Photo Sessions Are A Family Affair

Since we all live in a world where we have cameras in our pockets (and let’s be honest, they’re actually kind of impressive cameras now) it might feel a little weird to have professional photos taken at all, let alone regularly! And I totally get that. We’re in the age of documentation, we have videos and pictures of everything from that one really nice looking coffee we had the other morning, to your kiddo’s gap-toothed grin after they lost their first front tooth.

And we can do that, and we can make them our phone backgrounds, and it takes no time at all. There’s no organization involved, no logistics – just point… and snap.

But having a family photoshoot is about more than just taking pictures, and they’re still something you should update regularly, whether it feels a little weird or not! So today we’re going to go over how often you should REALLY update your family photos.

You Should Update Your Family Photos as Regularly as you Want to!!

Like with some other posts, I’m going to give you a spoiler up front. The schedule you should follow for updating your family photos is well and truly up to you, and I’m not going to sit here and tell you that you NEED to have photos done every six months, or spend time on scare tactics about how you’ll forget what your four year old looked like. Because we already covered that the camera in your pocket will pretty much make that an impossibility anyway! But like I said, that’s not everything family photos are about now.

How often do you update the family photos in your home?

One of the huge differences between professional family photo shoots and what you can capture with your phone, is how well they print. We all know that printing phone photos is kind of a quagmire. They come out a little wonky, or the colors don’t match, and overall… they lack the artistry that a professional brings to a family photo session! Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against printing your photos from your phone. But I don’t think they’re the ONLY photos you should print to have in your home!

So when you’re thinking about how often to have a family photo session, think about how often you want to update those images. Once a year? More than that? Do you want Christmas themed session images to hang up around the holidays, as a part of your magical decoration process?

Family Photo Sessions Make an AMAZING Family Tradition

We’ve all got family traditions that span decades. That special dish Grandma makes at Thanksgiving, or the Memorial Day barbecue your uncle always hosts. A game of flag football, or a second verse to the “Happy Birthday” song that your family ALWAYS sings. Right?

Well, having an annual family photo session is an amazing addition to that list. Whether it means you have a Christmas Mini every year together, or you schedule a summer session at your home, having photos taken together is a magical bonding experience. I know that sounds cliché, but it’s true! Especially if you have young kids, taking the time to document their growth isn’t just about the result (the photos) it’s about the experience. It’s about showing them they’re important, and loved, and that they’re growth matters.

Of course those aren’t necessarily lessons they’re going to get right off the bat – but looking back? They’ll know. They’ll know how much they were valued. And that? That’s PRICELESS.

If You’re Taking The Photos, You’re Not In Them

This is a big one. When you’re taking those photos on your phone, you’re not in them. You’re pointing the phone. And your kids, they don’t have your phone. Which means… they’re not using it to take pictures of YOU. Pictures of your kids are great – but you know what you also need? And what THEY also need?

Pictures with ALL of you in them. Pictures of your family. Together. Not with one of you holding the camera – photos where you’re hugging. With your kiddos on your lap. “But there are selfies for that, right?” I hear you asking. I know, I get it. Selfies sound like the answer! But they’re not.

A selfie isn’t going to capture the way you look at them. It’s not going to capture the love in your eyes. Because that’s not what selfies are for – that’s not their job. But it IS what professional family photos are for. (I know I said I wasn’t going to do any fear mongering, but this isn’t fear mongering, I promise!!)

You deserve to be able to look back at that love, and how you show it. How does this apply to how often you should have family photos taken? Well, it’s kind of a loose connection, but follow me here.

You should be able to look back at that love over the years. Not once when they’re newborn, and once when they graduate high school. You deserve to have that love captured when they’re in their terrible twos, and when they lose their first tooth, and when they get to that gangly stage where they’ll only wear dinosaur themed clothes. And then again when they’re a teen who kind of doesn’t entirely want to be there.

So when you’re deciding how often to schedule family photo sessions for your family, think about love. Think about looking back on it. Think about how much your family has changed, and how amazing it will be to look back over the years as they were – not as they were through your phone screen.

What’s the bottom line?

Honestly how often you have family photo sessions for your family is up to you. There’s no right or wrong answer – and there are things to keep in mind other than these, like budgetary questions and things like that. But mini sessions exist for a reason, and help you to make sure you can update those family photos with ANY budget!

So what do I suggest? Genuinely, I suggest updating your family photos around once a year, especially when your kiddos are little. But my suggestion is just that – a suggestion. You should do what works best for you, and your family!