Do you have professional photos done on a regular basis? Or make a point of getting family photos even if it's handing your camera to a passerby? Or do you just rely on iphone selfies?

I'm torn about getting pro family photos done. We did them last year before Christmas, and honestly, they just came out OK. They weren't the most expensive, by any means, but they weren't super cheap either. And the artist in me can see that they are nice photographs, it's just that C wasn't really smiley that day and DH and I aren't super photogenic, so you can't really blame the photographer, but also can't guarantee that it won't happen again... Ideally I'd like to sign up for a mini-session or something and just get a few nice ones of all three of us without a ton of time or money involved (including from the photographer-- I really do value his/her time and skill, I promise!).

So, my question for the Boston area bees-- any recommendation for a good family photographer, who isn't really expensive and who might have a fall mini session coming up? I don't really like the inside studio ones as much as outdoor ones.

Or for anyone-- how do you get photos of your family without hiring a pro? I have a DSLR and can take nice amatuer photos but no one will mistake them for professional or anything.