Why You Should NOT Take Your Own Family Pictures
This weeks post is a bit humbling for me. I’m a professional photographer, I take naturally gorgeous senior pictures, real-life family pictures, and personable headshots but when it comes to taking pictures of my own family…I haven’t really taken my own advice. I tell people they should update their family photo at least once a year. Our little ones change so fast and what better way to capture those memories than with pictures? I realized in August that we haven’t had professional photos taken since my son’s newborn pictures. Eek! Last year he wasn’t moving real fast so I was able to set up the tripod and sit him down to take our own family pictures. But this year….he is running…EVERYWHERE!
If you’ve ever looked for a photographer, I feel you! It’s a lot of searching on social media. I searched for a few days in August but gave up because I was busy with my own photography clients. We had a trip to the coast planned for the weekend of my husband’s birthday in October so I thought maybe we could try to take our own photo again. I could bring the tripod, the remote trigger and we’d have a family picture on the beach. Sounds cute right?
But in the back of my head, I knew it was a mistake. Liam is over 2 now and I rarely take photos of him anymore cause they tend to be a bit blurry. He’s constantly in motion if he isn’t strapped in a high chair, carseat, or sitting watching toons. I don’t know why I thought I could set up the tripod, my camera settings and then get all of us to sit and all smile at the camera? Nope.
In September I stumbled across a post inside the Portland Rising Tide Society Group on Facebook. Photographer Dijana Szewczyk recently went full time with photography and was offering family minis to fill her fall calendar. I took all of 2 minutes to debate booking her and I’m so glad I did because this is what I got for “family pictures” at the coast this last weekend. Granted this is with my cell phone but dear god…none of these would work!
Here’s the real reason I’m so glad I booked my family portrait session with a professional photographer vs doing the pictures myself. I didn’t have to stress at all that weekend at the coast, I got to enjoy running on the beach with my little one, spin him around and around and just have a great time. I didn’t have to lug my camera bag and tripod, I got to have fun with my family. I’m so glad we booked a family session with a pro so I can actually sit back and enjoy the photoshoot and know we’re going to have beautiful family pictures!
If you haven’t booked your family portrait sessions for the Fall I still have 3 spots left at my family mini sessions on Saturday, November 4th. Shoot me an email at hello@annagraf.com to find out the times available.
