Between the moment I first held my camera and today, I’ve taken hundreds of thousands of pictures. When I was little, I photographed my cousins at family gatherings. When I was older, I took snaps of my friends at school, my boyfriend (now husband) who played in a rock band, and my beloved dog, Brady. When my two sons came along, the number of photos in my collection skyrocketed, and when I started my photography business, I added thousands of photos of my clients.
Do you know what my collection is missing? Me.
Over two years ago, a friend of mine was killed while on a morning jog. As I sat at her funeral and watched a slideshow of her life, it dawned on me that the photos she had left behind were suddenly priceless artifacts that her children, grandchildren, family, and friends would treasure. forever.
Then, in October 2013, Jodi Friedman wrote a very personal post about being photographed. To this day, that post remains my favorite from this blog, and it had a very powerful influence on both the way I see myself and how I feel in the pictures.
I thought about the death of my friend and the photos she left of her children, and I realized I needed to stop letting my insecurities keep me behind the camera and not taking pictures. , for the sake of my loved ones — especially my kids. However, my attempts at taking pictures with the timer on my camera were exhausting.
During our trip to Jekyll Island, Georgia, last summer, I decided to take pictures of our family on the beach using that method.
Instead of the gorgeous photos I envisioned, here’s the best I could do:
And while this photo represents a memory of a time when I was completely dressed and sweating while running back and forth between my camera and three deeply frustrated men, it is not the photo. Nice photo that I want to hang on my wall. .
Fast forward to this year…
This year, when we were planning our vacation to Jekyll Island, I planned a photo session with a local photographer while there. For the first time since starting my own photography business, I am a photography client. In addition to the pictures of my kids playing on the beach that I took myself, this year I also have great photos of my whole family.
Due to my wonderful experience standing in front of the camera for a change, there are a few lessons I have learned that I would like to share. Here are some tips to help you get the shots and fall in love with them.
1. Hire a photographer
My experience trying to take my own family beach photos last summer was exhausting and frustrating. I’m so glad I one day have so many great photos of my husband and kids to pass on to my sons, but I also want them to remember how the sea air curls my hair and the way my nose looks. I leaned up a little when I smiled. Most importantly, I want them to have photographic proof of my love for them to remind them long after I am gone. I want my grandchildren to see the love I have for their parents and grandparents.
Staying behind the camera will help keep that from happening. While there are many photographers who have mastered the art of self-timer or remote shooting, I am not one of them. If you’re not, save yourself the stress and fatigue and hire a photographer to take those for you.
2. Do your research
When I first started trying to find a photographer in the Jekyll Island area, I knew I wanted a lifestyle photographer; however, none of the searches showed “correct”. I found a lot of wedding photographers, some full-fledged portrait photographers, and some other family photographers, but none of their photos were exactly what I was personally looking for. . So I don’t hire anyone. In fact, I decided not to take vacation photography anymore and started researching local photographers instead. Then, on a whim, I was looking for lifestyle photographers in the Jekyll Island area again. This time, my first search result was a photographer named Jennifer Tacbas. I came across her website and fell in love.
This clearly states “Hire a photographer”. Don’t just hire any photographer. Do your research and hire the photographer whose work you are most connected to. If you decide to hire a professional to take your photos, don’t hire anyone until you find a photographer that matches the style you want for your photos. I don’t want formal portraits. I want a lifestyle photographer. Instead of hiring someone from the options available, I waited until I found the best of those available to me, personally.
3. Communication
On my first e-mail to Jennifer, I let her know that my youngest son, Finley, has autism. I wanted her to know that getting his attention and any kind of eye contact was out of the question, especially in a fairly new environment like I’ve known of anywhere when go on vacation. During our subsequent conversations, I reinforced the idea that “perfect” photos of people smiling for the camera were important to me. I wanted authentic photos that showed our interactive relationship as a family, which I knew Jennifer would take after seeing her work. I also want her stress levels to be minimized. I also want her to enjoy our session and I don’t want her to fear I’ll be disappointed if a “perfect” photo doesn’t happen. The resulting photos are still perfect in every way—just another definition of the word.
Make sure your photographer knows about any issues that may be important to you. Do you have a child who is nervous when meeting strangers? What about personal insecurities, such as hating your nose or your smile? Or do you have a problem like mine? Let your photographer know in advance. By doing so, you can ensure that your photographer has the knowledge needed to make your session the best it can be.
4. Have fun!
Instead of ending our session exhausted and sweaty from running around in front of the camera, I ended our session exhausted and sweaty from having a good time. Amazing fun time with family. We play in the sand, spin in circles, and fight tickly. We explored Driftwood Beach and the grounds of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, kissing noses and chasing crabs. In short, we had a blast.
If you choose to hire a photographer, the main reason to do so is to save yourself from feeling stressed. What does it mean? Do not be stressful. Have fun. Doing so will not only help create photos that show authentic interactions, but it can also help any members of your family who may not be as excited about family photography as you are.
5. Love your photos
Those who love me know that I can be extremely critical of my looks, which is one of the reasons I’m usually happier behind the camera than in front of it. However, Jodi Friedman’s post About her experience taking pictures of herself was an interesting one for me, so before looking at the photos from our meeting I made a mental decision to fall in love. like the way I look at them. And I did. Because in the end, my children don’t care about my love handle. They would never notice if I have a double chin or goofy face in a photo. I shouldn’t either. I don’t take pictures for my social media friends (or readers of this post) who might criticize my appearance. Finally, I took pictures of my sons, Gavin and Finley. So in the end, Gavin and Finley’s opinions are the only ones that matter to me.
Whether you love or hate your appearance, decide to love photos that capture who you are. Read Jodi’s post, if you need the same inspiration allowed me to do so.
My experience in front of the camera as a photography client has given me precious memories, beautiful photos that now hang on my wall and a new perspective as a photographer. family. Our photographer treated us with kindness, patience and professionalism and I can only hope I make my own clients feel the way she made us feel. , both during the session and every time we look at her beautiful work.
Out of the camera to change. If doing so means hiring someone else, hire someone whose work you love. Communicate your expectations, have fun during the session, and love yourself and the photos you have in them.
Your loved ones will be glad you did.
Photos by Jennifer Tacbas are included with the photographer’s permission.
Lindsay Williams lives in south-central Kentucky with her husband, David, and their two sons, Gavin and Finley. When she’s not teaching English in high school or spending time with her family, she owns and operates Lindsay Williams Photography, which specializes in lifestyle photography. You can see her work on her website. You can see more of Jennifer Tacbas’ work on Jennifer’s website.
