“I’m so sorry… they probably won’t sit still.”
If I had a pound for every time a parent said those words as they walked into a session, I’d probably have retired by now.
Closely followed by…
“He’s a bit wild.”
“She pulls funny faces.”
“They’ll never all look at the camera.”
Here’s the funny thing…
Those are almost never the photographs you end up loving.
The ones you frame.
The ones your children laugh about years later.
The ones that remind you exactly who they were.
Because children aren’t supposed to sit perfectly still.
They’re supposed to be children.
"I'm so sorry..."
The best photographs often happen in the moments parents think have gone completely wrong.
Running through bubbles.
Playing tag with a brother.
Getting distracted by a butterfly.
Stopping halfway through to tell me about dinosaurs, unicorns or what they had for breakfast.
Those aren’t interruptions.
They’re childhood.
If I asked every child to stand perfectly still and smile at me all session, I’d miss the very thing you’re trying to remember.
"She'll probably pull funny faces."
Good.
I hope she does.
Children are wonderfully expressive.
One second they’re giggling.
The next they’re suspicious.
Then delighted.
Then completely confused.
Those little expressions disappear far quicker than we realise.
Years later they’re often the photographs families treasure the most because they’re so unmistakably them.
"He might not sit nicely with the baby."
Sometimes the quiet moments arrive completely unexpectedly.
A little kiss.
A tiny cuddle.
A gentle hand.
They aren’t forced.
They’re simply noticed.
Those tiny interactions often become the photographs families love the most because they tell a story no posed picture ever could.
"My children are complete opposites."
Perfect.
Families aren’t matching smiles.
They’re personalities.
The confident one.
The shy one.
The joker.
The thinker.
The whirlwind.
The observer.
I don’t want every child to behave exactly the same.
I want each one to be themselves.
"Teenagers don't want photos."
Let’s be honest.
Most teenagers aren’t desperate to spend an hour smiling at a camera.
I don’t expect them to.
Instead, we chat.
We keep things relaxed.
No awkward posing.
No fake laughter.
Just enough direction that they still look like themselves.
Parents are often surprised by how much they enjoy the experience.
Teenagers are usually even more surprised.
"Can you make them smile?"
Not really.
But I can make them laugh.
There’s a big difference.
Real smiles happen when children feel comfortable.
When they’re playing.
When they’re being cheeky.
When they’ve forgotten the camera is even there.
That’s where the magic lives.
"The perfect family doesn't exist."
One child might be smiling.
The other might be wondering why we’re all here.
Someone will probably have muddy knees.
Someone else will refuse to wear their shoes.
Perfect.
Because that’s your family.
Not the polished version.
The real version.
And that’s always the one worth remembering.
Sometimes the quiet moments matter too.
Not every beautiful photograph is full of laughter.
Sometimes it’s simply a child sitting quietly.
Thinking.
Watching.
Wondering.
Those peaceful little moments often disappear just as quickly as the noisy ones.
Childhood changes faster than we realise
One day they’re taking their first steps.
The next they’re heading off to school.
Then they’re rolling their eyes because you’ve asked for “just one more photo.”
Time has a funny way of speeding up.
Photographs let us slow it down again.
Not because every smile was perfect.
But because every stage mattered.
Thinking about updating your family photographs?
If this blog has reminded you that your children don’t need to be perfectly behaved to create beautiful memories, I’d love to meet you.
My sessions are relaxed, child-led and completely judgement free. We follow your children’s lead rather than expecting them to fit into a checklist.
Back to School Mini Sessions are taking place this August and they’re ideal whether your little one is starting school for the first time, moving up a year, or you simply want to mark another chapter in their story before they grow that little bit more.
The smartest thing you can do isn’t wait until they’re “easier.”
It’s photograph them exactly as they are now.
Because one day, the funny faces, the endless energy, the cuddles and even the chaos will be the things you miss most.
