Putting Off the Portrait Part 1

​Planning.  There are things in life that you typically plan out.  In many cases, planning streamlines an event or process, right?  Preparation and planning are great…except when they’re not.  Sometimes the best laid plan and intricate preparation creates a barrier between what you are experiencing and your enjoyment of said experience. 

Think of the last time you decided to have a family portrait taken.  What did you wear?  What did your kids wear?  What was the schedule like?  Did your two year melt down on the way? (- it happens to all of us!)  Did your teenager slouch and grimace at the idea of posing for anything other than a selfie?  Did your spouse protest?   Did you end up leaving your sitting wondering how any of the photos were going to be possible to turn into a beautiful canvas wrap for the living room wall…or feature on the family Christmas card this year??

I hope you haven’t had to muddle through a family photo session stressed and doing your best acting not to show it, but the reality is that we’ve all been there!  A family photo can be so daunting to orchestrate that some opt out of ever making them a priority.  Don’t let that be you. 

The photographer in me should tell you to plan.  I should, and will, encourage some idea of color theme or setting and I will answer any questions that I can to help you find a suitable direction.  Beyond that, photographer mom in me will tell you, from experience, to relax and let things come together.  Pick a date and time, show up and have some fun together!  Sometimes the best photos come out of the most ridiculous moments! 

Private photography sessions are the best for letting your family shine.  Your youngest might cry (a picture you’ll cherish one day!)  Your oldest might not smile (maybe smiling just isn’t his/her thing, a picture doesn’t always have to be cheesin’).  You might have a blemish from stress over weeks of planning for this moment (don’t worry, I can fix that).  My point is, get the family photo.  Don’t regret that you didn’t years from now when your little family has grown and started little nano-families of their own. 

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​There are so many more options for affordable and unique photography sessions now than there has ever been!  No longer do we live in a world where the only choice you have is to walk into a stuffy studio for a few minutes where you’ll be swiftly shuffled into one or two poses with only a few backdrops to change for alternating shades of neutral.  Now you’ve got boutique studios and mobile studios for in home operations and outdoor locations as far as the mind can reach with photographers that are not just doing a job, but love what they specialize in! And we want you to love it too.  Your family photo isn’t just a family photo anymore.  It’s art.  It’s not just a group of people sitting together.  It’s an experience and it’s personal.  No matter the rhyme or reason, nor the weather or season … your portraits can be a stress free and -dare I say- “fun” experience -so take the time to invest in capturing those memories.