This is a true confessions post today.  I wanted to get some photos of my own kids on vacation this summer.  As a professional photographer, you may think that this would be a small undertaking.   I did get photos that I love – that were worth all the work.   But I also want to post the outtakes.  I feel like every now and then we need a reality check-  life doesn’t go perfectly, people don’t always get along, our kids don’t always run down a sunset beach holding hands.  You can see in our outtakes that the sun shines too brightly in your face, and the bugs bite you, and your brother squishes you.  And if you are wondering what my 12 year old is (laughingly) writing in the sand, it’s “help me”.  As in “save me from this photo shoot.”

This is the reality check.   We did have fun that early morning – but that was not the only story going on- and sometimes it’s worthwhile to let people see both stories.    I post this just to be real – and to say to all my dear clients, I know how much work it is!  You want so much to capture a stage, a moment in your family’s life, and sometimes you can, and sometimes you cannot.  For me, the effort of doing the shoot was worth it.  I would encourage you to soldier on at taking photos of your own kids – the images that only you as a parent can get.  We professional photographers will be here to get you some occasional “children in the glorious sunset” shots, but you parents can get the best shots:  sleeping in their crib, reading with Daddy, dirty in the sprinkler.  You know, real life.

Here are the photos I love:

And here is the reality check: