)
Yelp
4.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

D'Mont Reese Photography and Video is a full-service photography studio in Philadelphia that has been around since 1991. Reese specializes in various types of photography, including weddings, yearbooks, reunions, model portfolios, portraits, and headshots. He also takes photos for music CD covers, commercial print, sports, and fashion. He has photographed many prominent figures and celebrities like Kevin Hart, Victoria Rowell, Mary Mary, and former presidents Bush and Obama. He was also one of the official photographers during the Pope's visit in 2015.

Drexel Hill, PA 19026

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
4.8 (76)
Google
5.0 (2)
Yelp
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Kevin Kramer Photography is located in Drexel Hill and provides wedding photography in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Deleware and any location their customers prefer. Owner Kevin Kramer has been shooting weddings and portraits professionally for nine years and has shot over 200 weddings. Kevin Kramer Photography has won Bride's Choice and Couples' Choice Awards from WeddingWire.

1901 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (22)
Yelp
5.0 (12)

Why choose this provider?

Sweetwater Portraits is a local photography business servicing Philadelphia clients since 2006. It offers portrait photography sessions for different themes, especially for weddings, including same-sex ceremonies. Its team of talented photographers is committed to making people feel confident and beautiful during the sessions. A personalized gallery of edited images is sent to clients, who can download the high-resolution images and print them. Sweetwater Portraits has been featured in a variety of magazine publications such as Philadelphia Wedding and The Knot New Jersey.

2027 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (88)
Facebook
5.0 (55)
Yelp
4.5 (2)

Why choose this provider?

James Kern Portraiture is a professional photographer based in Philadelphia. One of the areas Kern specializes in is boudoir photography where he works with people on an intimate level with an aim to help them love and appreciate their own bodies. The photographer's previous client commended him for being professional and making her feel comfortable during the boudoir session which was outside of her comfort zone. His father's Olympus film camera jumpstarted his interest in photography.

219 West Rittenhouse Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (108)
Yelp
5.0 (4)
Facebook
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

MHamiltonVisuals is in the business of taking headshot pictures in Philadelphia. Owned and operated by photographer Matthew Hamilton, the photo studio offers professional and well-executed headshots for a variety of uses like resumes, auditions, speaking engagements, social media, and press releases. A good headshot picture can make someone look confident, professional, and approachable. Some of the headshots photography Matthew does are the corporate, office, and actor look. The steps to get a booking is easy: book online, come for the shoot, and download the pictures.

2700 East Tioga Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
5.0 (1)
Yelp
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Gregory Maxx Photography is a studio based in Philadelphia that offers portraiture services to clients within the nearby areas. Its services include individual, couple, family, and wedding portraits. It also accommodates newborn and maternity shoots. The studio offers a standard package that includes unlimited shooting for all the models. It also provides a deluxe package that includes makeup services and two outfit changes for each model. Gregory Maxx Photography provides access to great locations.

261 East High Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (63)
Facebook
5.0 (13)
Yelp
5.0 (6)

Why choose this provider?

Stephanie Nolt Photography is a multi-service professional business in Philadelphia. It specializes in portrait photography for the following subjects: family, child and newborn, teen and senior, and maternity. Stephanie offers photography services for corporate clients and their businesses and documentation of family events like engagement parties and weddings. Stephanie Nolt Photography is composed of a team of artistic individuals--photographers, photography assistants, lighting technicians, hair and makeup artists, wardrobe, and set stylists, who collaborate to bring each client's vision to life.

Compare our Top Portrait Photographers

NameExpertise RatingAddressPromotionsLearn more
Kristin Ann Photography
1410 Baltimore Pike, Suite 5, Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Laura McCarney Photography
10 South Towamencin Avenue, Lansdale, PA 19446
Gene Smith Studio
Cherryhill Township, PA 08002
Patricia Figurski Portraits
Malvern, PA 19380
Jess Graves Photography
319 Radcliffe Street, Unit 3, Bristol, PA 19007
JPG Photo & Video
180 Green Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19127
Diana Smyth Photography Studios
2930 Jasper Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134
SGW Photography
Glenolden, PA 19036
Vikrant Photography
1714 North Mascher Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Aliza Schlabach Photography
4347 Main Street, Manayunk, PA 19127
Christopher Descano Photography
127 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
D'Mont Reese Photography and Video
3525 I Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134
Kevin Kramer Photography
Drexel Hill, PA 19026
Sweetwater Portraits
1901 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148
James Kern Portraiture
2027 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145
MHamiltonVisuals
219 West Rittenhouse Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144
Gregory Maxx Photography
2700 East Tioga Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134
Stephanie Nolt Photography
261 East High Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144

FAQs

  • Introduction

    Portrait photography can be the perfect way to capture special moments for adults, children, couples, and families. It's a popular option for occasions, such as graduations, weddings, birthdays, and various milestones reached throughout childhood. However, you don't need a special reason to get a portrait professionally done, as there are many photographers eager to work with new clients at a reasonable rate.

    Professional portrait photography takes years of practice, and the right photographer can achieve results that go far beyond the typical selfie. A magnificent portrait can bring out the subject's inner qualities, allowing their unique personality to shine through for generations to cherish.
  • What is portrait photography?

    Portrait photography is the art of capturing a sitter's likeness with a camera. While this may sound as simple as snapping a quick shot with your mobile phone, the truth is that a truly good portrait photo is difficult to achieve. The goal of a high-quality photo is to capture the personality and emotions behind the subject.

  • What is the history of portrait photography?

    Since the invention of the first camera in 1839, portraits have been one of the most popular kinds of photos. However, way back when, photos needed an exposure time of 20 minutes or more, meaning you would need to sit completely still for that time or else end up with a blurry image.

  • Where can you learn portrait photography?

    Many art schools across the country offer degrees in photography, and some even have specialized classes in portraiture. This can be a good option for young photographers who want a well-rounded skill set. However, many dedicated portrait photographers are self-taught and rely on their portfolios to serve as their credentials.

  • How do you start a portrait photography business?

    Before starting a portrait studio, it's best to gain experience shooting your friends and family so you have a strong portfolio to show clients. Once you're confident in your work, try making a website where you can direct new businesses interested in having their pictures taken.

  • How to eliminate shadows in portrait photography?

    The secret behind many photographers' success is that photography is 50% editing. If you're working digitally, you can open up your pictures in editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop, and use its digital tools to manipulate shadows and highlights. If you prefer to work analog, the best way to mitigate shadows is proper lighting.

  • What are the four categories of portrait photography?

    The four categories of portrait photography are constructionist, candid, environmental, and creative.

    1. Constructionist photographs involve working with a photographer who will sit you in different poses and lighting to create the perfect shot from the ground up.
    2. Candid photos are taken with minimal setup, trying to capture their subject in the moment.
    3. Environmental photos try to capture subjects in their natural environment.
    4. Creative photography uses a variety of experimental techniques and elements to create an original image.