Hey everyone!
I wanted to write about what I feel like is a very important topic that is all too forgotten about these days and that is taking the classic family portrait, enlarging it, placing it in a beautiful presentation piece or frame and displaying it on your wall for all to see.
In the age of everything-digital, most families these days take their prized family photos on their cell phones or maybe even an entry-level DSLR camera. There is nothing inherantly wrong with that, however, what I am talking about doing requires some serious intentionality.
"Now why should we worry about doing that? Especially when so many of us take seasonal or yearly family portraits? Wouldn't we constantly be needing to update the frames?"
NO.
I will not stop you from taking frequent family pictures. Nor will I discourage you from ordering several framed enlargements if that is your desire.
But! I highly encourage everyone to dress up, hire a professional portrait photographer (not just "someone with a nice camera") with the proper training, equipment, and gear and go get those special, periodic family portraits made. Those that you will go on to treasure forever and ever for as long as you will live- like the one I posted above.
That image is my own family portrait. Now, I am unsure what the future holds for our family or if we will go on to have another child and then find ourselves needing another family portrait that is more complete. But I am confident that capturing these three precious sons of mine at this point in their lives is something I will always want to reflect back on. I'll be able to to remember and reflect back on those super special memories from this season in our lives by simply passing this portrait in our hallway. And I'll want to do the same thing again in a few more years when the boys are reaching their more awkward stages of adolescence.
You see, portraits are everything. They are probably the first thing you'll consider grabbing and running down to your tornado shelter or basement when those tornado sirens start sounding off. That one portrait will be on your Christmas cards, on your phone background, and maybe even on your spouse's desk at work. It will be the portrait you show off to all of your friends and family.
This one portrait carries so much value.
And when that one digital backup file you have goes corrupt (because that actually does happen), you'll be so thankful you have it professionally printed and hung as an heirloom timepiece in your home.
Then, later on in life, when you become older and start thinking about what you want to leave behind to your sons and daughters- you'll feel so honored to pass it down as a family treasure.
"But Portrait Photography and Framed Enlargements are so expensive!"
Yes. They are. And for good reason!
These are your printed, frozen-in-time life moments we are talking about. You can't get these back.
Your Photographer is aware of this and trains and educates themselves on providing you with the best quality portraits and materials around. He or she has invested thousands in top of the line gear, equipment, lighting setups, and maybe even an actual wardrobe for their clients to create such beautiful masterpieces- your masterpieces!
And, consider this: Did you know that the average family spends approximately $200 a year on toilet paper? The stuff you do your business with and throw down the literal drain? So, shouldn't you at the very least be willing to make the same- if not larger- investment on your one family portrait that you never want to take down from your wall? The one you will be devastated about should it burn to the ground in a house fire?