Why you should be in the picture too!
Having photos of your kiddos is important, but having some with you and your children is just as important, if not more so! And this is why: we do not know what will happen tomorrow, and family pictures are a way to leave a legacy for those we leave behind. From personal experience and in dealing with clients, I have heard many reasons why mom and dad do not want to be in the photograph, or why they want to wait to get a family portrait done. From waiting to lose weight, not liking how they look, waiting for the kids teeth to come in, hair to grow out, my kids do not like having their photos taken, my husband does not like having their photos taken, I do not like having my photo taken and I have thought the same thing myself with my own family. I completely get it when I hear these things from my clients because I have thought it about myself!
Here is the reality--and a wake up call for myself:
After watching a webinar today with amazing family photographer, Michele Celantano, she put some things into perspective for me. The longer we put off having family portraits done, the more likely we are to not have them done at all. Simply stated, yet incredibly true. I am aware of how priceless images are, because I am a firm believer in capturing those moments that may never happen again. In my own life, I know which images in my home are the ones I would save first (after my irreplaceable family of course) in case of some natural disaster or fire because they mean that much to me. Those images are the ones that have people in them that are no longer with me, and those images are all I have left, that is tangible, of people who I love and miss so much. They are the ones that when I look at them I do not think "ugh, I wish my mom would have lost a few pounds before taking that photo;" instead, I look at them and I can immediately remember what we were doing, what I was feeling and how much I love and miss my mom. Images that I know will be all I will have left once those loved ones are gone; they are, in a word, irreplaceable.
Here is my experience and why I am even more obsessed with capturing every moment, and getting photos taken of your family as well as my own. This photo is the last one I have of my mom and my son together. My mom passed away unexpectedly almost one month to the day after this photo was taken last year. One of my biggest regrets is that I did not hand my camera off to my husband and jump in this picture with my mom and son to have a photo taken together. While I am so grateful to have this last image of them together, I wish I would have taken more photos from this day or taken photos of myself with my mom. Of course, I could not see into the future to know what would happen--and now it really makes me think that the time we do have together is that much more precious. I miss my mom tremendously, every day, every minute and besides memories, photos are the only thing I have left of her that is tangible. When I look at this picture, it evokes emotion, it makes me happy to see her smile and I love looking at it. There are no flaws in this image, all I can see is the love a grandma has for her grandson. And if I could I would put this photo on every wall in my house, just so I could look at it any time I want; in any room I want.
Waiting to have that family session done? Or avoiding the camera at the family reunion? You are NOT alone!
I know when I take photos of my own family, I have thousands (and I am not exaggerating) of my son, hundreds of he and my husband together and maybe a handful of myself with my son and even fewer of the three of us together. Ugh-I need to do better! Why is that? Because I let my "self" get in the way and because I like being behind the camera instead of in front of it...I am over critical and over analytical of myself, just as we all can be from time to time, especially when it comes to viewing ourselves in pictures. If we could start looking at ourselves the way that those that love us see us, we would stop seeing our physical flaws in our images, we begin seeing what the image is really about--a moment shared, a relationship recorded. As long as the people in the photo love and care for each other that is all that matters and that is what makes it perfect. Now is the time I personally stop waiting and avoiding jumping in front of the camera and time to capture those moments with my own family and I hope that this will inspire others to do the same. Whether you book a family session with a professional photog, grab a neighbor or friend to photograph you or make sure you take family photos during a holiday--create moments and capture memories you will keep forever.
