You Are Beautiful | Fresno, Ca Family Photographer

It’s that time of year when it seems everyone has finally settled into their new school routines.  New friendships are being made with moms and children. The weather is finally cooling off and there is a hint of Fall in the air.  And so begins the rush of Fall Family Pictures.

We had our family pictures taken this year at the beach by my talented photographer friend, Cori Derksen. If you don’t know her you should.  She’s a beautiful soul from the inside out and is quite talented behind her lens.  I’m embarrassed to say that it’s been a very long time since I have hired another professional to take our family pictures. Like 10 years too long!  As much as I always encourage you to take yearly family pictures and to get in the pictures with your kids, I wasn’t heeding my own advice. I would take my kiddos to a cool location, in last minute outfits I pulled together, and get frustrated with them for not cooperating just like you do with your kiddos.  Even though I’m a photographer I too am just like you and will often utter these words I hear so often from others…”I have nothing to wear”, “I look fat”, “We don’t have time”, “It’s too much money”, “Let’s just do the kids”…and on and on. This year I decided I wanted someone else to do our pictures.  Cue in last minute outfits, lots of money, kids who messed around, hair that wouldn’t cooperate annddd…here we are…our perfectly, imperfect family!Family Pictures, Fresno, Clovis, CA, Photographer

Photographer, Fresno, Clovis, Derksen Photography

I love our pictures!  And I am so very grateful that our family will have these images forever!  Did I love myself in them…well, maybe some of them.  I absolutely loved everyone else in them. What really matters is how others see us.  What matters is how our children and loved ones see us.  Because in their eyes, we are perfect! Unless you have teenagers, then maybe you’re just a little less cool..or so they think (note their reaction to their cool mom’s dance moves in the picture above).

This is who we are!  It’s who we are when we are with the ones we love.  It’s what they will remember when they look back on these images with their own children.  It’s life.  And as imperfect as you may feel or think you look.  Always remember…YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. What you may dislike about yourself, somebody else loves and adores.  You are perfectly imperfect! Especially to the ones who love you most…God created you that way.  So please mommy’s and daddy’s…get in the pictures with your babies, and big kids.  I promise you won’t regret it! I don’t.