The 6 Most Important Times to Book a Family Photo Session
The 6 Most Important Times to Book a Family Photo Session
Life moves fast. Between the school runs, the activities and the endless pile of laundry, it can feel impossible to find time for professional family photos. But children change quickly, and one day you will look back and wish you had captured them at every stage along the way.
After 23 years of photographing families in my studio in Gordon on Sydney's North Shore, I can tell you the moments parents wish they had documented the most. These are the six key stages where a family portrait session makes the biggest difference.
When They Are a Newborn
The newborn phase is intense. You are running on almost no sleep, still figuring everything out and barely getting through each day. But those early weeks are also when your baby is at their tiniest, and they will never look quite like that again. I always recommend booking a newborn session within the first few weeks. You will be glad you did, because that blur of sleepless nights fades fast and having photos from that time brings it all back.
Before They Start School
Starting school changes everything. The child who once looked only to you for everything starts forming their own opinions, making their own friends and wanting to do things independently. It is a big shift in your family's rhythm, and having photos from just before that transition is something parents treasure. That wide-eyed, still-little version of your child deserves to be captured before the school years begin.
When They Hit the Tween Years
If you thought starting school was a big change, the tween and early teen years will surprise you. Your child starts growing into a completely different person, both physically and in personality. It happens so gradually that you barely notice until one day they look totally different from the child in your last family photos. This is a stage worth documenting, because it is a version of your child that does not last long.
When They Start High School
High school marks the beginning of the end of childhood. Your teenager is forming their own identity, becoming more independent and starting to pull away. That is completely normal, but it makes this stage even more important to capture. These are the last years before adulthood, and the way your child looks and carries themselves right now is worth holding onto.
During Their Final Year of School
Whether your child is heading to university, starting a trade or heading straight into work, their final year of school is a milestone for the whole family. It is often the last time your original family unit is all together under one roof before partners, new homes and eventually grandchildren come into the picture. A family session during this year captures that chapter before it closes.
Where Is Your Family Right Now?
It does not matter what stage your family is at. Whether your baby is brand new or your youngest is about to finish school, the time you are in right now is worth capturing. I photograph families at every stage, from newborns through to teenagers, and every session is relaxed, natural and designed to capture your family as you actually are.
If you have been meaning to book a family session but life keeps getting in the way, that is exactly why you should do it now. The stage you are in today will not last for ever.
I would love to photograph your family.
Kate x