Your Family Changes More in a Year Than You Think
When you see your children every day, it can be hard to notice just how quickly they are growing.
The changes happen slowly, somewhere between making breakfast, packing lunches, folding laundry, and getting everyone ready for bed. Then you look at a photograph from last summer and realize your baby’s cheeks aren’t quite as round anymore. Your toddler’s hair is longer. Your youngest doesn’t ask to be carried as often.
From one day to the next, your family may not seem very different. Looking back over an entire year, the changes are everywhere.
Children change in ways we don’t always notice
We usually think about growth through the big milestones.
First steps
First words
Lost teeth
First days of school
There are also so many smaller changes happening at the same time.
Your child’s expressions start to expand and change.
Their personality develops and you see the little quirks that make them special.
They develop new interests, stronger opinions, and new ways of making you laugh.
The baby who once stayed curled against your chest becomes the toddler running straight toward the water.
The child who used to hold your hand everywhere suddenly wants to do everything without help.
These changes don’t happen all at once. They slowly become part of your everyday life. Sometimes it takes looking back at an old photograph to remember how different things used to be.
That’s one of my favorite things about family photography. It gives you a way to remember more than what your children looked like. You can see their personalities, the things they loved, and the way they moved through the world at that age.
Your relationships change, too
Your children aren’t the only ones changing. The relationships within your family are always growing.
A toddler becomes a big sibling.
A new baby starts smiling and joining in with the rest of the family.
Brothers and sisters develop their own games, jokes, and ways of making each other laugh.
The way your children need you changes, too.
One year, your child may spend most of the session asking to be held.
By the next year, they may be running off to explore and only coming back for a quick hug before taking off again.
Neither stage is better than the other. They are simply different parts of your family’s story.
When I photograph families, I love paying attention to those relationships. I notice the way a child reaches for their mom, the way siblings play together, and the way everyone naturally connects when they aren’t being asked to sit still and smile at the camera.
The smallest details are often the ones we miss
It’s easy to remember to take photographs during birthdays, holidays, and other big events. The ordinary details, however, are often the ones we end up missing the most.
The stuffed animal that had to come everywhere.
The tiny hand wrapped around your finger.
The curls at the back of your child’s neck.
Their missing front tooth and the way they hide their face in your shoulder when they feel shy.
These things feel so familiar right now that it’s hard to imagine forgetting them.
Eventually, though, the stuffed animal stays home. Their hand doesn’t feel quite as small in yours. They become too heavy to carry back from the beach at the end of the evening.
Most of the time, you won’t realize it’s the last time while it’s happening. It will just stop being part of your normal routine.
Mothers should be in the photographs, too
Moms are often the ones taking the photographs and keeping track of everyone else’s milestones. We make sure there are pictures of the children, which can mean we are missing from much of the family story.
I know it isn’t always easy to step in front of the camera. You may want to wait until you feel more confident, find the perfect outfit, or have more time to prepare.
When your children look at these photographs one day, they aren’t going to focus on the things you may feel self-conscious about.
They will see the way you held them. They will see how safe they felt with you and how much you loved them. Most importantly, they will see that you were there.
You deserve to have photographs that show your place in these years, too.
Should you take family photos every year?
There isn’t one right answer for every family. Some families make professional photographs an annual tradition. Others choose to schedule them around meaningful changes or milestones.
The early years tend to change especially quickly. Pregnancy, bringing home a new baby, toddlerhood, starting school, and becoming an older sibling can make one year look completely different from the last.
Taking family photos every year gives you a record of those changes.
Over time, the galleries begin to tell a larger story. You see the baby becoming a toddler, siblings becoming friends, and children slowly growing into themselves.
You also see the ways you’ve all grown together as a family.
Your photos don’t have to look the same every year
Annual family photographs don’t need to feel repetitive.
One year might be a barefoot evening at the beach with your children playing near the water. Another could be a slow morning at home after welcoming a new baby. You could explore the Palos Verdes coast, spend an evening in Manhattan Beach, or watch the sunset together in Laguna Beach.
Even if you return to the same place, your photographs will still feel different because your family is different.
The goal isn’t to recreate the same posed portrait each year; It’s to document the personalities, relationships, and little details that belong to your family during that particular season. When you look back on these photos, you will remember how it felt between them.
This year is worth remembering
It can be tempting to wait for the perfect time to schedule family photos. Maybe life feels especially busy right now. Maybe your children are going through an unpredictable stage. Maybe you don’t feel completely ready.
Family life is rarely perfect or predictable, especially with little ones.
If you’re worried about how your toddler will behave, these tips on how to prepare your toddler for a for a photoshoot will hopefully alleviate any concerns!
A year from now, your children will be taller. Their voices may sound different. They may have new interests, new expressions, and new ways of interacting with you.
The family you are today will have changed again.
You don’t need to photograph every moment. You only need enough to help you remember what this time felt like. Their hand in yours. The weight of them in your arms. The way your children played together and the way everyone fit together during this year.
Your family may not seem very different from the family you were twelve months ago. Place those photographs side by side, and you begin to notice all the little ways you’ve grown.
If it has been a while since your family was photographed together, I would love to help you document this season with a relaxed family session in the South Bay or Orange County.
