I enjoy getting family sessions mixed in the craziness of seniors and weddings. It’s kind of a time to just relax with a group of people who want fun and unique family pictures. And capturing moments to look real is what they want. We’re past the 1980s floating head pictures. Remember those things where the chest would kind of fade out and it looked like the head was floating? Wow, I’m definitely happy we’ve changed. I mean, how amazing are real moments? The family together, laughing together, nothing says a happy family more than that. And oh my, remember those really old family pictures where everyone looks depressed? Again, glad for change. 🙂
Why get family pictures? Why hire a photographer to take family pictures? This is a question I often hear, because usually the response is, “We can set our camera on a tripod and use that as a family picture.” And that’s true, but I’m not sure about you, but when I was in high school and junior high and I had to do the family pictures on a tripod, I would either have the “I don’t want to be doing this face,” or I was goofing off in the pictures. A photographer… well, a FUN photographer will bring out smiles and laughs out of kids and even the parents too. Yes, even you stern faced dads will crack a smile eventually! 🙂 This still doesn’t quite answer the question, why take family pictures? Let me answer with a question, Why not? Your family is (I hope) one of the most important things in your life. Having family pictures helps you to remember the good times (yes, even the “younger” times). And 20 years from now it’s a good thing to have to say to yourself, “What was I thinking with that hair.” I’m sure you’ve seen those 1970s wild-hair pictures, oh yeah. But joking aside, they truly are precious moments. Years down the road your kids, their kids will be able to see those little memories of their family line.
Anyway, on to the Durbins. Nancy came into my studio some time ago asking about family pictures. I knew just from her personality that this would be quite the family picture session, and boy was it. We even went as far as posing next to an oil well! I’ve seen this for senior pictures, but for a family session, definitely far out, and definitely very cool. 🙂 They wanted a picture of them walking down a path, so in between two rows of corn they walked toward me, but I didn’t like the straight on fake smile picture, so I had them do what I call my Brady Bunch pose. This is where you do the laughing type smile looking to your left and looking to your right, and eventually you feel so goofy doing it that you start to crack up, and that’s EXACTLY what I hope for. The smiles are so genuine, the laughter is real, and while it’s just a simple walking down a path picture, I absolutely love it!
