Stop Waiting For The Perfect Moment For Family Photos

I. A true story: My colleague made the easy mistake of waiting for the perfect time to get her family photographed

As I was speaking with a colleague about my work as a family photographer, I asked her has she ever had professional family portraits with her kids.

She said with some regret in her eyes that she never did. She always felt like she didn’t look how she wanted for photos, that she wanted to shed a few kilos. “ It’s too late now my son is 18 and gone to university.”

II. Living in the time of Instagram, TikTok and other social media

Thinking about it now, this made me quite sad. As women we never feel good enough, either we feel too big or too small. Always seeking ways to be prettier. Prettier for who? Do we owe being pretty to anyone? Absolutely not. We should feel good enough and accept the way we are. It’s easy to say, but harder to feel in reality.

With Instagram (or other social media platforms) being a very big part of most people’s lives, we are constantly in front of hundreds of friends or influencers posting picture-perfect photos of themselves, but those images only reflect a small amount of their life. Only the filtered, edited, happy moment, often omissing the most important part of how they feel, but yet we overlook that and constantly compare ourselves to them.

So remember, real life is not social media. Real life is a continuity of happy and unhappy moments, so instead of focusing on the perfect body or financial situation, try connecting deeper with yourself and your loved ones because when our time comes, it won’t matter how we’ve looked and how many pairs of shoes we had.

So, I hope you judge this family I photographed not on how they look but on how beautiful their connection and love are. This was done last September in Chingford Plain, next to Epping Forest. I loved capturing this family’s special moment. They wanted to get meaningful photos capturing the true nature of their little boy so they could hang those photos on their walls.

III. There is no perfect time for family photography. Let’s debunk your blocks, my dear

A. I haven’t booked a family session yet because I’m scared of looking “fat” and “ugly”

First, I want to acknowledge that those are very unkind words that you tell yourself. Would you say this to your best friend or your children? Absolutely not! So please don’t say those words to yourself. There is only one unique person just like you in this world. You are unique, special and beautiful. Stop focusing on superficial looks and instead lean into connecting with yourself, learn to love yourself just like you love your children.

If you are uncomfortable about how you look, you will find that by being photographed by a professional, you will always look better than on your phone snaps, as we know the best tips and most flattering poses and light.

Another important point that is worth mentioning is that in 10 years when your kids will be teenagers or even adults, they won’t care about the extra kilos -you think- you had on. They will only care about the quality time they have with their parents. They will see that they are loved and that they are a unit. Strong. Together. They will always have a home.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment to get in front of the camera with your kids, because perfection doesn’t exist.

B. I haven’t booked a family session yet because my kids are too old now

If like my colleague your kids are old enough to be at the university, it’s not too late either, you can create meaningful family photography when they are adults too! It’s never too late to create a new family tradition. It’s the intention of connection, care and love that matters. Speak to them and maybe organise one every year during your annual family holiday. It will be such a great time to celebrate ach other.

C. I haven’t booked a family session yet because it’s too expensive

I get it, Family Photography can get quite expensive, but see it as an investment into your life’s most precious achievement: your family! I hate bringing this next argument to the table but… you never know how long we have on this planet. One of my client’s husband has been diagnosed with Melanoma cancer. Luckily he has been diagnosed early enough, but it could have been much worse. We don’t realise how precious what we have is until it’s gone and I’m sure they will cherish those photos of them pre-cancer.

So if you really want to invest in your family, you could start saving £30 every month and at the end of the year have £360 to spend on a family photoshoot. There are a wide range of artists out there to choose from. I’m sure you will find one in your price range.

Nowadays, most website offers split payments like Klarna and Clearpay, which I love! It brings so much flexibility to your budget. I love those apps, and I have decided to also bring the flexibility to pay your session fee over 3 months. Simply mention it in your email, no questions asked!

D. I haven’t booked a family session yet because I’m scared of feeling silly and awkward in front of the camera

If you think you will feel silly in front of the camera, it’s totally normal. Everyone feels that when a big camera is pointed in front of their face. The good news is that some studies have proven that most of that fear is overcome in the first 3 minutes of the activity you’re scared of doing. If you’ve picked me as your personal cheerleader, I will make you really comfortable. I love sharing with my clients a part of who I am so it’s an exchange and not a one-way street of vulnerability. Being in front of a camera can really feel vulnerable. Plus, during my photoshoot, I will never ask to stand still and smile at the camera. Most of my work is candid and connected photography, where you will move, play and connect with your kid, with no awkward and stiff poses. By connecting deeply with them during the session, your face will reflect pride, love and togetherness. How can you not love yourself and your face when those images mirror those emotions and remind you of how you’ve felt?

My client often finds that the first session is the most difficult. Once they get to know me and are familiar with the experience, they relax and build confidence, which makes it easier when we meet again the next year.

E. I haven’t booked a session yet because I don’t care about family photography

It might be true that you don’t care so much about your family being photographed. Maybe you are the kind of person who lives in the moment and is not so bothered by capturing everything in front of them. Which I think is mostly great as sometimes phones only interfere with our connections.
But remember, you aren’t the only person in this family. Maybe your partner and children would love to have those family portraits later down their lives as their memory fades away, or as your grandchildren ask what is their history. So if you think it might be the case, communicate with them and see if that is something that your family might need. You can decide how often you wish to have family photos, maybe only every 2 or 3 years or at each milestone might be enough for them.