03/27/2024
What if we changed the way we think about family photography? What if it could be joyful?
Does this sound familiar...
Family photos are scheduled. You are excited to have photos of your family, but then you begin to agonize over what to wear, where to do the session, or if you are having the session at home feeling like you have to have a perfect home, and you can already feel your spouse rolling their eyes over all of it. But you know it’s important so you are going to soldier on. It’ll be fine. The days leading up you are trying to find perfectly coordinating outfits for yourself, your spouse, and your kids. Comfort is at the bottom of the list. Perfect bows, shoes, belts, button-up shirts or polos. The day comes along. You are busy. Little Susie had a game this morning. Bobby has piano practice. You’re rushing around getting everyone’s clothes ironed. Shoot, Bobby needed a nap. Bobby refuses a nap. You’re stressed and feel so much pressure. It’s got to be just right. You get everyone dressed, including your spouse. Shirts are tucked, and hair is perfect. You get yourself dressed, but you know you’re running behind. No chance to get makeup on…will do that in the car. You leave the house in a rush. Everyone is stressed. Traffic is bad. Everyone is hungry. Make it to your location, a few minutes late. Everyone is still stressed. Bobby’s untucking his shirt and Susie won’t leave the bow in. You and your spouse feel tense. Kids feel it. No one wants to be here.
What if it didn’t have to be that way? Is the purpose of family photography to have perfect images of a perfectly coordinated, perfect little family to send on the perfect Christmas cards? What if by doing all of that we’re actually missing the purpose of family photography altogether? What if we give ourselves a break.
Perfection is not the purpose of family photography.
What if we thought of family photography like this…
* Family photo sessions as a space in time for your family to spend together connecting, and strengthening your bond, and their sense of belonging, in an ever-increasingly busy world.
It can truly be a whole experience. A positive one. One where you and your family walk away more connected. With even more of a sense of belonging.
* A chance to tell the story of who your family is, and how it all feels, at this phase of life.
It all changes so quickly. Even in a seemingly “uneventful” life, this too shall pass. One day they’re littles looking up to you (literally), wrapping their arms tightly around your neck, and you’re chasing them around…playing, tickling, giggling. Then in the blink of an eye, they’re as tall as you are and it’s more about hanging out, stealing a little hug, or snuggling where you can. All beautiful, different, and precious.
* A chance to embrace and love the “imperfections” of your family…to see the beauty in them.
When life is busy we don’t often have the chance to slow down and see the hard parts as beautiful. To embrace the shy, encourage the wild. To let them be, see how beautiful it all is. Let this be a time that you get to do that.
* Family photography as a moment to celebrate the love you pour into your family every single day and to see how beautiful that is.
You spend most of your days loving on that family of yours. Pouring your heart and soul into everything they do. That is precious, hard work that deserves to be seen. Deserves to be cherished. Deserves to be celebrated.
* A gift to your future self, 20 years from now, for your adult littles and grandlittles.
In 20 years, none of you are going to care about the perfect outfits. Or the perfect hair. That you haven’t lost or gained those 10 lbs.
What you are going to care about is how much your family has grown over the years, how little they were then, how Susie looked with her crooked little teeth, how strong your love has always been, how it felt for them to wrap their arms around your neck for a hug, how sweet it was when they would pick flowers and bring them to you, how wild they were, how shy they used to be…and dare I say, how young you looked, how you loved being a parent to littles, how it felt to hang out with your teenager, how it all felt, how beautiful it all was, even when it didn’t feel like it.
That there was so much joy there. Look how happy we are…look how loved we are.
But how do we get there?
It has to happen one family at a time. One session at a time, social media post at a time, Christmas card at a time. It is possible. Let’s start seeing the beauty of what-is. The magic in the chaos.
What if we made comfort a priority when picking our clothes for a session? What if we let go of anything, including outfit choices, that was stressing us? Or if we chose to spend the day connecting as a family instead of stressing? If we prioritized sleep and full bellies or anything else we know will help everyone feel good? What if we made it about having a fun experience? Or if we planned a little ice cream outing after? If we played during sessions and embraced anything that came along? What if we let them be wild?
What if we just took a deep breath, told our people we loved them, and let it be beautiful? And, ya know what, we can still get the picture of everyone smiling at the camera.
