This one’s for the mommas. The ones who duck and hide when they see a camera pointed their direction. I want to issue you a challenge…a challenge to not be afraid to exist. I have a question for you. How many photos have you taken of your children during the last month? I’m guessing a number too vast to quickly count. Now, how many family photos are you in with them? I’m assuming not too many, if any at all. Let’s begin to change that. I have a few loving (and possibly uncomfortable) truths for you. Starting with…

The lies you tell yourself are unfair

Ladies, we are our own worst enemies, aren’t we? We look in the mirror and tell ourselves harsh lies. And the lies we tell ourselves are our reasons we use to justify staying behind the camera or deleting images we think aren’t good enough. Let me tell you, this is so unfair in so many ways. Unfair to you, because you are beautiful as you are now and you deserve to believe truths and not lies. Unfair to the ones you love because (whether you believe it or not) I guarantee your children/spouse/friends don’t look at you and see you the way you do. They see so much more. They look at you and see a mom who provides an abundance of kisses and scrapes off their dirty knees…a wife who makes them feel like they can do anything…and a friend who is always their biggest cheerleader. Your loved ones don’t look at you and see the pimple on your chin or the 15 pounds you want to lose. Stop letting these lies keep you from existing alongside your friends and family.

You are robbing someone else of their joy

When it comes to existing in photos, your spouse/children won’t hold images in their hands and think anything else about you other than who you are/were to them and how you make/made them feel. Don’t let your negative thoughts about your own self image rob your loved ones of the joy they’ll have when they hold an image of you in their hands. When you refuse to exist in images, you’re stealing something precious from someone else. They love you and want documented memories with you too (even if they are too young to realize it yet).

You’ll long for these memories one day

There will come a day when this season has come and gone, where you’ll still wish you could lose those 15 pounds (or more). You’ll have lived through many seasons between now and then, and through various ups and downs. Your current season will have long passed and you’ll long for the moments and things you took for granted now. For the hugs and kisses your little ones willingly gave, the youth you no longer have, the bedtime cuddles as your growing kids fell asleep in your arms, or the chaotic Mother’s Day you didn’t know would be your last because tragedy snuck up on you. There will be moments you’ll wish you can take back and moments you wish you could relive. Photos give you something tangible to help connect to these memories.

So mommas, once again I challenge you. Think of how precious the photos you have of your mothers (or don’t have and wish you did) are to you. Hold onto the feeling they give you and remember it when it’s your turn to be in the photo. Please don’t be a ghost in the frame. Be present and unafraid exist in your photographs.

If you’d like some tips on how to photograph your children, feel free to grab my free resource below. And then try using some of these tips while setting a tripod and jumping in the frame to join your kids!