The best time to take family photos…
..is now!
I’ll tell you why. We are always finding reasons why now is not the best time. We want to lose weight, the kids are still small. It’s not in our budget, we’ll have time next year, and so on and so on. There is always something that puts this on the back burner for most families.
We always feel like we have more time, until we don’t. We never think we look good enough now, but we do. Our kids are still little now, but you blink, and they’re grown and moving out of the house. There is always that thought in our heads, “well, we can always take photos with the grandparents next year.” 0r, “this really isn’t the best time to take family photos, or, or, or…”
When was the last time you had a portrait taken with your children? When was the last time you had a portrait taken with your parents? It may seem like a vanity, or something we never have time for. I am guilty of it myself. As a matter of fact, the last real portrait in front of a photographer’s lens with my parents and brother, was taken over 30 years ago. What’s my excuse? It’s the same as yours, there is never the right time, or always something else to do.
Photographing your family is telling your story over time. Your photographs are an investment that only grow in value over time. They cross generations, and will mean something to your children, and their children. Their value will only increase over time for you and your loved ones.
Speaking of generations, grandparents sessions are amazing too
… but make sure to include yourself in those photos as well!
I get inquiries from clients about grandparents sessions with their children, and I often sense a reluctance to include themselves in the photos as well. But wouldn’t you treasure, above anything, a photo with your parents now, should something happen to them tomorrow? We are not guaranteed any tomorrows. This crosses my mind a lot- how I wish I could go back in time and take a portrait of my grandmother with all of her babies. Sure I have many amazing images of my grandparents that I absolutely adore, but would I have loved a beautiful, timeless, emotive portrait of them with my mom and dad respectively? My parents would give anything for that too. But, like i said, there was never the right time. Not everyone was always in the same place. It was much harder to do with a family of 9 older children with families of their own living on different continents.
That is rarely the case with most families today. A lot of us are either close by, a short flight away, or have the privilege to spend some time with them every year. So seize this moment. Make the time to have portraits made with the people you love.
There are some great family session images with grandparents here!
Will I regret it?
You will never regret having your photos taken. But you will regret NOT having had the time to have them done. Having these images will mean the world to you one day.
I’ll give you an example, one that may seem mediocre to you, but pets are family too. I had a 13 year old Husky named Bandit. We saw Bandit getting older, and my oldest son adored that dog. I always told myself, I had to get a portrait of them together. But I never did. Bandit got progressively worse, faster than we expected, and by then it was too late, even though I had a brilliant idea for them that never materialized. I think about that all of the time, and how much I regret not making time for this little project.
I regret not being able to take an amazing portrait of my 100 year old grandfather, the last grandparent I have remaining. But he is an ocean away, and not so easy to get to these last few years given our world situation. I am crossing my fingers that next year, I will still get there… in time.
Choosing the right photographer for your family photos
The only other instance in which you might experience regret, is in your choice of photographer. When you choose a photographer, book them based on how much you love their work, not on the what they cost. This is not something you do every day, so make sure your choice of photographer will provide you with the service and quality of images that you will treasure. Choose quality over quantity. You don’t need 100 images from one session. You just need the ones that speak to your soul and make your heart sing when you look at them. But just remember, that there is never THE perfect moment, we will always be waiting for it.. the best time to take your family’s photos, truly, is now.
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