Fall family pictures, could anything be more beautiful? This is always a popular time to grab a family session, and I certainly know why! Vibrant colors, family laughter and snuggles, cooler weather with the smell of bon fires in the air…plus Christmas is just around the corner and getting an updated family picture in time for greeting cards is just the frosting on the cake!
It’s been WAY TOO MUCH fun going back through a few of my family sessions for this post. I have LOVED the families I’ve photographed over the years, and I’d love to share some thoughts about the importance of taking beautiful family pictures.
It used to be that having family pictures felt like an uptight affair. Everyone looking their Sunday best, everyone squeezed onto a single backdrop in a dark studio room, everyone looking at the camera and trying their hardest to pull out their best cheesy smile. I have a few of these pictures of my family’s early days myself, and I completely treasure them! However, family sessions today can be SO MUCH DIFFERENT! And MUCH MORE FUN!
I like to think of my family sessions as story-telling sessions, a time when the personalities and expressions shine through. Yes, of course we will get those posed pictures dotted throughout the session where everyone is looking at the camera. (And I have a few tricks up my sleeve to make SURE we have that fabulous shot with everyone looking and smiling at the camera.) But more importantly than that, you will have so many more pictures where you are connecting and enjoying your family. Your kids should have fun at my sessions, and your husband should leave saying, “Wow! That went much better than I had expected!” In fact, I have had more than one repeat client get in touch with me a year after their last session saying, “I can’t believe this, but my husband is actually ASKING when we can schedule our next family session!” True statement.
Think with me for a minute about what value these family pictures will have as the years pass by. And reflect with me minute what pictures from the past hold most value for you. What are they? Do you have them, or enough of them? And shouldn’t your children have them as well as they get older. One day when they go looking, what will they find?
I read a quote from Joy Prouty’s new book, Practicing Presence, that resonates with my soul and sums up my heart for each and every family session I photograph:
The photographs your children will care most about will not be the ones that showed how you looked, but the ones that show how it FELT for them to be LOVED by you.
Let me state that again, because we all need to let that sink in.
The photographs your children will care most about will not be the ones that showed how you looked, but the ones that show how it FELT for them to be LOVED by you.
I do understand, it’s easy to convince ourselves that it just doesn’t seem link the time to go to the effort of a family session. Here are some common excuses:
- I need to lose a few pounds first. (Let me tell you, there are a few tricks to hiding a few pounds, don’t let this one get in the way!)
- It’s too crazy right now.
- My spouse or teen or whomever is not going to like this.
- Maybe next year…
Let me just validate that those are all real things. But if they tend to always be the excuses to the point where you never book a session to document your family, you will regret it. And if not you, one day your children will. I wish I could tell you how many times I’ve heard this sentiment…”I wish I had more pictures of my mom.” I firmly believe it important to press that pause button on all the craziness and come out with me–or another photographer whose style you love–to document those moments that are fleeting.
As you are…right now…in the imperfect.
Because that, too, sends a POWERFUL message to your children that it doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful. In fact, beautiful is love, not perfection. Trust me.
If any of this resonates with you. Make the call. Fill out the contact form. Let me or your whatever photographer you choose know a little bit about your family. What do you love to do together? What are your kids’ personalities and what are the things you want to remember when they are grown? What things are you nervous about when you book a session?
I know I want to know those things, and I offer resources to help put the details together before the session to make things go as smoothly as possible.
Interested? Let’s chat. It will be beautiful.
Amy
