Before I had kids, I don’t think I’d ever set foot in a photography studio in my life (with the exception of my elementary school photos, which were taken in front of a plain backdrop set up in my school gym). I didn’t see the point. I figured we all had a camera at home that let us capture the joyful moments in our lives—spontaneous shots to remind us later of those wonderful memories. I found that more natural than sitting in a specific angle, with my head positioned just so, forcing a smile that was barely managing to hide my teeth, which were a little too crooked for my taste.
Snapshots are still part of my daily life—perhaps even more so than before—now that a single press of a button on my cell phone turns it into a camera ready to capture any happy moment in an instant. However, photo shoots with a professional are in a league of their own.
First of all, photographers no longer do as many posed sessions with everyone standing perfectly straight and flashing a perfect smile. Having done several sessions with more than one photographer, I’ve noticed that they really strive to capture a moment of genuine laughter. They seek out the poses or locations that make us feel most comfortable—not just to produce the most technically perfect photo. With them, I’ve always felt comfortable moving around, holding my kids, laughing, or making them laugh.
I also have to admit that hiring a professional is pretty much the only way to get beautiful photos of me with my kids. I’m definitely the “Kodak kid” of the family. My boyfriend has never seen the need—or simply the appeal—of taking lots of photos. I imagine he thinks I take more than enough so we can remember what our kids looked like every minute of every day for the first 20 years of their lives (a bit of an exaggeration there). Not to say he’s wrong, but unless I take close-up selfies with a high-resolution phone that makes no attempt to hide my enlarged pores or my unruly little strands of hair that have never wanted to follow the direction of my part, it’s impossible for me to look good in photos with my kids.
Let’s be honest: professionals can easily hide the little flaws that bother us, without retouching the photos so much that we become unrecognizable. I rarely like how I look in the few photos my boyfriend takes of me, but I almost always think I look beautiful in the countless proofs photographers send me—which always makes it hard for me to choose when it’s time to make my final selection.
I know this service isn’t free, but it’s not as expensive as some might think. I can easily find promotional mini-sessions that often let me pay less than $100 for beautiful, magazine-worthy photos that make me feel beautiful and allow me to track my children’s growth year after year.
Here’s a little tip: set aside the money you’d spend on your kids’ school and daycare photos and treat yourself to a lovely family photo session instead. Your kids will also be happy to have photos of you for their keepsake album when they’re adults. You’re always beautiful—allow yourself to see it and capture it forever.