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Why Family Portraits Are Critical – They Boost Self-Esteem of Children Edit

Whether you schedule an annual family photography session or just every few years, your decision to invest time, money, and energy into family photography is something which matters. It is really important. Family portraits connect the family together, and they remind everyone that the family shares love with one another. The right family portrait should be a source of joy, although in sad times, a family portrait might also be a source of healing and comfort.



Trust your family photos to a photographer that will take the time to sit down with you and help bring your vision to life.



Why Are Family Portraits So Very Important?

There are a several reasons why family portraits prove to be important. The first of them is growth, because your family is going to grow every year, so annual family photos track how far your clan comes every year. Secondly, family portraits capture milestones, whether it’s kids starting kindergarten or adults becoming grandparents. Third, memories are captured and even created, so you have smiles and laughter both the day of the shoot and looking back on your companionship with one another.


How Do Family Portraits Boost The Self-Esteem Of Children?


Family portraits certainly don’t have to be restricted to those with kids, but it can really help any home that has kids or even grandchildren around. Do you remember what your own mom did with drawings you got to bring home from school? Were they hung on the fridge or displayed somewhere? That feeling of pride is likely still with you, and modern family portraits are great ways to display the accomplishments and hard work everyone involved has achieved.

Many families in the digital age just show photos in emails, on phones, or through social media, but a family portrait that is physically printed out and hung on something will draw the attention of eyes everyday, reinforcing the positive feelings you know your kids need as much as they can get.

Something else that family portraits do is reinforce the values of your family. You might tell everyone in your family, kids and otherwise, that you love them quite often. It’s great to hear, but when people see themselves in their family portrait, they get a true sense of belonging as part of the group. Feeling valued by anyone usually boosts the self-esteem of anyone. This goes further when you put the family portrait near any actual accomplishments your kids earn, be it A+ book reports, a graduation certificate, or a sports trophy.


What Should You Look For In Your Family Photographer?


First off, go through the family portrait portfolio of any photographer. If you don’t like their style, walk away. As you see styles you like, consider the ones that you might like, be it documentary, studio/portrait, edgy and bold, or just fine art.

Secondly, consider what kind of setting you might like for your family portrait. Find photographers that have experience working in that kind of setting. Better yet, look for someone that is full-time. Part-timers can do great work if you look hard enough, but full-timers have proven their worth and make a full living off of what they do.

Before you select a photographer, see if a photographer is willing to meet you prior to the session for planning. Services and amenities to look for include design assistance, retouching, printed artwork, and in-person ordering. To really take the cake, find someone willing to do a design and style consultation where they help you pick the setting and outfits your family will wear.


Picking out your clothes


Before you do lean on the photographer for clothing ideas, however, do a bit of legwork on your own. Try to at least pick a variety of neutral shades that your family might wear, such as beige, gray, or ivory, before you drop in a few pops of coordinating colors. Start of with just one person (likely yourself) and then make sure others complement you but don’t match. Solids are good things to go for, and never forget the shoes. However, don’t just ‘view’ the photo in your mind. Consider the decor of your home or room where you intend to put the photo so that the image setting and colors match it well. Have everyone try on their clothing in advance, and give your kids a chance to have some input in this whole process so they are happy or at least comfortable in their clothes on the actual portrait day. Your family photograph can wind up going two different directions. In one case, the outfits involved aren’t matched at all, and honestly look downright hideous. In the other case, you get a family photo where everyone looks great together, and you’re proud to hang the portrait on your wall for years. The first photo isn’t your fault, per se, because it’s the photographer that knows best what works in front of their camera and in the setting, season, and light being shot in. Find a photographer that includes a style and concept consultation that lays out your expectations for the portrait so they can help you choose the clothing that looks great in front of their camera. Not choosing the right photographer can lead to images that you don’t want to print.


Schedule your style and concept consultation today so we can help you plan out your outfits, where you want to shoot and how you’d like to display your photos. Visit our How It Works page for more details.


Interested in a family portrait session with Shooting Trio Photography? For more information, inquire with us at [email protected] or call 208.907.6275 for availability. Shooting Trio Photography is a custom portrait photographer specializing in high school senior portraits & family photos in Meridian and surrounding areas, including Eagle, Star, Boise and Nampa.