Advice to the Mom who doesn’t want to be photographed.

Remember, Moms (and Dads) that we are always our own harshest critics.  We have a laundry list of things about ourselves we don’t like, and wish we could or hope we will change. Here’s a secret, we assign those flaws to ourselves.  Our children do not notice or care about the flaws we fight with in the mirror each day.  When we are no longer here, our kids, family and friends are not going to be critiquing our body flaws (many of which only we see anyway) in photos of us, but they will, instead, be grateful to have a way to remember our face, the quirk of our smile, the color of our hair, and how much they loved us and us them. I ask each of you to be willing to step outside of yourself and your own self judgement, and be willing to leave memories for those who love us no matter what, and will always see us through the lenses of perfection that love provides.  Be photographed.  Exist in pictures.  One day, those images of you will help those who love you keep you close.  What is remembered, lives.

I am guilty of not being photographed enough.  I fight against the chorus of internal voices always willing to remind me how I don't love so many thing about my vessel.  But I do try.  I want a record of not just my existence, but of my love and joy of being with my family. 

This is the family portrait time of the year, and I'm already hearing my clients speaking power to their personal insecurities, and allowing those negative self-judgements to create a barrier for them to be photographed.  Whenever I hear this kind of self-talk, I do my best to encourage a different perspective.  The long and short of it is, the photos are for us today, but they are for our children tomorrow.  I'm conscious of how often I hear people speaking to the regret of not having any or very few images of their parents or loved ones when those precious individuals have passed on.  Regret is one of the worst feelings on the emotional spectrum, and not one that I, personally, want to leave my family with.  And, I'm pretty confident that I'm not alone in that sentiment. 

So I implore you all to keep in mind that you are worthy to exist in pictures with your family and for your family.  The people who love you do not hear or share in the negative voices that haunt our own minds, and if they could, I think they would argue against those thoughts with ferocity. 

Exist in pictures.  What is remembered, lives.