perfectly imperfect.
Happy Spring everyone!!! I think it’s safe to say we’ve turned the corner and warmer days are in our near future…I am SO excited to be able to get to shoot outside again. I have a couple sessions later this week and I’m super excited!!
If you are a Facebook Fan you may know that I was out of town attending a huge photographer’s conference in Las Vegas last week – WPPI – Wedding & Portrait Photographers International. It is always great to meet new colleagues and see old friends as well as learn a thing or two, have a few drinks, and leave feeling totally rejuvenated and I N S P I R E D!
One of the many inspiring speakers I was able to catch was Tamara Lackey. Among other things, Tamara talked about the importance of capturing families….this resonated with me. MY family is the most important thing to me and I bet YOUR family is the most important thing to you, but yet many photographers shy away from photographing families (because hey, let’s face it, it can be a bit chaotic!) and many mothers shy away from having images taken with their children because of personal insecurities or physical hang-ups. “I need to lose 10 more pounds.”….”I have nothing to wear.”….”I’m not photogenic.” Sound familiar? I know it does…I’ve heard it all before, and I’m guilty of saying the same things myself….BUT…you know what….(well, besides the fact I can “fix” muffin tops a bit and give you a little digital botox if you insist)…heheheee….
Your kids don’t care! Let me say it again, YOUR KIDS DON’T CARE! Trust me, they really don’t. :) How many times have your kids looked at images and said “Gee mom, you have a huge butt in that photo?” or “Wow, look at your muffin top!”…chances are, not too many. Kids are most happy and most comfortable when surrounded by their parents, so why not embrace it? It’s great to have images of just your children, but when you pass your photographs down to your children later on wouldn’t you rather have them remember you? The close bond your family shares? The way your family just fits together? I know I would. I don’t want my kids to wonder where mom was when all the photos were taken.
And that is my goal for 2010…to capture more families. REAL families. Not just families sitting perfectly in the grass smiling for the camera…but REAL families…interacting, laughing, embracing, heck, maybe even dancing…H A P P Y…REAL families. I like to think of it as perfectly imperfect, because that’s what families are…perfectly imperfect. Now don’t worry, we’ll grab a few of everyone looking at the camera too, but let’s face it…that’s not REAL…it’s pretty, and nice, but how often does that actually happen? If your family is like mine, not too darn often! :)
So…this is your fair warning! Don’t be surprised if I tell you to jump in some images with your kids…or (gasp!) your spouse…and don’t tell me you don’t want to because you look fat…because remember, this isn’t about YOU, it’s about YOUR KIDS (and ahem…I’m the boss)! :D
AND…because I’m making you all do it…*I* will do it to! So…to those photographers reading this….who wants to photograph my family?? Haha! Warning: I might have a muffin top and I’m not photogenic BUT my kids and husband are pretty darn cute, and gosh darn it, I want photos with *me* in them! LOL
© 2010 Sarah Ulrich. All rights reserved.
Edited To Add: Attention Photographers: I have had several requests asking if it was okay to share this on your own blogs. Yes, I have no problem with that. Feel free to share a link to my post or copy and paste the text with a link back to the original. Thank you!
Since I haven’t shared photos of my own kids for awhile, I thought now was the perfect time to share some…
We used this on her Valentine’s Day card this year…and I love it…because it’s not “perfect”, but it’s SO her, and that’s what I want to remember.
And I should also note that my girls are 8, 6, and 4…and this is the FIRST time I’ve ever photographed them together AND got them all looking at the camera and smiling! ;)
good for you!!! i did a family photo swap last year with a local girl & I am SO happy I did….I got some beautiful images and even though they are not PERFECT, i bought a huge canvas anyway! Can’t wait to see your family images! Your girls are gorgeous!
oh this is SO true. I have been dreading our family shoot because I need to lose a lot more than 10 lbs but your words really hit me. Our kids don’t care. How sad would it be for them not to have any pics of us together when they’re all grown up? We haven’t had a family pic in 8 years. That’s terrible!! You’ve inspired me to get over myself and just do it!!
Great, great post Sarah! I always encourage my clients to get in a few too. And when the moms start in on the whole body image/loose a few pounds thing I tell them to think about a photo of themselves 10 years ago. Then (in a joking way of course) I say “You probably think you looked pretty good. Well, you’ll think the same thing 10 years from now with the photos you take today. Your kids will love looking back on these photos of you all together.”
And the next time you and your fam are in MN I’d be glad to photograph all of you. Think you’d be up for swapping sessions? 3 girls for 3 boys? My boys are close to the same ages as yours: 10, 7 & 5.
~ Tera
Sarah,
Thanks for the reminder that the kids/grandkids don’t care what you look like, but that you’re in the photo with them. I, too, realized that my grandchildren wouldn’t know who I was because I am always the one taking the photos, or making some excuse to not be in them even if I didn’t have a camera in my hands. The change has begun – a 24×36 is now on our mantle from our recent family session. :)
Have a wonder filled week.
Frances
Good on ya. I know my family pix are precious to me, but they are not my fave images to shoot, for sure. Only because getting everyonne looking good in one photo is soooo hard.
GREAT post, Sarah, and so true. I never want to be in family photos, and then I’m so sad when I look through our photos and there are none with me in them. :( Our kids need images of us, and they will be their most treasured possessions someday. I’m going to try from now on to get my mug in those shots too! Thanks for the reminder.
This is so good and true and important. Thanks for sharing Sarah!
Great post Sarah! I would have loved to have been at that seminar at WWPI as well! I love capturing families but do find it the most challenging. Perhaps why I love it so much! Your girls are completely adorable too! I found your through props by the way! :)
This is a message that needs to get out. THANK YOU for being one of the evil minions out there making people participate in their family photos!!!! Jenny Jardine posted on her blog, and I think I may have to do a repeat… repeat… repeat!
(And I have 4 kids aged 5, 9, 12, and 15 and still don’t think I have a picture of all 4 of them looking at the camera AND smiling. Scowling and looking at the camera yes, looking away from the camera and smiling at someone or something else, sure, but not at the camera, smiling… what was the secret of your success? lol)
Great post and so very true! Thanks for sharing! Your girls are beautiful!
Sarah,
Thanks so much for putting this out there! I heard Tamara Lackey at WPPI also and what she said really touched me but I couldn’t find the right words to get it across! Thanks for being so willing to share with everyone else. All of us non-writers really appreciate it!
PS I’m a longtime, faithful blog stalker…LOVE all your work!
So so true! Thanks for the reminder. I don’t mind photographing families but sometimes get hung-up on the fact that we aren’t getting them all looking at the camera. However, the favorites from those sessions ARE always the ones that are them – playing and looking at each other.