Money talk | Your investment in documentary family photography
I'm going to write about something many prefer to run away from. In fact, I can already picture the heads of some people I know shaking back and forth as I write this.
Let's talk about MONEY.
Because money's a factor, right? We can't really avoid it. And I truly want my clients to feel that the value they are receiving from a documentary family photography session is well worth their investment.
It's amazing how once people find out that I'm a photographer, they are quick to spill their photo session horror stories. (Kind of like when I was pregnant and women would tell me their horror stories of labor and delivery. No, thank you to that.)
I've heard time and time again how families have hired the mom with a camera from down the street (Not that I have anything against moms with cameras. I AM a mom with a camera. But, friends, there can be a world of difference between a professional nurturing a business and a person with a hobby.). So they thought it was a GREAT DEAL to walk away with a gallery of digital files for $375.
But, more often then not, that great deal was fraught with awkward poses, miserable children being bribed to sit still, apathetic dads, and stressed out moms. Those digital files may have made it to Facebook or Instagram, but they never reached the walls or the coffee tables in these homes. Or, if they did, the images were printed by a so-so lab leaving flat colors, and paper that yellows and degrades before the kids move out of the house.
But what if there's another option?
What if you could spend more but for one day your family could be celebrated for who you are?
Imagine being in a familiar environment and genuinely having a great time with your kids and spouse. And someone is there photographing those glorious moments. THAT's what documentary family photography is all about.
In the end, you walk away from a fabulous experience with tangible memories that will bring you right back to those moments when you view them in 5, 10, and 20 years from now.
When life has changed, when your family dynamic has changed, THIS time will have been preserved.
Lawd knows that I can't remember what I wore yesterday. So I know in a few years it will be a struggle to remember what it felt like to hold those tiny hands and join in on my girls' spontaneous dance parties.
But even more than investment in your future, documentary photography is an investment in your children. Recently, I talked about the role of family photographs in the home as a means to fostering self-worth in children. When kids view their REAL selves in photos proudly displayed around the house, the message is received: "You are loved AS YOU ARE."
And let's not forget the investment in yourself, friend. Because you are worth it, too.
Parenthood is far from glamorous and it's usually thankless. Documentary family imagery smacks you in the face, depicting how hard you work, how much you love, and how much you are loved. On days, you're not feeling like momming those pictures will remind you that this life you are building with these little people is indeed a work of art.
Click here to talk to me about making the investment for your family.
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