11/18/2023
What do I love most about photographing families? Well, I love it all! First, I get to meet new people all of the time. It’s always exciting getting to know a family, especially the kiddos! I love when I’m going through your images, and I get to see your child “coming out of their shell.” Things tend to run fast during a session, so you don’t always get to stop and enjoy it. When I sit down and get ready to cull your images, I get to watch it all unfold and it truly is special. I could tell you a different story for every photo session.
There’s always something fun happening! I love getting to share those moments with my clients and I often find myself smiling or laughing while I’m editing photos. I might be smiling because I remembered the sweet thing your child said to you that gave you that beaming smile. I might be laughing about a funny moment like when your toddler catapulted out of dad’s hands, and he caught her perfectly without missing a beat.
We all laughed when it happened, but now I get to see it with the photo in another light. I see your youngest one’s expression on her face. She looks genuinely concerned about her sister’s flying trick. Mom looks super impressed with dad and the joy on her face is contagious. Dad is focused on the catch, but you can see the slight relief as he cups her perfectly in his arm. Of course, the little gymnast couldn’t be happier with herself. She is grinning from ear to ear and has absolutely no regrets.
That is what they mean when they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” I am just one of the lucky ones who gets to capture and tell your story. I want you to look back at your photos and remember a great day with your family. I want you to come to your session with only the intention of having a good time with your family. I don’t want you to look back and think “Oh that was the day my wife dragged me to be in family photos” or “That day was so stressful because my kids wouldn’t cooperate.”
Because getting family photos taken should not be a chore, it should be a fun experience. That is the best advice I have been able to give to clients. Trust me, when you come to your session with this mindset you are guaranteed to get some amazing images!
Leading up to your session you can talk to your children about how much fun you guys are going to have. Talk about the location you are going to if you are familiar with it. You can say things like “We’re going to go spend some time exploring nature. Won’t that be fun?” You can casually mention me leading up to your session too.
Some parents find it helpful to mention me by name a few times before their session. It helps their kids feel a little more comfortable because I won’t seem like a stranger.
You can always say “My friend Lacey is going to be there to snap a few photos of us!” Of course, you know your children best so do what works for you!
Your only job is to have a positive attitude coming into the experience. I don’t want you worrying about:
“Are the kids going to behave?”
“They’re probably not going to smile for us.”
“My husband isn’t going to want to be there.” etc.
In fact, you don’t ever need to tell your child to smile! Many people don’t realize but YOU DON’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ANY OF THAT. Because THAT IS MY JOB!
Trust me, no child or husband can go the entire session without cracking a genuine smile at least once. Cameras have improved tremendously over the years, so we don’t have to sit still for photos anymore either! 😅
All you have to worry about is being there with your family. Let me take care of the rest! Because at the end of the day, my goal is to give your family not just amazing images but an amazing experience. I want you to look at your photos and remember all the giggles and silliness. I want you to remember all the snuggles and cuddles and cherish all those sweet moments with your family. That is when you will fall in love with your images and there’s really no other feeling to compare it to.
