Three Reasons to book a family photography shoot
N O W P L A Y I N G // ‘Precious Love’ by James Morrison
Booking a family photography shoot can seem like it’s a thing for other people. There’s no doubt that phone photography can seem enough - I’ve taken at least 15 photos already today. I’m always at it, so I totally hear that. However, making a regular date to catch your family in professional photography is one of the greatest investments you can make.
Here are just three reasons why it’s a great idea…
Presence - to me, this will forever be the most important reason. Bringing me in to take pictures of your family means that you are all in the shots - they tell the whole story. Sure, sometimes we lean in to the excuse of being the person who takes the pictures - it can feel safer behind the lens, I actually totally get that. But there’s a balance, and I imagine that if you look though the pictures you do have, there might be one person who doesn’t often feature. Booking a family photography session not only brings them into the images, but it also lifts the load of documenting your family from them for a little while too.
Preemptive nostalgia - photography is one of the greatest love letters. As soon as a picture is taken, it is history. So we’re always looking back. We see how far we have come, we see what we have overcome, and we are reminded how hard we have loved. But when I’m taking family photography, of my own or of other people’s families, I’m also looking forward, knowing that these shots will become the stories of our lives. Catching the changing times is something we can only do as it happens. There is no rewrite.
Creating a positive dialogue around self image - often, when I’m talking to mums about photography, they will tell me that they avoid it because of their feelings about the way they look. I empathise with this entirely, especially when someone takes a photo of me when my reserves are down, and looking at it hits me square in a vulnerability. However, from experience, I also know that the more I put myself in front of the camera, the more I settle into it. I don’t do that thing now, where I zoom in on myself and identify the flaws that no one else sees. Frankly, I think it’s pretty rare for people to love every picture they ever see of themselves - but the value of the photograph really does go far beyond our perception of our physical image. I want my boys to feel positive and free about the way that they look, not to check themselves at every moment, and I know I have to model that as best as I can to them. Handing over control of how your image is presented is a challenge, but an open conversation about it with me can really help ease the process.
Want to talk about how this might work for you and your family? You can follow me on Instagram / Facebook (@sjburtonphotography) and you can DM me or fill in the form on my website.