Once upon a time, we were all young people. We were kids that had dreams, imagination, and ambitions. We changed interests sometimes more often than we changed our sox. We got into all kinds of stuff. Whether we grew up with a lot or a little, we all had chances to explore life in ways that shaped our character over time. We all know, we weren’t the people back then, that we are now, for better or for worse. This article is about how now that many of us are parents, we can take advantage of opportunities to capture those dynamic seasons of life as we watch our kids grow, preserving memories that inspire joy in the present and future. I want to share two key ingredients that help maximize the art of storytelling when capturing inspiring photos of our kids. 

Think outside the box (of your phone screen)

Let’s be real for a moment. Most of us have our camera rolls filled with all kinds of stuff. We might have cool photos of our kids being awesome or silly. Isn’t it true for many of us though, that most of those photos are trapped between all kinds of random images? We’ve got pictures of our kids scattered in between pics of the dog(s), random scenery, receipts, various selfies, screenshots, and last night’s dinner. On top of that, we usually take multiple photos of all those things, so many of our camera rolls are up in the thousands!

Are we actually scrolling through all that stuff to enjoy the very best memories of our kids? Is our connection with our phones hitting us in our souls the ways that photos should? If you want to make the most of the pictures of your kids, you have to start thinking outside of the frame of your phone. You must expand your thinking beyond digital files that come and go, as quickly as the posts on your Facebook or Instagram feed and stories. It would help if you started thinking about something more tangible. Yes, I’m talking about prints!

The First Ingredient: Embrace the old-school

Your phone won’t provide the same connection quality that a printed photo will. There are a lot of reasons why. It’s important to keep it simple though. Here’s a lesson I learned through my favorite NFL football team. When you walk into their team facility, you will see photos everywhere. They have photos of their best players, performing at their best. They have pictures of the Super Bowl championships and celebrations. They invest a lot into their photography because they know that having those images all over the walls does something significant – it inspires!

High-quality printed photos capture our attention, even if it’s just for a moment, to plant ideas and thoughts into our minds. Imagine a situation where you had constant access to this type of motivation, putting good and happy thoughts in your mind because you can see why you do what you do. Imagine seeing your kids at their best, all the time, so that they can inspire you to give them your best. Would that be a situation worth investing in? You bet!

The Second Ingredient: The Complete Story

When you’re considering taking photos of your kids, think about how you want to use those photos. If you’re thinking about prints (and should be), think about the wall space or area that you want to put them in. What is the color scheme in that area? What kind of light is in that area? While thinking of these things, be thinking about how to maximize that space to tell the most complete story you can of your kid(s), and the season of life they’re in. Many people try to capture the essence of their kids in one photo. As a professional, I’m here to tell you that sometimes you can get lucky and get a single amazing shot that says it all, but it’s not often. The truth is, we as people are too complex and diverse. We have different interests. We have different moods. Consider how you can leverage a series of photos, maybe centered around a unifying theme, to tell a more complete story.

Here's an example that I wanted to showcase because I took these photos during one of the most dramatic times in recent history: during the COVID pandemic. It wasn’t easy to get “happy photos” during that time. We all remember that nightmare. I shot these photos for a close friend whose daughters were into ballet, but having to take their classes virtually. It was a weird dynamic to see these girls try to be inspired in their living room – a space that was so common and uninspiring. They loved to dance but hated the circumstances. My goal was to try and capture the art of their dancing in ways that removed the lameness of their living room; bringing drama and inspiration back into their view. However, I knew I wouldn’t be able to tell that story in one photo. So, I came up with the idea of doing a series of photos as a wall collage, in a color-space that fit the aesthetic of their living room. Here are three of them. They turned out great!

If you don’t have space or the ability to display photos in your home openly, consider printed books. There are all kinds of options these days. I like Zines and Folio Boxes. Those are the products I offer. What are Zines? They’re like mini magazines. These work great for kids because you can form them into books that resemble comics. They’re easy to store, don’t take up a lot of space, and can print in really high quality that lasts.

How about Folio Boxes? They’re not quite wedding albums, but they certainly lean in that direction regarding quality and elegance. They consist of fancy boxes that act like covers for multiple photos. Imagine a box set of books or DVDs. These are especially cool to display on a shelf, much like you would display collectors’ edition books or vinyl records on a shelf. My roots as a DJ really gravitate towards this idea. These boxes are designed to house multiple photos. So, you can keep a whole bunch of different images in your boxes, and rotate through them to display however you want, whenever you want. You can rotate through photos, as you might rotate home décor throughout the year or for holidays. The Folio Print Boxes I carry are 10x10 boxes that contain 15 photos printed on matted fine art paper. Again, this sort of print option and its packaging allows you to take multiple images that work together to tell a fuller story about your kids, in the style they are in right now.

Conclusion

We live in a world where the pace of life is fast and continuous. We’re all exposed to many things, all of the time. Our kids are exposed to way more than we were when we were growing up, but that’s not always bad. Sometimes it just means that they develop interests and skills faster and more dynamically. If you want to preserve those life moments in ways that have an impact and in ways that inspire, it’s important to consider taking photos that tell a story and then printing them in a way that proudly displays that story. You want to find a photographer who understands the skillset and art of storytelling and will take the time to figure out your story. You want to think about how your photos will be printed and displayed, and work with someone who can collaborate creatively with you to turn your home or workplace into a proud space of inspiration fueled by your kids that are featured as works of art. These are the sorts of investments that truly impact the soul – for you and the rest of your family.