Aiming for perfection ? Or being real, with a touch of magic ?
I believe in the simple stuff, perfect imperfection …not insta reality, the perfect home, the perfect clothes and make-up. True beauty comes from the screams of fun chasing around the garden; the hair everywhere, eyes sparkling, bouncing on the bed; the mud covered knees while making dens and searching for bugs; the chocolate covered grin; the delight when she looks back at you, having made it up to highest branch she’s been aiming for; the messy hair blowing the wind; the love in that smile and hug as he gives you a bear hug. Those are the moments that I look back on and treasure. And I’m guessing it’s the same for you. |
When you look back at images of your parents, I guessing it’s the emotion in the image that grabs you – the way it transports you back in time, that look, the laugh, the way they held your hand or jumped over the waves or maybe it was from before you were born and gives you an insight into who they were before they became your mum or dad. Either way they are treasured. What they were wearing, whether a hairbrush had been near them in the last hour or so, or whether the expression on their face is perfect doesn’t even enter your head.
That’s how I like to shoot families – capturing the emotion and connection in natural images, not posed and straight, this arm here, look that way. The perfect imperfect is way better, for now and as treasured memories to be looked back on by you and your children and your grandchildren. And will tell many stories, bringing back treasured memories of their own in the future when your children look back on them.
And don’t under estimate the importance of you in the photos. When you are in the moment with your kids, it’s when you shine too. Relaxed, present, reaching out to each other, the looks, the glimpses, the hand on the shoulder, the little fingers grasping yours. Making sure you capture these moments, not the ‘is my hair looking ok?’, ‘ kids smile at the camera – say cheese!’ or the perfect body, right angle, polished social media version of yourselves.
Waiting for the perfect time, the perfect body, the perfect age for behaving on a shoot – none of it matters. Capturing the real you, the connections, the magic that happens now, everyday, is more important.
So, whether it’s with your phones or a camera, or with booking a professional photographer, forget about the clothes, the hair, the perfection and embrace the now, the imperfect perfection.