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Why Family Photos Matter Even More As the Kids Grow
- Michael Anthony
- Nov 19, 2025
- 7 min read
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
— Ferris Bueller
Family photos matter more as your kids get older because life really does move fast.
Faster than you notice.
Faster than you feel.
One moment you’re tying their shoes, the next moment they’re taller than you.
One year they’re in elementary school, the next they’re asking for the keys or filling out college applications.
And that’s exactly why family photography is important — because you can’t predict the future, and you don’t get these moments back.
Every laugh, every season, every little personality shift… it changes quietly, almost secretly. You don’t realize it until you see a photo from five years ago and your chest tightens because you suddenly remember a version of your child — or yourself — that you forgot.
Family photos aren’t about perfection.
They’re about proof of love in real time.
Quick Takeaways
Life moves fast — photos help you stop and look around.
Kids grow into their photos, using them to understand where they come from.
You can’t predict the future, but you can protect the memories that matter.
Why I Photograph Families: My Personal Story
There’s a reason I photograph families with so much care — and it’s because I know what it feels like to not have the photos you wish you had.
I lost my mom when I was 13.
We didn’t get many family pictures together.
We didn’t take photos the way we should’ve.
And because of that, I don’t have many images of myself as a kid either — no big album, no timeline, no visual story of who I used to be or who she was in the everyday moments.
Then Hurricane Katrina happened.
Growing up in New Orleans and living through Katrina showed me something most people don’t learn until they’re older:
Everything physical can disappear.
Homes, belongings, keepsakes, childhood places, the things you thought would always be there — they can all be gone in a moment.
But the memories?
The images?
The photos you wish you had?
Those stay with you forever.
And when you don’t have them, that absence hits hard.
As a teenager, I didn’t take many photos either.
Life was chaotic.
I wasn’t thinking about capturing anything.
But now, looking back, there are whole seasons of my life that only exist in my mind — fading a little more each year.
These are the reasons I became a photographer.
This is why family photography means so much to me.
Because I know what it feels like to want one more picture.
One more memory.
One more moment frozen in time.
I never want another family to feel that kind of loss.
This job is my way of honoring the memories I didn’t get to keep.
It’s my way of giving families something I’ll never have — a visual legacy that survives the storms life throws at you.
Kids Don’t Stay This Version Forever — That’s Why Photos Matter
When kids are little, every change is obvious. But once they start growing, changes happen quietly — gradual until suddenly they’re not.
One day they’re missing baby teeth.
Then they wake up and their entire face looks older.
One day they’re climbing into your lap.
Then the next year you’re asking them why they’re wearing your shoes.
This is the truth nobody tells you until it’s too late:
You don’t notice the “last times” until long after they pass.
The last time they call you Mommy or Daddy.
The last time they fall asleep on your chest.
The last time they hold your hand in public.
The last time they’re small enough for you to carry.
Photos give you the ability to return to those last times — even when you never realized they were happening.
This is why family photography is important. It lets you stop life for a moment, even when everything around you is moving fast.
Family Photos Become a Record of Who They Are — And Who You Are
Kids need more than memories.
They need proof.
Proof of who they were.
Proof of who you were.
Proof of who you all were together.
A lot of people don’t realize how much children internalize family images. When they see themselves in photos — on the walls, in albums, framed in the living room — it gives them a sense of belonging.
A sense of identity.
It tells them:
You are loved.
You are part of this family.
You matter here.
You belong to a story.
That’s powerful.
That’s healing.
That’s grounding.
Your kids grow into those images. One day, when they’re grown and looking back, those photos become reminders:
“Look how happy we were.”
“Look how much we changed.”
“Look how hard my parents tried.”
“We were loved.”
This is why family photography is important — because kids don’t always remember the moments, but photos help them remember the feeling.
Parents Get Emotional for a Reason
When parents look back at photos, it’s not just nostalgia.
It’s acknowledgement.
You look at those pictures and you don’t just see your kids — you see yourself.
You see the version of you who was doing the best you could.
The tired you.
The patient you.
The trying-you-even-on-hard-days you.
You see the version of you who held everything together.
The version of you your kids might never really remember unless there are photos showing who you were during those seasons.
Life moves fast.
Too fast.
And sometimes photos are the only thing that let you slow down enough to appreciate everything you’ve walked through.
What Kids Actually Remember From Family Photo Days
Here’s the thing — kids don’t remember the things you stress about.
They don’t remember whether the house was spotless.
They don’t remember whether your hair was perfect.
They don’t remember whether their outfit was expensive.
They remember:
The joke someone made.
The way you laughed.
The way dad tried too hard to make everyone smile.
The ice cream you grabbed afterward.
The silly pose someone did at the end.
The way everyone felt happy together.
That becomes the memory.
Not the pose.
Why Annual Family Photos Hit the Hardest
Taking yearly photos doesn’t just document your kids.
It documents your journey.
Their growth
The height changes, braces, hairstyles, confidence, personality shifts.
Your connection
The hugs.
The glances.
The way your kids cling to you one year and stand more independently the next.
Your story
Each photo becomes a chapter.
Years from now, when your kids flip through those chapters, they’ll see their entire childhood unfold in a way words can’t describe.
This is the core reason why family photography is important. Time doesn’t pause — but photos let you visit the places your heart still lives.
Life Moves Fast — and You Can’t Predict the Future
This is the part that makes photography sacred to me.
You don’t know what tomorrow looks like.
None of us do.
You don’t know who will still be here.
You don’t know which moment will become “the last time.”
You don’t know which photo will become the one your kids treasure when they’re grown.
Life doesn’t give warnings.
It doesn’t give countdowns.
It doesn’t hand you a calendar that says:
“Take the photo now — you’ll want it later.”
That’s why I shoot the way I shoot.
Not for social media.
Not for perfection.
But for the future.
For your future self.
For your kids’ future selves.
For the moments you’ll forget until a photo brings it back.
Life moves fast.
But photos help you slow it down.
Why I Shoot Family Sessions With Intent
When you shoot with me, it’s not just a session.
It’s not just a camera and a backdrop.
It’s a moment you’re choosing to protect.
Here’s how I shoot:
Chill, because families need space to breathe.
Guided, because no one should feel lost in front of a camera.
Fun, because joy photographs beautifully.
Fast, because kids move quick and attention spans don’t last.
Real, because real love is timeless.
Your shoot isn’t just a photoshoot.
It’s a pause in the speed of life.
Your Legacy, Captured Honestly
These photos become:
The images your kids show their kids.
The proof of your love, even in chaotic seasons.
The memories that comfort you when life changes.
The story your family grows from.
And after everything I’ve lived through — losing my mom young, growing up without many photos, watching Katrina take whole histories — I know this one truth:
Photos outlive moments. Photos outlive storms. Photos outlive us.
That’s why I do this.
That’s why this matters.
That’s why family photography is important.
FAQ
How often should we take family photos?
Once a year — kids grow too fast to skip.
What if my kids don’t behave?
Perfect. Real moments are better than forced smiles.
Can we do outdoors or at home?
Yes — wherever feels like your family.
How long is a session?
Around 45 minutes.
Can pets come?
Absolutely — pets are family too.
Your Moment to Act
Families change fast — but moments like this last forever.
If you've been saying,
“We really need family photos,” this is your reminder:
Life moves pretty fast. Don’t miss it.
Your kids won’t stay this version.
This season won’t last forever.
But you can freeze it — before it becomes a memory you can’t get back.
Book your free family legacy session — let’s freeze this season while it’s here.
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