No matter how far technology takes us, photographs – digital or physical – are always going to be important, and photographs of our families are going to be the most important of all. This is how memories are cemented in place, and taking the time to go back through your photos sometimes decades later will always bring a wonderful feeling of nostalgia-tinged joy, even if some of the memories are laced lightly with sadness too. 

With this in mind, and knowing just how important family photographs are, it’s important to know how to take good ones that you’re going to love looking back on in the years to come. As Michael Lerner of Los Angeles says, amateur photography is all about ‘getting creative’ and that’s exactly what you need to think about when considering the photos you’re taking. Read on to find out more. 

Capture Routine Moments 

When you think of taking photographs of your family, you’ll probably have a specific occasion in mind; a birthday, Christmas, or another important celebration. Yet although these are crucial moments to capture on your camera or phone, it’s the normal, everyday, routine moments that really tell a story and that you will want to look back on more and more as time goes by. Those times when you’re sitting together watching a movie might not seem too important to have an image of, for example, but when the kids grow up and move out and you don’t have it anymore, you’ll love those photos most of all. 

So make sure you don’t just save your memory-making for the big things; the little things are, perhaps, even more important than anything else. 

Never Put The Camera Away 

Following on from the above point, you should never put your camera away. This is easier to remember if you use your smartphone more than a digital camera, but either way, having one to hand at all times and taking random pictures throughout the day means that you’ll be sure to find the ones you want to keep, even if you delete the majority of them. 

Plus, if anything special and unexpected happens – first steps, or a special piece of mail, for example – you’ll be able to grab the camera and take the photos without having to either miss the moment or delay it (and reducing the real impact) because you’re searching for the camera. Always have one to hand and you’ll never miss out again. 

Don’t Worry About The Mess 

We would all like our homes to be tidy and clean all the time, but that’s not the reality for most people. Often there will be toys everywhere, clothes that should have been folded and put away days ago, and general ‘things’ and ‘stuff’ that are just part of everyday living. Don’t worry about this ‘mess’. Take the photos anyway. In the years to come when you’re looking back at these lovely images of your family growing up, you won’t be looking at the toys and clothes and things; you’ll be looking at the people you love. 

If you wait until your home is perfect to take a photo, either it will never happen and you won’t have any memories to enjoy at all, or the photos will look staged and unnatural because you’ve taken the time to tidy everything up.