My spouse has never been a huge fan of being forced to stand in a picture and smile until his face hurts. Does it sound like we have the same spouse?
The truth is, no one does! There's nothing more awkward than photos of people looking uncomfortable with fake smiles. My goal is to tailor every single session to the comfort level and personality of the family. We want to make it fun so that we can get the pictures that you actually want, and so we'll have more chances to do it again. I know that for some families, having posed and more "formal" photos is a priority; the key to making these less awkward is to take them along with a whole bunch of candid, fun, natural pictures so there is a comfort level.
Capturing "real moments" is what motivates me. So often, clients approach me about photos they are dreaming of for their home with perfect outfits, perfect smiles and perfect poses, and when I see them again after their sessions, they are really speechless over the candid ones. When the connection between family members can be felt in the room, it can be seen in the pictures, too. Rest assured, guys: you'll never be forced to stand still with a big smile on your face until it hurts!
Part of the reason that I am flexible with where I offer family sessions (your home or my studio) is because I want every person being photographed to feel like they can be themselves. Sometimes that really does come out running around in my backyard, and other times, that's in it's truest form in a new baby's quiet nursery. I want to share my experience with "changing things up" when it comes to taking family pictures. My husband, whose sentiments about pictures are shared above, agreed to do a session that I arranged to be on our boat. We brought a bottle of champagne, put on some fun music, and just drove around. It was a beautiful night and we were totally in our element. As a result, of course, the pictures are just so "us." I couldn't be more thrilled with the result of these candid shots, and truthfully, we barely had to smile at the camera for them (See last photo, below, taken by our dear friend Dani T. Photography). Randy was blown away by the pictures -- and as someone who loves having them printed for our home but has never enjoyed being in them -- I think he has turned the corner!
So, how do you get your spouse to agree to having his photo taken? You tell him the truth! Pictures look the best when people feel comfortable, relaxed, and genuinely happy -- so that's what we will be!
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