A pep talk for moms that are dreaming of the perfect family portrait.
It’s that time of year again. Fall portrait time. Your mom friends are posting their perfectly dressed, perfectly posed portraits and you might be feeling a little jealous and guilty. You might be jealous about how fabulous she looks, how well behaved her kids are, how she seems to have it all together… You might feel guilty that you haven’t booked a photographer for this year (or last year… or since you got married.)
You might be thinking “I’d love to book a photo session but…” And I want to take a minute to talk about your “but” your reasons for procrastinating booking a Mebane family portrait photographer for your family portrait.
“…I’m too busy.”
Did you ever expect to be so busy? It feels like we’re running non-stop. The kids need to get to school, diapers needs to be changed, dinner needs to be cooked and eaten in the next 45 minutes because practice starts in an hour… Motherhood is a constant go go go with doctor appointments and grocery shopping and everything takes 5 times longer when a toddler throws himself on the floor because he suddenly realized his shoes are the wrong color. I promise it won’t always be this way. Some day, things will slow down but then it’ll be too late. The kids will be grown and getting everyone together will be a miracle in itself due to work schedules, planned vacations, and that child that moved far away. Get your family pictures done while you can still strap them in the carseats and take them despite all the “but I don’t wanna” whining.
“…but I haven’t lost the baby weight.”
Your kids don’t care about your muffin top. All they know is it’s fun to blow raspberries on Mommy’s tummy, no matter what size her tummy is. The right clothes and the right photographer can make you feel gorgeous even though right now, you might be rocking that ponytail and yoga pants. Get in front of the camera for once, your kids -and future grandkids- will love you for it.
“…my kids are too insane for this.”
Kids are crazy. That’s just the way they are. If you could only see the outtakes from my own children’s photo sessions, you’d realize this. Grouchy faces, crazy faces, tears streaming down the cheek faces, sometimes we can go on a full emotional journey just by taking photos on an empty stomach. You can prevent some of the crazy but you also just have to embrace the crazy. Nobody said you had to have the “perfect” family photos with everyone smiling and looking directly at the camera. Sometimes the best ones are where the child’s personality is just too big to contain.
“…it’s too stressful.”
One, it doesn’t have to be stressful. I can help you find the right clothes, the right size portrait, the right location, or the perfect pose for your family. Just relax. During the session, take deep breaths and just remember you hired a photographer that you trust.
“…I’d have to buy new outfits.”
Who said you have to go on a shopping spree? You can pull together coordinating outfits from the closets. It’s as easy as matching color tones and I’ll gladly help you. Check out Pinterest for fun clothing ideas.
“…I can’t afford it.”
Christmas is coming. How much are you spending on stuff that will be in the bottom of the toy box by the end of the month. You deserve a beautiful portrait of your family. Your kids deserve to see a picture of their loving, smiling parents hanging in the living room. Beautiful canvases will last longer than that new tv, cell phone, or other thing that will not have the same sentimental value.
When you can see your portrait hanging on your wall every day, it becomes a part of your happy place. On that day when you are knee deep in mix matched socks, the kids are fighting WWE style off the couch, and you are doubting your motherhood abilities, you’ll look up and breathe a sign of relief, knowing motherhood is tough but your family is amazing. That even when the kids are driving you crazy, you love them with every fiber of your being. You guys deserve this:
THIS is my family. My oldest is nine. He’s reaching that age where he wants to be treated like a grown up, not a ‘big kid.’ Hence the “I’m too cool to smile” smirk. My middle child is spirited, loud, rowdy, and awesome. He’s shy at first but once he gets going, there’s no stopping him. And there’s the sweet baby that can do no wrong… even when she’s pulling her brother’s hair. This is the family portrait that makes my heart sing. This is the family portrait that I’m proud to say represents that crazy love we share.
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