5 simple tips to get mum in the picture | Mum In The Madhouse

5 simple tips to get mum in the picture

Last year I talked about how I need to be more present in family photographs.  How as the families main photographer and keeper of the camera that I tended not to be in many images.  So I wanted to update you on how I was doing and also reiterate why mums need to get in the picture.  I am also going to share with you some amazing family photos that we had taken.

5 simple tips to get mum in the picture

Mums get in the picture

I am really pleased to say that I am getting myself in front of the lens more and more.  I haven’t managed to shake my dislike of being photographed or even the images of me, but I really do understand the need to be in images, so that when we look back at them I am present.

5 simple tips to get mum in the picture

5 simple tips to get mum in the picture

Give the camera to someone else.  On our recent holiday to Mallorca, we made Mini cameraman and it was great.  Not only did he feel really important for being in charge of the camera, but at 10 he took some great images that I was in and it gave a new perspective of the holiday.   I feel pretty secure in trusting the boys with my cameras as they are older at 11 and 12, but with younger children, I would advocate buying a pointy and shoot and giving it to them with a good neck strap.

Look through old family pictures from when you were a child.  This is one of the things that made a real impact on me.  I am so lucky that we have a vast amount of family photographs (that my brother has) and that includes my Mum and Dad.  When my mum died we looked through them and I was so glad of them and the memories they triggered.  I want this for my boys.

Start with a selfie.  I have loads of selfies of me and the boys.  We all take them a lot and they are not perfectly posed and in a lot of them we are pulling faces, but you know what…. the kids love them.

Join a challenge such as Me and Mine which is run by LucyKatie, LucyAlexFritha,  Charlotte. and Jenny, which is all about getting a family photo once a month.

Have a professional photo shoot.  I am going to admit that having photographs professional done and really well done was a pivotal moment in this process for me.  We are not a posing family and I feel really insecure about my looks after a double mastectomy, failed reconstruction and large weight gain due to ongoing medications.  So finding the right photographer and style of pictures is key.  We have been so lucky and our recent photoshoot with Liam Crawley was a blast for all the family.

I loved our experience with Liam – it was really easy from start to finish.  We agreed on a place for the photographs to be taken and also a time.  We had looked at Liam’s portfolio before our shoot and loved his style. The fact that he takes pictures with large negative space really appealed to us and the fact that the families personality shone out from each of the photographs spoke to us as a family. Liam is a multi-award winning wedding photographer and often is approached by other photographers to take family shots for them.

He really understood our boys and was not concerned with the fact that they never stood still, in fact, he embraced that as you can see.

Photo shoots are not just for families with youngsters, just take a look at this fab family photo shoot over at Slummy Single Mummy. You can see the highlights from our photoshoot here.

I was too busy laughing during most of the photoshoot that I didn’t worry about what I looked like.  It was really that much fun.  Once we had a photo shoot, Liam went away and then a few days later contacted me with a link to our private image library with the edited images in.  He has lots of different packages to choose from and I would urge you to get in touch with him if you are looing for a unique family photograph.

We have had our photographs for a few months now and still can not decide which ones to have made into a canvas for the wall.  I LOVE each and every one of them.

5 simple tips to get mum in the picture

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