Raleigh Family Photographer | Why Photos Matter
The Feeling
Getting your picture taken can be a daunting task. Even as your Raleigh, North Carolina family photographer I totally get it. I hate having my picture taken. Maybe you feel vulnerable, uncomfortable or self conscious or maybe you’ve just never done it and don’t know what to expect. Maybe you think that your iPhone photos are fine and the cost of hiring a professional doesn’t make sense when you can do it yourself. Worst of all, maybe you are worried that your kiddos are going to be a hot mess and not cooperate.
The Truth
As your family photographer in Cary who has had two babies of my own, maybe you don’t feel beautiful right now. You are tired, your house is a mess and you want to lose that baby weight. Maybe you are struggling with PPD or the adjustment hasn’t been as easy as you had hoped. Believe me, I’ve been there. As a matter of fact, I still FEEL those feelings. Getting your picture taken can be hard but in the end it is so worth it. Not just for you but for your family, too. And we all know how fast our babies change in such a short time.
We don’t know what is going to happen next year, next week or even tomorrow for that matter. We aren’t promised anything. Even when it feels scary or hard, photos are important. Sometimes that is all we have left of something or even someone. Especially now that I have my own children I wish that I had more to show them. More stories to tell, more people for them to get to know and more photos for them to SEE where they came from. Sure we can tell them stories of when we were younger or stories that our parents and grandparents have told us but the photos are what make these stories come to life. They are what make these stories real and help preserve those memories.
If you are reading this, I am going to go out on a limb and assume you have a family of your own. Momma, I want you to imagine 40 years from now when your grandkids are visiting and pulling out your photo album (YES…PRINT THOSE PHOTOS!) And showing them the younger version of yourself and their mom or dad. My kids adore going through old photos and finding themselves in those images. It could be dad’s smile or mom’s cheeks or grandpa’s dark brown eyes. The excitement, the giggles and maybe even some teasing. Then imagine your grandchildren sharing those same images with their grandchildren. They will be able to get a sense of who you are through these memories that we can capture together.
The Story
Let me share a quick story with you. I have a client who’s family I have photographed for 5 years now. Every year I only photographed the children. Mom was never comfortable getting in front of the camera (again, a lot of us totally get what she was feeling here) and so she never did. This year her husband also tagged along to help with the littlest and as we were standing in a field with beautiful light steaming through the trees I finally looked at her and told her to get in the frame. I didn’t ask. I gently insisted. She was hesitant and proceeded to tell me that next year when she lost a few more pounds she would do it. We got her to get in the frame with her family that day and when she received her gallery she was so grateful I had made her do it. She even made her Facebook cover the image of her holding her son surrounded by her family. She finds joy in these images, she feels the love that was created. She doesn’t see whatever she might have believed was imperfect. These images are treasured by her and you know what, they will be treasured by her kids and her grandkids and her great-grandkids, too. They won’t look at them and think, “man, mom should have lost a few pounds” they are going to feel the joy and the love that she had for them in that moment that has been to preciously preserved.
Photos aren’t just for a holiday card. They are for preserving your family’s legacy. As your Cary, North Carolina photographer, let me help you preserve your family’s story. Click here to schedule your family session today. I can’t wait to meet you!
