What is the best thing about being my own family photographer you ask? Read on to find out!!
Having been documenting our lives in photographs for a couple decades and more, even before I began doing it professionally, has taught me many lessons. From professional and business strategies and rules of the road to finding balance and being present as a mom, wife, sister, daughter, and friend. Being the photographer, and wanting to document every valuable moment for the memories has been very rewarding yet challenging.
The greatest thing about being my own family photographer isn’t just about having beautifully crafted images, it’s about more than that.
The Pros
- Curating the story to how I want it.
Don’t confuse this with the thought that another photographer isn’t capable of telling your story. I am not saying that at all. With great communication, a plan, and the correct photographer, they can capture your story how you had hoped. What I am saying is that being my own photographer has taken out much of the guesswork of ensuring my story is captured how I wanted. I don’t have to communicate, clarify, or repeat my ideas to anyone other than myself. I know exactly how I want the session to go or not go. I can try new things, and if it does not work out, it would still be ok. There would be no stress for time, or boundaries as long as I am available. I can start later, or earlier. If I need an extra 30 minutes, I have that as long as everything else in my schedule fits.
- Getting to keep all the photos
While it can be overwhelming, getting to see and keep every image in your camera roll is so rewarding when it comes to storytelling. You can have every image at hand and select the very one you desire for the exact moment or memory you want to further elaborate on. Sometimes the gallery we are given as a client is too limited, therefore some of the memories we want to document do not have a visual. It is not always the big moments, the big smiles, or the milestones when capturing a story. Often time, it is the very small moments that mean the most. For example, when documenting a family day at the beach, capturing the finished built sand castle is important, but it’s the details and images in between that tell the story and shows the emotions. Detailed shots help tell what is happening in the story, and sets the scene.
- Getting to keep the imperfect photos
Imperfect photos include misfocused shots, blurry images, and photos of what seem to be nothing important. Most people think these photos are useless, and straight in the trash they go. However, the ultimate storyteller knows that some of these imperfect photos are actually perfect for storytelling. I love these shots.
Every now and then I would purposely change focus on my main subjects and shift to something else leaving my subjects out of focus. It helps sets the mood for the environment in my story.
Being able to keep every photo including head cut off photos, not ready faces, and every other blooper makes for a much funnier photo album!
BUT….Like with everything in life, when there are Pros, there are Cons.
The Cons
- Too many photos. To sort through, and create.
Earlier, I talked about how being able to keep every photo is one of the greatest things about being a photographer of your own, well, it can also have some major pitfalls as well.
With digital photography, that finger trigger on the shutter can produce 1000s of photos real fast! It’s all great until you upload them to your computer, and have 1000s to sort through, delete, flag, and edit.
When you are not the photographer, you don’t have to do the extra work of culling and selecting only the best images to your liking (hoping your clients like them too). The process of culling, and editing can be extremely exhausting even with special programs out there.
I have found that with organization, a strong mindset, plan, and workflow will make the process much easier to manage, and less exhaustive.
- Finding balance between being present and being behind the camera
Probably the largest downfall of being the photographer in your own story is finding the balance between being present and capturing the memories. I have been through phases of wanting to capture every moment of a growing child’s life, an experience, and an adventure to the point of burned out that I leave my camera at home. It is very real, and most photographers have expereinced this in th ebeginning.
Learning to be OK and acknowledging that it is nearly impossible to get every single second of a memory is the first step in finding balance between being present and capturing the moment. Being present is 100% more satisfying. It is very important to be in the now, enjoy the real moment, breathe in that air, and cuddle, more than always running around clicking away. That first hand experience replaces everything in your story.
My rule of thumb is to take a few photos, then put it down, and spend some time actually making the memories. Put that on repeat, and you will have plenty! Your kids want to remember the moments they actually got to sit, laugh, and spend with you, not just the photos.
- Being part of the photographic memories
Lastly, related to #2 is one of the common mistakes we make as photographers. The act of forgetting to be in the photographs yourself.
More than often, we are trying to capture all these memories for our families that we forget to include ourselves in the memories on paper or film. Nearly all photographers I have come across during my photography career have admitted to forgetting to be a part of the photos with their kids and families. We get so worked up in being photographers, getting the moments, the details, and everyone that we forget to include ourselves. It’s not that we forget our kids and families want to remember us in their photographic memories too, it’s just we love what we do and that is to take photographs, and suddenly time escapes us!
The Conclusion
I hope these Pros and Cons of being your own photographer for your family memories help you in finding a balance! These lessons learned have helped me establish balance and overcome exhaustion and feeling of being burnt out in the past several years. My first couple years were full of excitement, and drive. Then came a short period where I needed a break from it all and eventually stop picking up my camera, before diving back into it again. I missed putting those memories on print, and I hope you never have to by finding peace between capturing your life on films and stills and being present.
Happy Clicking!
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