Obviously I believe very strongly that all people should have pictures taken. And in a whole bunch of different ways for different results. But that’s a topic for another day. Today is about family portraits and why I am so passionate about them. And why you should all be making sure you have family portraits done as regularly as possible. As usual, this is also going to overlap with why you should print your pictures.

Paging through photo albums

Over this holiday season I spent some time with family and my fiancés family (and extended family). While visiting on the one day I couldn’t help myself but start paging through one of the photo albums my finacés’ Ouma has on display. Before I knew it, this album was a hit and suddenly everyone was crowding around looking at the photos. I was trying to suss out who everyone in the pictures are. The (now significantly older) subjects in the photos were all reminiscing. And teasing each other about the toys they were playing with, the clothes they were wearing. Or even who they were photographed with.

But, the highlight of all this was when one of the much much younger kids joined us and was amazed to see her mom, uncles & aunts and grandparents when they were much younger. She was so delighted that she ended up wanting to go through every album (and there were a lot).

Photos outlive us. They bring joy to those viewing them – regardless of whether they are in the photos or not. Photos bring back memories. They are a conversation starter. They are fascinating, especially to younger generations.

Photos play such a huge role in our lives, and we really should be making sure we regularly capture them. And we should all be capturing them – I know how it usually goes. Mom gets stuck behind the camera always taking happy snaps. And then you blink and 10 years have gone by and you don’t have photos of mom. Or this happens to dad. But 9/10 times it happens to one of the parents. Or, in my case, one of the kids who realise they want to be a photographer and from that day suddenly no longer exist in photos.

Go get family portraits taken.

Have a professional take them so they are beautiful, they are sharp and most of all, everyone is in them! Print these pictures so not only you enjoy them, but future generations can enjoy them. Your brothers and sisters can enjoy them. The older generations can enjoy them.

Do it more often when your kids are young because they grow up fast. And they change, fast! Include the grandparents in these pictures, because you will want pictures of them too one day. And I can promise you they would love a picture of themselves with their kids and grandkids! Take photos!!

The Williams’ family Portrait Session

They came to me for exactly that reason. To update their family portraits and have beautiful photos of them all together. To have pictures for them to look back on one day, for their kids to look back on, and to send to family all over the world now.

Kids are always such fun to photograph. They are always such characters and so quirky. Being able to capture that means I get to convey all that character in an image for their parents to later look back on or for their families far away to get a glimpse at.

Book your family portrait session now!