Why You Shouldn’t DIY Your Family Photos
Looking back through old family photos, it’s so clear to see when they were taken by a professional photographer and when they were taken by someone who tried to do it themselves. The DIY family photos are usually the ones where everyone is looking stiff and uncomfortable, the lighting is bad, and the overall result is just…not good. So why do so many people try to take their own family photos? Probably because it seems like a relatively easy thing to do – but in reality, it’s not. If you want beautiful family photos that will look gorgeous on your walls, then you should hire a professional photographer!
What happens when you take your own family photos?
Taking your own family photos usually results in frustration and tears, and the end result will probably look forced and stiff. There’s no one on the other side of the camera to interact with, no one to make your kids laugh, no one to direct you. A great family photographer knows how to get the real emotions out of your family and create beautiful keepsakes in the form of photos (and if you hire me, maybe even video!).
Here are some family photos I have taken and you can see the joy and love in these (which is something that is hard to capture on your own):
That one time I tried to DIY my own family pictures
When I had been in the beginning stages of my photography business, I was still trying to figure it all out. I had basically no money and I had a nice camera so I figured it just made sense to take my own! I enlisted my older sister to actually push the button, but she didn’t know anything about photography. And even though I did know some things, I was pretty new at it and it’s a whole other ballgame to take your own. So my family photos turned out like this:
And of course, I love them because we are in them and it’s a hilarious memory but we don’t seem to look genuinely happy, it’s cropped funky, and my son was not having it. My sister didn’t know how to get my son to participate happily (because she’s not a professional photographer!) so he just ran around the yard crying until my husband finally picked him up by one leg so he could be in the photo. Chaos ????
The result of hiring a photographer to take our photographs
But here are some of our family photos over the years that were taken by actual photographers that I hired:
See how fun, sweet, beautiful, and full of real emotion these are? I am so happy to have these up on my walls and in photo albums for our coffee table!
Why you should leave it to a professional photographer
Hiring a professional photographer is an investment, but it’s one that is so worth it. They know how to make you look amazing, how to get your kids to have fun, and how to handle lighting, styling, and location. You’ll have beautiful photos of your family that you can look back on and that you will feel proud to hang on your wall. So next time you’re thinking about DIY-ing your family photos, think again! Hire a professional photographer and let them do what they do best. You won’t regret it, I promise.
What are your thoughts on DIY family photos? Let me know in the comments below! And if you’re in need of a great family photographer, be sure to contact me – I would love to capture your beautiful family memories!
