Family Self Portraits

As a family photographer I would like you to think that I have heaps of photos of my family around the house, but the real truth is I don't. Mostly because it is stressful trying to get them all to agree to have their photos taken.

Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of the boys, doing things, in their element and living in the moment, I also have plenty of Tim and the boys, but when it comes to our family I really don't have many. In fact the last professional shoot we had done was when Eli turned 1. He's now 8.

The only recent photos I had of our family are the ones other family members take on their random camera phones at birthday celebrations and Christmas.

Okay and lets be honest, Tim is also absolutely terrible at taking photos. He never takes them with me and the kids in a random moment, it's just something he never thinks about unless I say "take a photo" and honestly...... that just defeats the purpose of "the moment".

So in order to have some nice photos of our family (by which I mean, I'm in them too), I embarked on a family self portrait mission. When I say mission, I mean mission... Before we had even left the house I hear, "Mum I don't like this shirt, Why are we doing this, do we have to do it today".

On the way to the location, "Mum how long will this take, these shoes hurt, when can we go?" etc etc. SO.... whenever your kids aren't feeling in the spirit doing a photo shoot, please know, you are not alone. Thankfully Tim is very easy going, he just goes with the flow.

Location.... The driveway of.... The Pony Club in Delaney's Creek.

So it's important for me to remember as I started the shoot that, as with everything, it comes in seasons. In this particular season with my boys they are much more interested in sticks and dirt (as evidenced in the photos) than they are with staying clean so we have nice photos. I had to try and remember, that this right here and right now is my life, and sometimes you just have to go with it. I had to remember to let them laugh and play and catch them in their element and not the one I want them to be in.

Out of all the photos I took in this shoot my favorite is the one of Tim and I standing and the boys are digging in the dirt. Why? Because right now, it is the most honest depiction of this season in my life, and when I look back on it in 30 years, I will remember exactly what life was like right in that moment with my wee boys.