Your excuse is not good enough…

Early in the year, I was approached by a mom about taking senior portraits of her son.  Sadly, before we could get the session in, he was in a tragic car accident.  He survived, barely, but he suffered a traumatic brain injury, and he will never be the same kid he was before.  What a treasure it would have been to have those photos!  Photos document life and tell stories about people that are so special to our families and loved ones.  This is the part where I will tell you to get in the photo, any photo…today!

And this is the part where you will fire back with excuses.  I have heard so many excuses!  “I am not comfortable in front of the camera until I lose some weight.”  “I don’t like my smile.”  “I want to grow my hair out/get it cut.”  “I hate my nose.”  The list is endless!  But I doubt you have ever heard anyone say, “Gee, I wish Grandma had lost weight before she had this photo taken!” or “So-and-so never should have posed for this without cutting his hair!”  We see ourselves through a different lens and filter than anyone else ever will.  We see flaws that aren’t really even there.  The new mom who hasn’t lost all her baby weight may really notice those pounds, but her child just sees that warm, loving person that is mom.  Take that photo now, and then take more later to celebrate that weight loss.

Last Christmas Day, I dragged my family out for the purpose of getting a shot we could make into a canvas.  I am usually the one behind the camera, but I knew I had to get into some shots so I could set a good example, and so my kids would have a great memory years down the road.  The result is pretty spectacular…all the kids are looking at the camera with natural looks on their faces, even the dog is smiling!  Yes, I could go on and on about the things I don’t like about me in the photo, but my husband and my boys would never see those things.  And I don’t think my grand kids will ever say they wish my hair looked different!

Don’t rob your family of the joy that photos can give.  Don’t teach your children to have a negative self-image by refusing to get in front of the camera.  Capture your story right now!