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Hello friends, I was on the phone the other day visiting with my mom and mentioned that earlier in morning I’d received an email from a client wanting to postpone her extended family portrait until spring because her daughter was newly pregnant and she wanted the baby included in the photographs. Reschedules happen and after all these years I’m used it—life happens and adjustments have to be made. I mentioned this to Mom and she said, “They shouldn’t postpone. They should do it now and have another portrait made after the baby arrives.” I was very appreciative of what I took to be motherly support but Mom went on, “So much can happen in those next several months. They should have their portraits made.” Growing up it was my mom who was the photographer in our family—she followed in the footsteps of her dad who was an avid amateur. Mom wasn’t a professional but she was good, and she was very good about being sure to get photos of us through the years—birthdays, vacations, lost teeth, holidays, projects around the house, pets, me washing my bike on a hot summer day, my brothers piled on Dad’s lap, the four oldest of us on our brother’s first day of kindergarten. And on and on. She mentioned how few family photos we have of all of us together—Dad, Mom, me and my siblings Joe, Shaun, Kevin, Ryan and Shannon. Either she’d be missing because she was taking the photos, or I’d be missing because I was. Then one of my brothers died. And then two more. And now there is no chance for us to have a complete family portrait made. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was, at how deeply Mom felt about the importance of family portraits. She said, “With all the cameras we had around the house it’s sad there aren’t more photos of all of us.” Mom wanted me to tell you that if you’re thinking of having a family portrait made you should do it. Your people are priceless and it’s an honor for me to photograph you. Lea
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