In this photo you see my sons at ages 10 & 17, then again seven years later at 17 & 23! I love how in the first picture my younger son is stretching up to try to reach the height of his older brother. Now the younger brother is at least 4 inches taller! All of that goodness captured with two pictures! 🙂 When all is said and done, all of the trinkets and technology quickly lose sparkle when compared with our family pictures over time. There are only few things with staying power. We have our memories, experience and our families!
When my parents passed away and we cleaned out their house. At least 50-60% of the items in the home were donated or thrown away. Some furniture was passed to a sister and a few paintings to others. However, when it came to family pictures and journals, this is where we all paused and saw the legacy and humanity. Most of the rest was just stuff. The whole process made me acutely aware of the abundance of stuff in my own home and that one day my kids will be throwing a lot of that away! Wow, life is short!
However, there are a few things that truly bolster morale now and have staying power in the future! Family pictures are a keepsake that make it on the tiny list! There are lots of ways to make family pictures happen, but certainly someone has to be the driving force to make it come to fruition! Might it be you? They are worth the effort!
You can make an appointment at a studio! We have done this several times and they have been great! You can make an appointment with a photographer! It is so easy now to google pretty parks and places to take family photos. We have taken many family photos with terrific photographers with a result we treasure! However, if all of this sounds like too much, then just take some pics on your phone or with your own camera. Some of our favorite family pictures have been a selfie (groupie) we took at a vacation spot. The picture is not aligned perfectly, but it captured a beautiful moment and memory. No matter what, you can make it happen by yourself or with a talented photographer! The point is just to make it happen!
Kids are the great mood variable in any family photo! You may have a 3 year old in a pouty mood, it’s okay! Just take the picture! We all know 3 year old kids can be moody. What about a baby who constantly has her tongue stuck out? 🙂 If you can’t change your circumstance, make it fun!
Out of these pictures, only one was taken by a photographer! Another was taken by a sister, and yet another was a selfie. We actually love them all! These are 16×20 canvases on my husband’s office wall. Photos of why he works so hard, to spend his free time with the people pictured here! 🙂
- Take your family pictures on vacation. Everyone is relaxed and the pictures that follow are a keepsake of where you went and the memories you made! Best souvenir ever! Call ahead to find a photographer or ask locals for recommendations on line! Everyone seems to have examples of their work on Instagram or their website!
- Make an adventure wall! I LOVE this idea. We often take selfies on hikes, trips to the theatre, picnics, game nights and etc. Develop those pics and make an adventure wall! That may become your new favorite family morale spot!
- Get a selfie stick or a tripod! They are as cheap as $10 and will allow you to take a family picture at the local park in those 30 minutes while the sun is setting and the lighting is magical.
- Find someone to trade with! If you cut hair and they take pictures! Set up a trade!
- Don’t be afraid to show some personality! Some of my favorite family pictures are the ones that are lively!
Just in case these ideas don’t get you excited, here are 5 reasons you should snap a family picture this season!
- A sense of community & morale. When you see that family picture on the wall, it reminds you that you are on a team! This is YOUR team! This team of people you can support and cheer on to great accomplishments. A team of people who love and support you as well. People walk around with their heads stuffed with emotions and information, and having a sanctuary at home with some pictures of your team goes a long way to creating a good ambiance and a safe haven!
- A reminder of good times! There are plenty of stressful and difficult times to go round for all. However that family picture on the wall is a reminder of good times, a reminder that life is not always bogged down in difficulty. It may also remind you that your family cleans up well! 🙂 This is perfect reason for an adventure wall! Looking at all those hikes, amusement park trips, and favorite beach times will bring some emotional sunshine on a day that has been tough!
- A snapshot of time. I am often shocked at the change of our kiddos over even a year or just six months. One of my sons grew 4 inches in one year. People change quickly surprisingly. Braces, dramatic haircuts, casts for broken bones, pregnancy and new babies– all of these things are documented when we take a family picture. These are the pictures that grandkids will look at to get a feel for their parents when they were young. Take those pictures and take them regularly. Once a year is great for the whole group!
- A Tradition! A team will have traditions and snapping a family picture regularly will be a good one. It can be an event to prepare for and when the pictures come back, an event to look back on!
- A beautiful reminder of what is MOST important. If there were to be a fire or any other disaster, we don’t want to save the stuff, it’s the people that makes our lives rich and meaningful. Family pictures are a beautiful reminder of the people! The ultimate focus of our lives!
And look at this fun when you have one little grandchild, who gets a lot of attention! 🙂
Snap those pictures this season! You will be grateful when those smiles are captured! Happy day friends!
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