When was the last time you had family pictures done? If you’re like most people, you may have considered booking a photographer at some point, but you’ve struggled to get around to it because life is so busy. I get it! Life is hectic, especially with young kids or a growing family, and you feel like you just haven’t had time to wrangle all the kids and sit everyone down with a professional for a proper portrait session.
Or maybe you have albums full of snapshots of your kids, but none with you and your spouse in them because one of you is always taking the pictures. This is super common, especially for moms, who are often the self-designated memory-preservers in the family and who can usually be found behind the camera rather than in front of it.
Making the time to work with a professional photographer on custom family pictures is so important, and it’s often less stressful and time-consuming than you might imagine. A good photographer knows how to make the process easy for you, guiding you in how to prepare, creating a comfortable and fun atmosphere during the session, and helping you turn those memories into printed pieces of artwork.
As a Spokane family photographer, I take great pride in making sure my clients are happy with their experience and want to return again and again. Here are a few reasons why I think it’s so important to take yearly family pictures:
Capture any changes in your family
From first steps to braces to high school, as your kids grow up, the days go by fast, and you don’t want to miss a moment. Having an annual family photo taken allows you to document all the changes in your family, whether it’s a new addition or a rapidly growing middle schooler. As time passes the memories can blur together, and if you don’t take the opportunity to freeze time through the magic of photography, you may regret that lost opportunity later. Professional family photos will be something you and your children can enjoy now AND look back on for years to come.
Create artwork for your home
What better way to decorate your home or office than with beautiful photos of the people you love? You may have plenty of photos of your kids snapped on your cell phone and even some selfies of the whole family, but those are not the types of images that look great printed on canvas and hanging above the fireplace. A professional family photo session ensures that everyone will be in the photo, looking their best, and that the images will be of ideal quality for printing, enlarging, and enjoying in your home.
Make it a tradition
Whether you grew up taking family pictures or not, it’s a great tradition to start with your family. Someday your grandchildren (and maybe even their children) will look back on your family pictures and reminisce about days gone by, so it’s important to have quality, professional images that will stand the test of time without fading, warping, or being lost to changes in technology. And once you start the tradition of taking family photos each year, your children can continue it when they have families of their own.
Eliminate the stress and chaos of taking your own family pictures
If you’ve ever tried to organize your own family for a self-directed photo shoot, you know how stressful and chaotic it can be. Your kids won’t cooperate, other family members don’t always participate the way you’d like, the conditions are not ideal, and little Jimmy keeps running out of the shot crying just when you’re about to take the photo. Instead of trying to organize and shoot a family picture yourself, a professional can do the heavy lifting for you. Professional photographers work frequently with families and children and know how to keep your kids happy and capture natural expressions - even with wiggly or fussy little ones. Even better, they can help with printing the photos by designing wall art or custom photo albums, so you know you’re getting the best quality images of your family.
My advice for keeping your family pictures updated? Consider scheduling a session with a professional photographer annually — the same month each year — and make it a rewarding tradition that your family can enjoy for years to come.
At Alyssa Koster Photography, it becomes a tradition that is about more than the pictures. Your session is an intentional time of family fun doing an activity that you love with the people you love. Life is busy but scheduling annual family pictures gives you a chance to slow down and focus on your family. I can even take remembering to schedule off your plate. Tell me the season or month you want, and I can call you each year in plenty of time to book and prepare. Give me a call or shoot me an email to start planning your session! (509) 496-5290 or hello@alyssakosterphotography.com.
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