#1. OUTDOOR FAMILY PHOTOS SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO THE FALL, ESPECIALLY IN COLORADO SPRINGS!
Now that I have been through several fall seasons as a family photographer in Colorado Springs, I am baffled by the number of people who want their family photos taken in the Fall and just how few families are interested in photos other times of the year. Colorado is freaking beautiful year round! Have you noticed the snow covered beauty that is all around in the Winter? Have you noticed the wildflowers, green grasses and warm late nights in the Summer? Have you noticed the blooming trees and singing birds in the Spring? Sure, there is beautiful Fall foliage and golden grasses in the Fall, but there are so many beautiful things around in the other seasons in Colorado.
Some may argue that they like to get their family photos taken in the Fall for Christmas cards. The truth is, the pictures and the story I tell are not meant just for Christmas cards. Sure, they can be wonderful for that, but I am looking for you to walk away with an album that tells your family’s story and preserves this beautiful chapter that can be passed down to your children. It is so much more than just that one photo for a Christmas card.
If you are not convinced yet, there are many other benefits to scheduling your family photography session in the Spring, Summer or Winter. Many of the beautiful locations we have in Colorado Springs tend to be more crowded with other photographers in the Fall. Nothing stresses me out more than pulling up to a parking lot, only to realize that there are no parking spots left or the entire place is swarming with other families trying to do the same thing. This can leave us compromising on views or scrambling to find a different spot before the beautiful light disappears. In addition, we have a lot more flexibility to reschedule when it is not during the busy Fall season. Sometimes the weather does not cooperate or one of your family members may get sick. I always try to leave some wiggle room for reschedules, but it is just a fact that there is less wiggle room in the Fall. I always find a way to make it work, but it is much easier on both of us any other time of the year.
#2. YOUR FAMILY IS BEAUTIFUL, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. LET GO OF PERFECTION.
I see too many show up to a family session stressed about how they look or how their kids were behaving in the car. Will they cooperate? Do I look okay? Will I be able to perform for this session? I am telling you that all of this does not really matter and you do not need to perform for me. What really matters is that you are willing to let go of perfection and just give in and be who you are. Your family is beautiful just the way you are. I see the beauty in your kids’ personalities. I see the sweet little connections your family members have with each other. I see that sweet look you give your kid when he or she does not even see it. Nobody is perfect and there is nothing more beautiful than your real story….not what you think others want to see. I see so much beauty right in front of me and I want to reflect that back to you in the pictures and show you just how beautiful your family is.
I also want you to know that you are enough. I’m sure there are a ton of people who don’t book sessions or put them off because they think they do not fit the mold of what they think is beautiful or they want to wait until they lose those extra pounds. I can tell you that the most beautiful family is a family that is willing to show up and be in the photos. Your children will want to look back at pictures and see you in them. They love you and want memories with you to hold onto. Please be in the photos. You are enough.
#3. YOUR FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION IS YOUR CHANCE TO RELAX AND TAKE A BREAK FROM BEING THE RULE ENFORCER
Being a parent is exhausting! I want you to think about your family photo session as a chance to sit back and relax and not worry about your children’s behavior for a little while. I would much rather you let your kids be a little bit naughty during our session (as long as it is safe) and let their true personalities shine, than constantly telling them what to do and what not to do. Chaos will happen. I expect that. In fact, I think chaos in a session can be so beautiful. The more you are able to relax and not worry about every little thing your child is doing, the more freedom they have to be themselves and the more likely they are to enjoy the process. Disciplining your child during a session almost always backfires, so just think of this as your chance to be off duty for a little while and let me take control. I can almost guarantee that we will get amazing photos even if it feels a little crazy in the moment 😉
#4. YOU WILL NEVER REGRET DOING FAMILY PHOTOS EVERY YEAR
You can never go back and make those photos happen, so make it happen now. I have regrets because I didn’t take family photos every year, especially when the kids were younger. They change so much every single year and you don’t realize it until you are looking back at pictures. I can guarantee that you will never regret taking the pictures. Think about creating an album each year and placing those albums next to each other on a bookshelf. Each album is a chapter in your lives. The kids will love looking back at the albums and so will you!
#5. YOU WILL NEVER REGRET PRINTING THOSE PHOTOS
I know, I know. You think you just want the digitals and you will get around to printing them later. The problem is, you get busy and then one day you realize that you have no idea where those photos are. Or even worse, your computer gets struck by lightning and you lose all of the photos (yes, I am speaking from experience)! You will never regret having them printed in a way that makes them tangible and so you can actually look at them and hold them. The quality of your precious keepsakes matter and that is why I include a print credit for you to ensure you get professional prints that look beautiful and will last more than a lifetime to be passed down to future generations.
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