It’s safe to say that you never regret having family portraits taken - the memories you build with your favorite people only become more precious as the years go on. But how often should you have family portraits taken to make sure you’re capturing the beauty of each stage of life?
The Ideal: Schedule Family Portraits Once Per Year
The short answer to your question is to aim for a family portrait session once per year. There are a few reasons why this is a great strategy:
Annual photos give you a fun timeline of how your family has grown and changed over the years, making for an ever-growing family photo album.
You can keep up with your family photo schedule easily because, in the same way that you might always remember that you have your annual physical in a certain month, you’ll always remember that a certain month or season means it’s time for family portraits.
You’ll get to know your family photographer well by seeing them consistently every year, and that comfort makes every session easier and smoother.
Other Guidelines for How Often to Take Family Portraits
Having professional family photos taken once per year is a wonderful rule of thumb, but there are some other factors you might want to consider too. Keep these points in mind:
Important Milestones
Some families schedule portrait sessions to celebrate and preserve specific milestones in their kids’ lives. For instance, first birthdays, transitions to elementary school or high school, and graduations are all excellent reminders to schedule family photos. If you have several kids, that might mean there’s a new milestone to celebrate every year (or every month!). In that case, scheduling professional portraits each year during the same or rotating seasons is your best bet! In Bucks County, capturing fall foliage one year and early summer wildflowers the next will ensure each session is a fun adventure for you and your family!
You also want to get updated family portraits when other major changes happen in your family, like adding a new baby, a divorce, marriage, and so on.
Reflecting on How Much Your Kids Have Changed
Taking family portraits every year is one of those gifts for you and your family that you appreciate more and more with each year. Your kids change so much as the years go by, and sometimes it’s hard to recognize and appreciate those changes when you’re caught up in the day-to-day busyness of raising your family. The older your children become, the more you’ll treasure being able to look back on all those years and relive their childhoods in your memory.
Planning Your Family Portraits
Are you due for some new family portraits? I’m here to help. Contact my Bucks County, PA portrait studio, and let’s chat about creating beautiful custom portraits for your family.