This Father’s Day I have been thinking a lot about how thankful I am for the dad’s who love coming to family photos. These dads are the true all-stars in my book. I love when I get to know the whole family. When a dad genuinely thanks me for photographing their family, it brings a big sense of purpose. I know in the past it was “taboo” for dad’s to enjoy being photographed. They often stood stoic in photos and had to look as manly as possible. Today – being silly with your children, loving your wife, and giving plenty of kisses for the camera is more than accepted – its admired.
I asked one of my favorite pro-photo dad’s to share his thoughts on this – my husband.
Since 2007 he’s been cheesing for the camera, being an all-star dad.
Thanks, Ryan!
“We should get family photos taken.” The statement that most dad’s dread because it means we have to get dressed up, get our kids dressed up, smile in every photo, and, the hardest task of all, make sure our kids aren’t complete disasters. But, have you ever stopped to think about the value of photos. Photos capture moments in time. Our lives are so busy and because of that busyness, we miss a lot of moments in time. We look back and struggle to remember what our kids were like back then because they grow up so fast. But, if we had pictures to look back on those moments, then we can be transported back in time to relive those times and seasons of our lives. So, we shouldn’t begrudgingly do photos to make our wives happy. We should do photos to relive moments. Moments of toddling. Moments of adolescence. Moments of joy and sometimes pain. Moments of laughter and even tears. I love looking back at photos of my three boys. They have grown up so fast that it is hard to remember what they used to be like. I love looking back at pictures of my oldest Caedmon and reliving how full of life he was drumming on everything he could find. I love looking at photos of Shepherd with his floppy, blonde hair remembering how focused he would be playing with his Ninja Turtles. And, I love how photos of Rex captured his adventurous spirit even when he was crawling and learning to walk. Photos for me represent memories, memories that are too precious to lose. We do a lot of photo shoots in our family with some going better than others. But, no matter what, I know those photos are capturing moments in time that will forever be precious to me and my family. I may complain about the sessions sometimes, but when I see the photos, I never regret getting dressed up and expending a lot of energy to make sure my boys smile for the camera.
So, dads, put on the nice clothes. Smile for the camera. Capture the moments that pass us by too quickly.
Here are some fun dad’s I photographed that definitely were great sports!
Alex, who is usually behind the camera, emailed and reached out for this session. I remember him saying, “I want to be in the photos and have fun in front of the camera with my son.” He definitely had fun and this little guy will cherish these photos for years to come.
The Belair Family visited New England from their home in Colorado. This session was a total blast – even though they have three young boys. Both parents relaxed and played with their children, never “too cool” to lay down, laugh, or look a little crazy. Jeff was the first to keep things light and playful, and understood that being themselves is what he wanted photographed more than “perfection.”
I love it when Grand father’s get in on the fun. In their generation they probably didn’t do this type of thing with their grandparents. Now grandpa’s are a big part of babysitting and spending time with the little ones on a weekly basis. I remember this grandpa fondly chatting bout taking his little Stella to Dunkin Donuts on the regular and sharing precious memories with her. These photos will be family heirlooms.
And – yes – family photos can be fun. Who better than Dad to save you from a rouge water sprinkler!?
Ollie’s Daddy was so sweet during her family session. She was a little tired and shy, but his gentle hand hold and big hugs put her at ease. What you don’t see is a dad who is carrying around a minnie mouse doll just to make his little girl smile.
Michael swore to me he didn’t like having his picture taken and was not “photogenic.” Look below and I am sure you’ll disagree. No matter how you feel, your family sees you very differently. You’re their dad and they love you so much! These moments are times we can never get back and I’m so glad Kate convinced him to be in front of the camera.
Andrew and Jill have three little ones who have a whole lot of energy and personality. Allowing the kids to be themselves while still looking great is a feat in itself. Andrew impressed me because he never stopped playing. between shots he was always tickling, hugging, or throwing his kids around. Even though Jill was the one who wanted this session, he was just as involved in making it a great time for the whole family.I’m sure when he’s older the photos of these kids in his arms will bring back only sweet memories of this time in their life as a family of five (soon to be six!!!).
Allie.Photo Serving the Greater Boston & Southern New Hampshire area. If you’re interested in family photos this season – reach out today! I’d love to photograph more awesome dads and cute families. Message me here and find out more here!
