Ah, family portraits.
Some families insist on a shoot every year, some just do it for the coupon, and some take an impromptu group selfie and call it a day. I’m a photographer, so technically I’m supposed to tell you to get a photo of your family for every season.
…It’s just not necessary. What I can tell you is, at least one nice family portrait is worth your time and money. Here are three good reasons why you should start planning for a family portrait.
1. You all look organized. For once.
Every family has its craziness, and no family is perfect. With that noted, a family portrait brings you and your family together. A photo of you all next to each other not only looks good to outsiders, but feels good for those in the picture. Your family, no matter how big or small, can identify that, together, you are family, and the relationships between each family member cannot be broken.
2. Milk it.
Taking a family photo doesn’t mean you get ONE family photo. In fact, I recommend bringing a second outfit to change into, and taking multiple pictures in several different areas of a location. If your favorite pictures of your family is the one of you in the sand, frame it for your house. You’ll have at least 30 more with one or more different settings, which you can use for holiday cards, family reunions, gifts, decor, you name it.
3. Get everyone while they’re still cute.
Without getting too deep, family pictures can bring your family together while everyone is still there. Kids grow up and move away, grandparents may struggle to move in time, your dog might pass away, etc. Taking a picture of your family while it’s complete should be savored and treasured, not pushed back or ignored.
Try to squeeze in at least one professional family portrait. Having a family is a gift, and whether yours is big, small, weird, or all of the above, give your family something to cherish for a long time to come. If you would like more information and advice on setting up a family portrait, contact me.
I want to have a picture to hang on my wall of my family. It makes sense that getting a high quality picture would be beneficial! I’ll be sure to get a good photographer to help me out with this.
I’m glad you talked about how a family picture helps you keep priceless memories. Recently, my wife and I realized how we don’t have professional photographs of our family! We want to get a photographer’s expert help before our kids get bigger, so we’ll look into it. Thanks for the advice on why we need to have a family picture.
Eli, thank you for your input here. Yep, I totally agree, you’ve got to capture those moments while the kids are still growing up, and as I’m sure you and your wife know, they grow up so fast, TOO fast!