As a kid, my mom would regularly take us to J.C. Penny to get our photos taken. We would go yearly for a birthday photo and then at Christmas for a group shot, often in matching outfits. When I look back on the memories of these photos, I often don’t remember the time spent in front of the camera but the preparation for the photos. The hot rollers in my hair that made my straight hair rather a frizzy, curly mess. The matching outfits my mom painstakingly sought to find for me and my siblings to wear for our group photos. (Maybe my disdain for matching others comes from this childhood trauma of matching my sister! Okay, I digress.)
When I ask clients what matters most about their session, the overwhelming response is a good photo of everyone together. This often means a photo of everyone looking at the camera with lovely smiles that can be given to grandparents or put on the front of the Christmas card. What often is missing from these photos are a few things that create lasting memories. Here are three things candid moments help capture and with them, create great memories.
Personality
While someone’s personality may come through their smile, the candid moment is where personality shines bright. I love when a child brings their favorite stuffy or book because even if they simply play with their beloved toy, it creates a beautiful shot that is often treasured beyond the time it was taken.
Love
A well-posed photo shows connection and love between the people in the image. While a posed image can show these things, a candid moment caught in the camera highlights the love and connection to another level. As people look at one another, laugh at a funny joke or lean into a loving hug, the love showcased is more familiar, more tangible.
Authenticity
Have you ever had a moment where you’re yelling at your kid one minute and the other smiling big when you bump into someone you know? (Just me? Okay.) I often think of posed images in that way. They’re the moments when you bump into someone you know. Candid moments might be a little more messy, they might include that goofy face you child loves giving, but they don’t seem stiff or created. They’re genuine and real, beautiful and free. They’re moments that give life and make you stop in your tracks and say, “I remember that!”
While my moments at J.C. Penny weren’t memory making for me, there were plenty of other moments, the candid, goofy ones that make me smile when I look back on them and remember what life was like for me then. Next time you have a session remember the candid moments are often the ones that capture the personality, love and authenticity in your life.
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