We live in a “pixel”world.
What a difference one year makes!
With every new year, we start thinking about making “resolutions.” How can I lose weight? How can I manage my money better? How can I carve out more time for my family and kids?
While all of these resolutions are great and well worth planning, what about doing updated portraits of your kids as this year’s resolution, especially if it has been awhile?
We often see clients while we are out and about town and almost without exception, seeing us reminds them that they meant to come in for portraits, but then life got in the way…and time got away.
It is so true that we often get busy and then forget to do things that are meaningful now and will actually grow in meaning with years passing.
Even one year between portraits shows huge changes in growth.
Why is it important to have portraits of your kids and family displayed in your home as they grow and change?
ONE: Self esteem: Dr. David Krauss, a licensed psychologist says, “I think it’s really important to show a family as a family unit. It is so helpful for children to see themselves as a valued and important part of that family unit. A photographer’s job is to create and make the image look like a safe holding space for kids, where they are protected and loved. Kids get it on a really simple level.”
TWO: Memories: In the hectic pace of life, days fly by in a blur and then days turn into weeks, months and years. Before you know it, your toddler is in school and soon, is a young man or woman and taller than you. WHEW! How did that happen and seemingly overnight? Current portraits help us (and them) remember the moments and feelings when those portraits were made.
THREE: Sharing and dialogue: When printed portraits are on display in your home, it can create times of sharing memories and stories with your kids. They may not pay attention at times, but then, suddenly, they remember something important as they see their portrait and they just may start sharing. How precious!
How often do you scroll through the hundreds of photos on your phone trying to find one that is on your mind? It is frustrating!
Hard drives fail, iPhone photos disappear or get lost n the thousands of images on your phone. Opportunities are lost to preserve your most precious memories when they are only in digital formats. We live in a pixel world now.
So, our advice…schedule portraits now to capture your childrens’ significant ages and in the meantime, pick out your favorite snapshots from your phone and have them printed. This generation is said to be one of the most photographed, yet they won’t have a single photograph they can look at in 10 years time.
Lost memories are expensive. Preserved memories through printed portraits are priceless!