In this blog post, I want to talk about something that is very near and dear to my heart, and that is taking family photos right at your own home.
I don't know about you, but I easily get caught up in the comparison game in social media. It's easy to do with all these influencers and their perfectly curated accounts. It's a rare occasion for a mama to contact me and want to take family photos in their own yard or home. And I get it.
It's something you see every day. It's messy and chaotic. Nothing picturesque about it.
I'm here to tell you you're wrong. #sorrynotsorry
Your home is where your children are growing. It's a place that your family will have many memories of, and 10, 20, or even 30 years from now, your current home might not belong to you anymore....
Your home is a part of your story, and girl, I am telling you, it is so. Dang. Beautiful.
There may be toys everywhere. There may be scratches or dents in the walls. Crumbs on the counter.
I'm here to tell you it's OK. I promise you, years from now, when you look back at your family photos, they are going to mean so SO much more if you take them at a place that has meaning to you and your family, and what better place would that be than your own home?
My friend and former co-worker, Michelle, contacted me to take some family photos now that their youngest, Rhys, was turning a year old. We discussed locations, but ultimately landed on using their own backyard. It was initially Michelle's idea, and I'm so glad she was on board it! We got so many great images and portraits, and now someday, when her boys are all grown, when they look back at these photos, they will be extra special because they are the ones they shot right at home. They will stir up memories and emotions that a random park won't. I guarantee you that. And at some point years down the road, I betcha that house could be someone else's home, and these photos will serve as a reminder of what their lives were like at this time. A reminder of their childhood home.
And on a related note, if you're worried about your kiddos not cooperating, please know that that's ok too. Let your kids be kids, and trust that I will capture something you will love. They might not be sitting perfectly smiling for the camera, but I will capture them authentically. You will look at your photos, and think, "That's so like him/her." Don't you want photos that express who your kiddo truly is and not something they're pretending to be? Aren't the ones where they seem truly happy and like themselves the ones we cherish the most?
So mama, I'm asking you to look for and embrace the beauty in the mess and chaos that is in your own space and consider that as a location for your photo session, even if it isn't Pinterest perfect. I promise, you won't regret it.