Tips for Documenting Your Growing Family
Your Family is Growing, Let’s Document it
AnneMarie and her crew have changed so much over the years. Their family has grown and I am thankful to have been there for the changes. When I first met them, their youngest boy was only two or three at the most and now they have a baby sister to hang out with too! As a mama to five babes, I completely get that documenting your family as it grows can be a daunting task. I will tell you friend, it is so worth it. To help ease the stress I have some suggestions on the best way to get started (and some reasons for a session, so you don’t have to find your own, haha!)
Decide what story you want to tell. Do you want to document every year of your children's lives? Or do you want to focus on specific milestones? Knowing what story you want to tell will help you narrow down which photos are most important to document and that will help guide your decisions around photography and professional sessions versus home photos. Some clients love to meet up with me every few years to document their children’s growth. Some meet up during pregnancy and birth and then when babe is a bit older. This family met with me when they were a family of four, then when mama was pregnant, and now they are a fam bam of five! There are so many reasons to jump in front of the lens. They are all valid and you are worthy of having your family’s love documented in an authentic way.
Find a style that works for you. Whether it's traditional posed photos or more candid shots, find a style that you're comfortable with and that captures your family's personality. If you are looking for a more candid, photojournalist feel, I am your girl! Get everyone in the frame. As your family grows, it can be harder to get everyone together for a photo. But it's worth it to try to include everyone, even if it means getting a little creative with your framing orrrrrr working with a photographer. Mama, you deserve to be IN the frame, not just taking the photo. Promise. As a parent, it is natural to want to document and remember every moment of your child’s life. However, it is important to have realistic expectations when it comes to documenting your family. It is not possible to capture every moment, and that is okay. Be patient. Kids (and adults!) can be unpredictable, so don't expect every photo to be perfect and you will most likely find you love the unplanned “in-between” shots the most. I do!
As your family grows, it becomes more and more important to document your life together. Here are some ways you can utilize technology and printing services to keep your memories at your fingertips. Keep a family photo album. This is a great way to keep all of your photos in one place and to have them organized. This can either be a pre-printed book, like the ones I include in my half collections or photos you print out and then paste or insert into a photo album. I personally use and love Artifact Uprising. Check them out! Use a photo sharing service. This can be a great way to share photos with family and friends who live far away. You can upload to Facebook and Instagram of course, but you can also use photo sharing services like Google Photos, Dropbox and PhotoCircle, all available as phone apps and online with your computer. You can also use these services as a tool to back up your photos. Super important!
I want to help you with this task babe. Let me worry about the details and you just show up with that sweet fam of yours. Don’t stress. I got you boo.
