I’m Too Self Conscious For Family Photos!
I would have to say this is the absolute number one reason why women are usually the ones behind the camera (or phone) than in front of it! (A very close second is that generally, Dads don’t take photos like we do!)
We have children, and give so much of our time to nurturing them, we don’t prioritise ourselves and before we know it, we feel lost in our own skin.
In saying that, I wouldn’t always put it down to having children. Women do tend to be more self conscious than Men before we have children. Obviously, this doesn’t apply to all women, but generally a higher percentage of women can look at a photo of themselves and pull apart a million ‘flaws’ we think we have.
With the rise of social media over the years, it’s a lot easier to compare ourselves to others who seem to have it all, be it all and do it all.
“She’s so lucky, she bounces back after her pregnancies”
The internet has given us a lot of unrealistic expectations of what women should look like, especially post partum.
How can we ever live up to it, as ‘regular’ people?
Because sharing photos online has become a regular part of our day, if we deem ourselves ‘unshareable’ then eventually we stop getting in photos ourselves altogether.
I’m as insecure as the next person. I could tell you a million and one things I dislike about myself. I also love to share photos. So how on earth do I overcome being in photos with my family and not feeling ‘good enough’? (Whatever that means!)
- You DO NOT have to share them with others! And once again for the ladies hiding at the back! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS! The photos you take of your family are for your benefit only. They are there to be handed down through generations, to tell stories of who you are, where you went and what you did. They can be used to jog your memory as you get older and more forgetful. I love to think of them as love letters to my children. Yes the days are long, but you are so loved! If no-one is seeing them but you, who cares whether you had the latest fashion on, did your hair or wore make up?! I can tell you this, your children won’t! Tell me one photo you have looked at of your Mum and thought, “Wow, I wish she wore make up for that photo, she looks terrible”. (I’m just going to mention this now, if you have thought that, you’re mean haha!) BE IN THE PHOTO!
- Focus on the memory. What is the reason for taking the photo in the first place? Did your baby just turn one? Are you breastfeeding them for the final time? Did they just swim by themselves or is this their first trip to the snow? These are all super exciting milestones. Firsts, always bring lasts. Would you like to be in that memory with them? Or would you like to look back and think ‘I missed out on being in the photo again’? You will always ALWAYS regret NOT doing something. And if you really do hate it after the photo is taken, hide it away somewhere and look at it again in a year. I’ll bet your opinion on yourself changes as your baby grows.
- Cuddle your babies! You don’t have to be looking at the camera in every single photo! Not wearing a bra? Sit them on your lap to cover it! Hate yourself without make up? Blow raspberries on their little cheeks. Heck, take a photo with you all walking away from the camera if you must. BE IN THE PHOTO!
- Use creative crops. Does your baby spend their life stood at your legs with their arms raised begging to be picked up again? Shoot from above and capture that. It tells a story, you are in it but no-one would even know if you’re wearing clothes or not or if your hair looks like a birds nest! Want to capture a photo of you cuddling but you look like something the cat just dragged in? Set your tripod up so the only thing in the photo is them sat on your lap and your arms around them.
- Shoot from far away. Not all photos need to be close ups. Play on the beach/park/wherever with your children and capture a lot of the surroundings. Unless anyone zooms in to 300%, they won’t know if you’re wearing your slippers or a pair of your best heels 🙂 BE IN THE PHOTO!
- Wear a hat. Wear sunnies. Wear a blanket over your head. BE IN THE PHOTO!
Ok, I’m going to leave it there today! We will always find reasons not to be in photos with our family. Today, I’d love for you to find a reason TO be in the photo.
Here are a few of my favourites from the last two years.
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below 🙂
Lizzy xo
Lizzy Hannaford Photography specialises in family photography, and is based on the northern beaches of Cairns. Her main focus is maternity, newborn, baby and family photography.
I would love to photograph special memories for your family in my Trinity Park studio, or out on a beach or field location.
If you would like to book a photoshoot with me, please click here, or email me directly at lizzy@lizzyhannaford.com.au
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, and join my Facebook community Memories of Mum here.
