And Why You Still Need to Take Them
A couple of weeks ago, we took family photos. Long story short, it didn’t go great. Piper was in a horrible mood, and we couldn’t get her out of it. Usually, I don’t get overwhelmed easily, but this mood was so out of character for her that I felt defeated. I had worried more about Rowan’s behavior leading up to our photo shoot that it never crossed my mind to worry about Piper’s.
I struggled to find a dress. Nothing seemed to fit right, and I’m not 100% happy with the dress I ended up wearing. But a lot has to do with the fact that when Piper weaned herself, I gained 5 pounds overnight while working out daily and eating relatively well. It crushed my body positivity, and I’m still trying to find my way out of this negative mindset.
But I also know that I am not the only one who struggles with toddlers’ behaviors during a photo shoot and dealing with body image issues. I still chose to take the photos, lackluster dress and all. (Honestly, the dress isn’t bad, I think I could have done better, but I ran out of time to hunt for a dress).
And so, we took photos.
I still wanted to take the photos because my kids will only be older tomorrow. Bad moods and all. I want to remember all of it. Motherhood and toddlers aren’t perfect, and our memories and photos should reflect that from time to time. (But there’s nothing wrong with an excellent image; I strive to take pictures that look like a free people ad..next year).
I still wanted to take photos because you never know what the camera and the photographer will capture. Even though I may feel like our session wasn’t perfect, we did get some great photos because Brady, Rowan, and I kept smiling despite Piper’s meltdowns while our photographer clicked away.
I still wanted to take photos because I knew I would regret not taking them this year in the future. The overwhelming and deflated feelings about our session may still feel real, but they won’t be so fresh next year. Next year, I’ll be glad I can hold family photos from fall 2019 in my hands.
And then, sometimes, you end up having a creepy baby in photos because you gotta do what you gotta sometimes do.
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Photos by Grace by Two Photography
Other posts on photography: Piper’s First Birthday Photos, Tips for Newborn Photos at Home, Tips For Maternity Photos, and 15 Tips For Amazing Family Photos