Perfect is boring.
Beyond being boring, perfect is nearly impossible. Unattainable. And even worse, I don't think perfect exists... at least as it stands in a textbook definition. Perfect is different for everyone, someone's chaos may be someone else's idea of perfection. We live in a society that is driven by social media. I mean, we have people everywhere we look trying to influence us to buy the latest products or showing us the new viral trends. And hey, listen, I fall for it sometimes too. I mean, I did buy a ridiculous pool bag and clear little cases to go inside of it to help me organize my life (in my defense, it has made my hundreds of hours at the pool a lot more organized and we don't have our crap falling everywhere!)
We've got people driving themselves insane to keep a Pinterest worthy house 100% of the time and obsessing over Insta-worthy family photos. And I know you know exactly what I am talking about. The pressure to present a flawless image can be overwhelming.
All of this overlooks the things that are most important in life though. The little, small, imperfect moments are the "essence" of our life. Think about it this way, these messy, real, loud moments are the spice of life. Think about a meal put in front of you and you can't wait to dig in. It's GORGEOUS! But you take a bite and it's missing all flavor. It needs the spice! It doesn't really matter how it looks, if it doesn't taste good!
I'm passionate about preserving these kinds of moments- the ones that make our life unique and memorable. I want to offer a meaningful alternative for families that are craving more.
The Pressure Cooker of Perfection
Imagine spending weeks picking out (and possibly shelling out money for) an outfit you'll only wear once or twice?! Then arriving at the agreed upon location with your family and kids at golden hour (aka after bedtime for the littles) and having them be still and smile at the camera...knowing the car ride over was less than pleasant! (hahaha, I kid, I kid! Maybe.) Basically, smile through the stress. So, the photos may look really polished...but are those the faces and smiles you want to remember? Does this reflect who they are on the inside?
Imperfect is beautiful.
Life gets to life-ing sometimes, don't it? It's messy, it's loud, it is sweet, and wildly unpredictable. But this is where it gets good. Think about all of your favorite photos. I bet it's been the most unexpected ones. The ones that make you say, "Oh my gosh, this is so them!" I am willing to bet that those candid ones are the ones that mean the most, the ones that spark something deep in your soul. Photos that tell a story are perfect in a way that posed photos could never be.
I'm always reminded of one of my favorite photos from an in-home maternity session. The big brother was jumping on the bed (like little boys do!) and he bumped his head. The dad scooped him up to give him some comfort and the result was just a beautiful display of emotion.
Authenticity vs. aesthetics
While aesthetics are nice (no denying it!), those perfectly polished photos can often lack the depth and authenticity of intentionally made candid shots. We're after the nitty gritty, the photographs that show things as they are... and it's okay to romanticize the CRAP outta your life. Your attitude towards these photographs and this session is EVERYTHING. I wanna see photographs that show your bond, not how nice your pantry is organized.
The Long-Term Value of Real-Life Photos
Think about this: picture yourself in 15 years. Your baby is now a teenager. Your toddler is now in entering college. What photos are you going to cling to? Their school yearbook pictures? Probably not. The photograph of your kid in their undies splashing in a mud puddle screaming with joy?! Yeah, I'm going to choose that one all day over the yearbook picture. I want to look at a photograph and relive the day. I want to laugh again. I want to feel joy. Or think of that picture I described above of the little boy who bumped his head? I want to relive those challenging moments too. Because they helped make ME the person and mother I am today.
There is nothing ordinary about these photos.
Give me the good stuff.
There is a time and a place for the posed, formal portraits. I'm not knocking that. I think it's important to say that I have some formal portraits of my family too AND at the end of EVERY SESSION (if the client wants it) I offer a traditional portrait. But for the most part, I think that the pursuit of what's traditionally viewed as perfect can really overshadow what's really important in family life. My advice to you- just let it go. Go with the flow. Romanticize your life.
Wanna schedule something for your family? I would love to hear what you have to say and see what story it is that you want to tell. Fill out this quick contact form and let's chat a bit about it mom-to-mom.
