We often  think about getting family photos done, we may even do some quick research on family photographers in our area, ask for a referral from friends, trawl through Facebook or Instagram and then put the idea aside. We wait for a better time, life gets in the way, weekends are booked up, we think we should lose that extra 5kg, get that haircut, wait for that milestone birthday, get that new vacuum first etc.

Family photography is often seen as a 'luxury,' something that you spend money on when you have some extra cash floating around. I beg to differ, in fact it should be at the forefront of our to do list.  Time moves fast, faster than we would like to admit. We often think we have time, but before we know it another year has passed and our children are another year older.

If we all look at our homes how many gadgets and devices do we have? iPads, iPhones, tablets, watch,  tv, laptop? Whilst all these things give us joy, are they here to stay? Technology is ever changing and before long we will need to replace them with the newest and latest gadget, which we often do without a second thought. We deem these expenses as important, but they don't last forever. Yet your family images do, when your little ones have moved out and have families of their own, your images  will be still be there.

You will never be as young as you are again right now, your toddlers, children or teenagers will be a day older tomorrow, a little taller, a little wiser, a little changed. They will never be as little as they are right now. 

I have three of my own little boys. My oldest recently turned six and I am not sure where those years have gone. All of a sudden, he is six and in Prep, he's not home with me each day anymore, I will never have that time with him again. But I have photos to look back on and they bring back the memory associated with it. Those photos are my link to his babyhood, toddlerhood and early childhood. They will also become his link to those moments too.

Why a professional session? First and foremost, because it puts you in the frame with your children. We are lucky today, in that photos are much more accessible to us, a quick snap on an iPhone and we have frozen that moment forever, but often we aren't in these, we take them but are rarely in the frame with our kids. In a professional session you are there with them. Your children do not care if you haven't had that haircut or haven't lost that 5kg. They only care that they can look at beautiful photos of you all together. That they see the joy they bring you, that those smiles and laughter, cuddles and love are all for them.

How many of your children look at old photos of you when you were little? I know my boys love looking at old photos of me. They often ask their Poppy to get the old albums out and he talks with them about each of the photos. They love looking at our wedding photos on the wall and they delight in the photos of themselves on the wall too. They treasure these and they will treasure them even more as adults, once they have their own children. These photos aren't just for you, they are for your children and one day their children.

A professional photographer will capture you all loving on each other, laughing, giggling, the cuddles, the secret whispers, the cheeky looks, the tickles, the fun. A professional will guide you throughout your shoot, never leaving you floundering, but doing so in a way that will capture those beautiful genuine moments, the real smiles and the real moments between you all. I shoot lifestyle photography and at its core, it is about telling your story as a family. I am a storyteller, I love what I do, I take immense pride in my work and I work hard to produce the most beautiful photos for you to treasure, I know just how important these are. A professional knows how to use light and shadow, how to capture the right moment at just the right time, how to create beautiful and unique wall art or products for you, how to get your family to interact, be natural in front of the camera and be yourselves.

For less than the cost of an iPad or iPhone you can have your beautiful family photos as your legacy and something that you can all look at, look back on, share in the future and treasure forever. Your family photos are your legacy and your children's, they will bring joy to you now and continue to do so in the future.