FIND OUT MORE
First of all allow me introduce myself, in case you have just stumbled across this post! I am Melissa, a thirty-something Mummy & photographer based in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. I started my photography career taking photos of my own kids and turned that into a business. Over the last 10 years I have photographed countless families and get to share amazing weddings days with couples.
But this post is about families and WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS!
We all love our families and we have been spending so much time together in the couple past years. To me photographs are more than just an image, they are memories of the years flying by. I love looking through my galleries of my family, seeing how much my kids have changed and their ever changing little personalities.
Here are my top reasons for getting family photographs…
1. CREATING MEMORIES
Past experiences form us into who we are today. So often photographs touch us both emotionally and spiritually while restoring family bonds. Families grow and change for reasons such as marriage, birth, loved ones passing away, and others moving far away. Yearly photos capture these changes, creating a timeline of milestone events.
Not long after I started my business I became a single Mummy, I then found love again and we had Joe! I am so grateful of the memories I created over these years and the images I have to shown our growing family.
2. YOU ARE TAKING PHOTOS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME
During the holidays, the old photo albums come out and memories flood the room as relatives recount stories from their younger years. While at the time, you might not care about photos of you, your grandchildren and great grandchildren will be overjoyed that they have pictures of you to remember you by.
3. DOCUMENTING GROWTH & CHANGE
I know it’s a cliche but KIDS GROW UP TOO FAST as a Mum myself I can’t believe the change in my kids in such a short space in time. Family portraits are a great way to document their growth progress, watching them change from year to year. Also, looking back on past trends and styles will be sure to provide a laugh in the years to come.
These photos below are of my little guy, Joe. Taken at the start of lockdown, his 1st birthday, July & Christmas. Babies especially change so fast>
4. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE LAST CHANCE FOR A FAMILY PHOTO WILL BE
I think over these last 2 years we have come to realise this even more but life is short and unpredictable. Unfortunate things happen without warning and loved ones may pass unexpectedly. Take advantage of the time you have together now so that you won’t regret putting it off later.
I wish I had got more photos with my Granda and his great grandkids.
5. HIGH QUALITY IMAGES WILL LAST A LIFETIME
In today’s world with selfie sticks and camera phones, we don’t think about having photos taken professionally. While we may think that slapping on a cool filter makes our selfies just as good as the professionals but a professional photo session can offer you a whole lot more.
As a professional photographer I have learnt about posing, lighting, and editing ensuring you get those beautiful family images to hang on the wall with pride. Check out the video below of some of the amazing families I have got to meet and capture their memories…