Do you know what I hear all the time? Moms never get to be in the photos with their kids. It's not just other moms, I find myself saying it as well. Why am I bringing this up? Because so often moms get the kids all dressed up for their photos, then say to me 'I don't wanna be in the photos'. Why not? You just told me you never get to be in the pictures with them.

Perhaps you are putting it off for later. Later when you have a better outfit on. Later when your makeup is perfect. Later when you did your hair all nice. Why not now? Why not be in the photos with your kids today? 

I capture cute moments all the time with moms ending up in the photos with their kids during sessions as they help to capture those cute smiles and expressions. They go to the session with no intention of getting in front of the camera. It's not about what you are wearing, it's about just being with your children, living in the moment.

In 20 years, your kids won't care what you looked like, they will just be happy to find photos of you together. There is a hashtag out there #ExistInPhotos, it was created for the moms who are waiting for later, when they look perfect, before they will be in a photo with their family. Do you know what happens when waiting for later? It often doesn't happen at all. Do you want to go through photos with your children when they are grown and have no photos of you anywhere? This may sound like a crazy notion, but it's not, and it actually happens more often than it should. 

From this moment on, I am challenging all the moms out there, be IN the photo with your children. If you go to a portrait session, wear a nice outfit and take just a moment for yourself before you leave to not look like you rolled out of bed, just in case that opportunity presents itself that you end up in front of the camera with your children.

This beautiful momma (above) told me when I arrived for the newborn session 'we don't want to be in the photos, we just want pictures of our newborn and toddler.' You know what happened instead? I ended up pulling both parents into the portraits (below) and they absolutely loved them and I'm sure will treasure them for years to come.

So what inspired this post? At a recent session, another mom with no plans of being in the portraits ended up in front of the lens with her little girl. She is just wearing a t-shirt and stretch pants, sitting to the side of throwing the leaves, but her little girl wanted to play with her so she ended up in the photos. Normally these images wouldn't make the cut for the gallery, but they do make the cut for the mom who treasures the fact that she was in a photo with her baby at her birthday session. Mom's response to me when I showed her was "I never get to be in the photos with my kids." 

Don't be afraid to not be perfect. Don't be afraid to show yourself as you are. If you want to look nice, take a moment the day before (since we all know trying to get kids out the door on time is a challenge in itself) to put aside a nice shirt for yourself. You don't have to go crazy, or put in a lot of effort, just a plain, solid colored top works perfectly. (Long sleeve if possible)

Now Momma, smile and don't be afraid to live the moment!

(Here's me handing the camera to someone else to get in the photos with my family when we went apple picking this past September)