February 8, 2021

Getting in the Frame: Why it’s important to invest in documentary family photography

Photo by Jess Haverkamp of My Family in Photos

As the resident photographer at home, on vacations, and in larger family gatherings, I noticed there was something (or rather, someone) missing in my photos: ME. When I look at my collection of personal images, I see my own voice and perspective, and I photograph my children in a way that communicates to the viewer how I see them. But that voice doesn’t ever include my face. This isn’t something that bothers me, per se, but what happens when I hand over those neatly organized prints to my children, and there are no images of me being their mother? That is the thought that bothers me.

Because I was there, too.

I find this is a common concern among mothers. We busy ourselves with marking special events like birthday parties, making childhood magical with crafts and games and books and dress up, answering a million “why” questions, teaching and shaping our children to be kind and strong, and collapse with exhaustion at the end of the day. It’s no wonder that we find excuses not to get in the frame. And then there is the issue of how we see ourselves. As a woman who is 100% appalled by the sudden surprise of the front facing camera unexpectedly opening on my iPhone, I will be the first to admit that it’s hard to witness the effects of time, gravity, pregnancy, parenting, and sun damage as they make their marks on my body. I don’t have to like it, but all of it is part of who I am. I may see those things in a photograph of myself at a quick glance, but I also see my joy, my gestures, the way my sons look at me, and deep expression of love in my eyes when I look at them. Collectively, those things say more about me than my wrinkles or stretch marks. And that’s truly the beauty of documentary family photography. Real life is beautiful and I want to hold onto the images that help me remember the places I’ve been, the people I’ve loved, and the life we have built together.

Photographs are an investment, one that I have made as a priority over the years. Because as much as I learn and grow as a photographer, hiring a documentary family photographer is the only way that I can have images of my real life with me actually in them. I want to share some images from those sessions, one just a regular day in our life and two being vacation sessions.

Day in the Life: January 27, 2017

By Allie Wilson Photography

Vacation Photo Session Berlin, Germany: August 11, 2018

Photos by Jess Haverkamp of My Family in Photos

Vacation Photo Session Disney’s Animal Kingdom: February 29, 2020

Photos by Holly Hicks Photography

I believe in the value of documentary family photography, evidenced not only by my own work but my personal investment in images created by other documentary family photographers. To me, these images are worth every penny and more.

Let’s put it this way: if there is a hurricane barreling down the coast where I live and I have to choose what to bring and what to leave behind, my boxes of (organized!) photos and albums are coming with me first. They are my earthly treasures, ones I hope last long enough to be held by my children’s children’s children and beyond. As pandemic restrictions ease up, I am so looking forward to photographing families and their real lives, creating for them what these photographers created for me . . . because when I look at the images, I remember what it felt like to be there.