Right Now!
OK, so that was my short answer, here is my reason why.
I took this portrait of my son at the beginning of the year (February 2018), being a typical 11 year old boy & photographers child he actually hates posing for portraits so this was a rare treat for me, involving no small amount of bribery I hasten to add. What I usually get are quick snapshots on my phone when he's not looking!
Anyway back to the point. We are now approaching the end of the year, as I write this we have only 1 week to go until Christmas 2018 & the year has flown by for us. We've had some big personal, business & family milestones along with plenty of achievements. One of the biggest was that Ethan moved up to senior school this September. We felt a real shift as a family in everything at that point & I can tell you that Ethan has changed so much in such a short space of time, so when I look at this portrait now he seems much younger to me because I know how much he has grown.
When you are expecting a new edition to the family it's easy to book a portrait session because you have a deadline, if you want the beautiful sleepy newborn portraits they need to be taken within the first 2 weeks after your baby is born. I also offer a newborn lifestyle session in clients homes, which can take place anytime up to around 4 weeks old. Then you watch them change before your eyes, if you've chosen a baby plan that's easy too because they involve 3 or 4 sessions documenting baby's first year, or you choose a 1st birthday session.
From that point on how do you choose when to schedule your next session?
For some another edition to the family might prompt them to schedule their session but for many there are no prompts or reminders. It gets difficult. You might return to work, life gets hectic, there is always something to do, someone to see or something happening & it's so easy for a year to pass on by.
What I would like to say to you is this, take a look at your family now & think back to the beginning of the year, how much has changed? Do you have portraits or albums on display that show who you are now? Do they show your children as you see them now or as they were a year ago, 2 years ago, as a baby?
I know that life is busy but as a year passes it is gone, forever, and yes I know that we all have those snapshots on our phones & devices but we all know that's where they'll stay.
There are lots of great options for portrait sessions out there I know you can find the right one for you. One of my favourites are Family Lifestyle Portrait Sessions, they are much more relaxed than a studio session & much more flexible because they can take place at a location of your choice. It could be in your home, the park, your favourite location or even during your holiday. I love these sessions because they truly capture the memories of that point in your lives. Each time I photograph a lifestyle session my favourite Dr Seuss quote springs to mind,
'Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory'.
This is so true, especially in our hectic lives today. The portraits below are from one of my lifestyle sessions, which took place in the clients home, Felicity declared she would like a snack so I followed her into the kitchen. Little miss Snow White chose an apple, it's just an apple but she was very happy with it. She showed it too me, told me how red it was & then went to sit with Mum to eat it. How precious are those moments which we would normally never capture & now they have that memory, in print, to treasure forever & share with future generations.
So don't wait, choose a photographer you love, who you connect with, then find the time today to contact them about your family portrait session.
Serena
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