Time to Be Together
Family Time During Your Milestone Photo Sessions
Do you ever wish you had more time together as a family?
And then in the next breath immediately start wondering how to make it happen when everyone’s ages, interests and bedtimes are so different?
In this blog, we’ll talk about how you can do family time together at home, and when you’re at your family photo sessions.
But first…
Meet the Pachecos!
The Pacheco family has made many family memories together in my studio over the years, from Candice’s maternity session to Olivia’s newborn session, to their youngest son Owen’s newborn session!
Since my studio reopened this summer I was delighted to have parents Candice and Dimas, along with their children Olivia and Owen back in the studio space to celebrate Owen’s one-year-milestone.
For first birthdays, I give my clients the option to incorporate a cake smash and bubble bath into their sessions, but you’ll see that the Pachecos decided they wanted to keep things organic – just spending some unstructured time together as a family! (We can treat milestone sessions as a spotlight on your kids, or simply to celebrate this season of your family life, just like the Pachecos).
Welcome back Pacheco family! What a pleasure it is to be your family’s memory keeper.
What They Wore:
Earthy and natural tones brought these photos to life. I love the way the greens, greys and beiges played together in this shoot! Candice’s olive green maxi dress pulled out some beautiful shades in her husband’s beige shirt and Owen’s grey-sage coloured onesie. Plus Olivia’s adorable pink romper brought the perfect little touch of sweetness to the palette.
Wardrobe is a part of the luxury experience I provide to mothers at Reflections. Having a collection of beautiful apparel to choose for the whole family will save you the time and stress of ordering clothes (trying to match everyone, having to return items that don’t fit, worrying whether they’ll arrive on time).
What We Focused On:
In this free-spirited family photoshoot, we got some perfect natural shots!
Owen running circles around the room
Olivia playing with blocks quietly on the floor
The whole family playing together on the ground
One-on-one shots of each parent with one child
Snuggly sibling photos
Solo photos of each child
How to Do Family Time Together:
It usually doesn’t require big, extravagant plans.
It’s usually just the little, daily rhythms and routines that our kids will look back on and get that warm feeling of belonging (Have you heard of the concept hygge? Hygge is a Danish approach to living that can work beautifully with family time).
As a mother of four, I know what it feels to be surrounded by your kids all day and yet somehow, go to bed craving togetherness – one where you weren’t running on autopilot getting the kids fed, or getting one son to music practice and the other to art camp. (Or keeping them separately distracted so they don’t argue).
I get it.
But there are three main ways I’ve learned to create and protect time together as a family on a regular basis so that each one of us can feel like we’re part of something special, and something bigger – a family.
3 Ways to Be Together (Without the Pressure):
1) Meal Time:
There is so much research to back up the importance of sharing at least one meal a day together. Children can learn a lot by sharing food around the table – manners, social skills and food preparation skills. And, it’s the perfect space to teach your kids how to have meaningful, intentional conversations. For example, instead of asking “What did you do today?” you can get beyond the vague “I dunno’s” and “nothings” by asking, what was the best and worst part of your day? I’ve heard some parents adjust the language to be more on brand with their family’s current interests like, “What was the dump truck (worst part) of your day? What was the crane (highlight) of your day? (...feel free to adjust to any unicorn, llama or dinosaur obsessions in your house, of course).
2) Bed Time:
Bedtime routines are fantastic opportunities to build some family traditions that can develop good sleep hygiene and help everyone unwind at the end of the day. This means turning off technology, and spending some pajama-time together so everyone can contribute to ending the day together. Choose the activities that will be most enjoyed by your family – is it a pajama race? Saying goodnight to family photos on the wall? Prayer or meditations? Story time and lullabies?
3) Family Photo Sessions:
Booking regular family photo sessions together is a way of bringing extra special family rhythms into your life, without the stress of planning a vacation or coordinating schedules. At Reflections, I take on all the planning from wardrobe to photo installation on your walls. That means when you arrive at the studio, you can make the most of your family time together in whatever way you want – we can do fun sunset photo sessions at the beach, or a quiet afternoon in the studio. I can use games to get your children engaged, or let you all snuggle on the couch while blowing bubbles. I’ve built many activities into my photo sessions that your whole family can enjoy together.
Your family has a “vibe.” It’s a unique magic that can make every member feel like they’re part of the main cast, not just supporting characters or onlookers. That is what family photos can do for your family – help you all remember the wonderful feeling you can create when you’re all together.
Conclusion:
When you create family rhythms in your everyday life that everyone participates in, you’re reminding yourself, your partner and your children that you are all part of something special. And when you book a family photo session to capture these moments in every new stage, you’ll have daily reminders that your time together isn’t measured in minutes, it’s measured in love.
Happy first birthday Owen! Your family adores you and we had so much fun watching you run around and explore the studio. I’m so glad to provide a safe, open space for kids to be curious, free spirited and perfectly themselves!
About This Beautiful Family
I’ve loved getting to know the Pacheco family from the beginning of their story when Olivia was born. Since welcoming Owen into their lives a year ago, it was wonderful to catch up for their first year milestone session. Parents Candice and Dimas are doing an amazing job preserving their family’s precious memories.
Capturing Family Stories
- From Newborn to First Year Photography Sessions -
If you want to create something beautiful for your home and family, message me. I'd love to give you more information on booking a portrait session here at Reflections.
Client Testimonial
”We have booked 3 photo shoots with Karen for the upcoming year! Our first shoot (maternity) was on Monday! From start to finish my partner and I both felt super comfortable. Karen and her assistant both made us feel welcome & at ease - the shoot was executed flawlessly. We are looking forward to our image reveal and other 2 photo shoots with our newborn in the upcoming months.” - Lauren Koerber
- Lauren Koerber
Hi there!
I’m Karen, a professional, trained photographer in the Niagara Region of Ontario, specializing in maternity, newborn, baby and family portraits. Hundreds of mamas just like you have come to Reflections to capture the stories of their family’s growth.
As a mama of four, I understand the busy-ness of everyday life. I’m here to help you slow down time, even just for a moment, to embrace the beauty of that busy, full life.
