A Mum recently asked me about having a half day shoot of family photos at home, capturing their life just as it was. I was thrilled as this is one of my favourite types of Hertfordshire photo sessions. However, by the end of the email she seemed to have talked herself out of being photographed at all!
Her concerns?
Her family life is just a bit boring and she wasn’t sure what they’d do for half a day in front of the camera. Her house is a bit small, a bit dark and not like the sprawling house photos you see of beautifully coordinated families. She wondered if she needed to find a really fun location at which to have their photos taken instead.
If you are also someone who has these concerns about your home as the location for your photo session, I’d like to explain with why I think your home is actually the perfect location for your family photos.
One: Your home is one of the building blocks of your life
You may see a small home, a messy house or a dark house. I see a familial palace, the building blocks of your life and interesting pockets of light.
If you’re always waiting until you live in that mansion to have your photos taken, that day may never come. Maybe you think your photos will be better without 6 tonnes of lego in the background, but it won’t be long until your little ones have packed up the toys for good. Embrace the now (even if that is chaos!)
Two: Love is what makes a home
The surroundings are the least important part of the photo. The moments between people make the photo, the background is just the patchwork of your life. Capturing natural, happy family photos is what I do best. You will never regret the natural over the posed photos.
Whether your family is two parents and five kids, a single parent and single kid, a same-sex couple with an adopted kid or any of the million other combos of “family”, love is the one thing unites you all. What makes a home is the love you have for each other.
Three: Your home brings out the real moments
Most people feel a bit nervous about stepping out in front of the camera, but most of us are very comfortable in the environment we choose to call home. This enables you to relax into the photoshoot experience more quickly which just helps with more natural photos.
If you are considering opting for a more documentary styled shoot then those photos become a really accurate representation of your family in the here and now, which includes your home. The worry about your daily life being boring is totally unfounded. It’s in the tiny moments of quiet in between the huge activities that the extraordinary ordinary really shines.
If this is all starting to sound great and like the environment your family would thrive in then let’s start planning your Hertfordshire family photoshoot today!
In conclusion…
If you’re spending ages obsessing over the perfect location for your family photo session, then try taking a look around your own home. See your family photos at home through my eyes; great memories made in a place of immense love and an exact representation of your life as it is currently. You get to just be you and I get to help you preserve this slice of life. Now, be bold, invest in your family! Let me help you photograph you all in the very perfect location of you home!
family photos at home
