I photographed a very sweet family recently. The post the mom shared on Facebook really summed up everything that I stand for as a photographer; the importance of not only capturing professional images of your family, but why as a mom it’s important to exist in them, too. This is what she posted…

“My heart melted instantly. Thank you to the truly talented Angi Lewis with Angi Lewis Photography for capturing this sweet moment I will cherish forever. As I obsessively stare at this photo and all the cuteness of my little ones faces I’m reminded of why Its important to make the time to schedule a family photo session.

1. My 1,000 Random snapshots on my cell phone I never print and if I do they are always blurry.

2. There’s maybe 1 pic I took on my phone out of 1,000 where all of the kids are looking at the same time and even if they are all facing the camera I’m pretty sure one of the kids are crying or maybe even picking their noses or something of that sort that’s most definitely non editable.

3. If I’m snapping the photo then I’m not in the photo. There may come a day my kids would enjoy having a family photo to look at and relive a moment. THIS. RIGHT. HERE is my heart.”

 

 

I could list a thousand reasons why you should hire a professional photographer for your next family session, but here are my top eight…

One:

KICK OFF YOUR SHOES AND LET A PROFESSIONAL TAKE OVER...

First off, whether you are a working or a stay-at-home mom, chance are you are not a professionally-trained photographer. What’s more, if you’re BEHIND the lens, that means you are not in FRONT of it. What a huge difference it makes when you can relax and hand off the stress of wardrobe coordination, lighting, positing, and getting everyone to respond to a professional who can orchestrate the chaos.

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Two:

SHOW YOUR CHILDREN HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE...

Children who grow up in homes where portraits are displayed have higher self-esteem. They see that mom and dad make them a priority and proudly display their portrait for friends and family to enjoy. In addition, that it is the simple daily enjoyment and celebration of who they are.

 

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Three:

DOCUMENT YOUR LEGACY...

Children grow in the blink of an eye. And none of us are promised tomorrow. We’ll never have this moment in time again. The importance of capturing your family in this moment, as you are now (braces, long limbs and awkward growth spurts) is so important. We work so hard and spend money on a nice house, clothing, education, sports activities and vacations for our family. However documenting your family in an heirloom album or a framed wall portrait will become the most valuable thing your family will ever own. This is why you need a family portrait session, this is why every family needs one. 

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Four:

CREATE MEMORIES.

After nearly every family session I photograph, I receive texts and emails from parents telling me how much fun they had and how their children actually enjoyed the shoot. Most importantly, I make it a priority in each session I photograph for everyone to feel valued, beautiful and allow who they are to shine through. We laugh, tell silly jokes and enjoy the moment we are creating for your family.  

 

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Five:

THE CELEBRITY EXPERIENCE...

Have you ever had a professional coordinate your wardrobe or had your hair and makeup professionally done while sipping a mimosa? The stress of handing that off to someone else alone is reward in itself! You work so hard for your family… let someone take care of you for a day.

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Six:

CUSTOM DECORATIONS FOR YOUR HOME...

We all know the ‘home decor’ stores that we run to when we’ve repainted the house or watched an episode of Fixer Upper. But why hang generic, non-emotive wall art that everyone else has on their walls? A beautiful museum quality canvas of your own family proudly hanging in the foyer or over the fireplace tells everyone who visits to your home just how important your family is.

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Seven:

LIVE IN THE MOMENT...

John Lennon said it best, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” What are your objections? Need to lose weight? I can take 10 pounds off in posing and another 10 in Photoshop. Your children will never see a photo of you and think “Gosh, mom should have lost 20 pounds before she had the Family portrait taken.” Your family loves you just the way you are. Love yourself and live in the moment with them.

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Eight:

ONE DAY YOUR CHILDREN WILL LOOK FOR PHOTOS OF YOU. WHAT WILL THEY FIND?

Our current photos may be on Facebook, Instagram or in a cloud, but how will these benefit future generations? Flash drives and DVD’s won’t always be the standard medium or even accessible in 10 year’s time (remember the floppy disk?). Think of the thousands of photos on your smart phone. How many of those will your children, grandchildren and one day great-grandchildren actually see? Not to mention, how will you show your children the journey of your life?

 

Above all, the images I will capture today will one day become the most important thing your family will ever own. Documenting your legacy is one of the greatest gifts you can ever give them. This is why you need a Family Portrait Session. Let’s start your journey…

A Breast Cancer Survivor's Story...

  This month's photography portfolio is dedicated to my sweet friend Leigh.  I had the honor of photographing her a few weeks ago. Leigh is one of the strongest, most positive and inspiring women I've ever met. At just 37 she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  As you know, October is breast cancer awareness month. And for those of you who have never had a mammogram, I implore you to take a few moments out of your day to schedule yours. It's a call that could literally save your life. Leigh's story, shared below through her own words, will touch your heart. Let it also move you to action.     

Leigh's story...

"It has been said that there will be life events that will forever change you. My life-changing event occurred on December 28, 2015 when I was diagnosed with Triple Negative, Stage 1a breast cancer at the age of 37. I’ll never forget the days that led up to that particular date. I first discovered a lump on the outer portion of my left breast one night, just by crossing my arms before going to bed on December 22^nd. I remember feeling this hard, lump and immediately checking the other side to see if it was there too. But it wasn’t. This was foreign. This was not supposed to be there. But what could it be? I pondered this for the rest of the evening and decided to take action immediately the next day. I started with my regular family physician. Luckily, I was quickly seen by noon the next day. After my examination, she determined that I needed to see a breast specialist and surgeon ASAP. I needed to have an ultrasound performed on the hard lump to determine what exactly it was we were dealing with. Ultrasounds can differentiate a cyst from a mass, I quickly learned, as I was sitting in the breast specialist office about an hour after seeing my physician. I’ll never forget walking into the breast specialist office. I was overwhelmed by the amount of women sitting in the waiting room. They were different ages, different races, some had hair, some did not, some were wearing scarves or hats, and some looked like me, just another woman going to see a doctor. I think that’s when it “hit” me…this was bringing this to a whole new level. I could possibly be dealing with something very serious, and obviously I was. I saw the doctor and she conducted the ultrasound, confirming that I did indeed have a mass measuring a little over 3 cm. and that we needed to take action. I was scheduled the very next day for testing, which was on Christmas Eve. I spent my entire day at the breast cancer center at Memorial Hermann Memorial City. I was fortunate enough to have my cousin with me because I had no idea that I would walk out of those tests carrying any more information than I did walking in, but I did. The radiologist did the ultrasound and knew immediately what he was looking at..it was more than a mass. It was cancer. He asked if I wanted to know his thoughts. Of course I said yes and was told that he was 99% certain it was breast cancer. This moment seemed to stop my heart from beating, my lungs from inhaling and my eyes to fill with an ocean of tears. Due to the urgency and fast actions on my part and my doctors, I was diagnosed and treated quickly. I underwent a double mastectomy, 5 ½ months of intense chemotherapy and 2 reconstruction surgeries. The road was difficult, but I truly believe I am here today to tell my story because I took action so quickly. We always hear about early detection and it could not be more true. I just happened upon finding my lump which was such a blessing and the events to follow saved my life. Do your annual physical self-exams every single month and don’t wait to get a mammogram or ultrasound. Being proactive is the single most important thing we can do for ourselves and for our loved ones."    

In the Pink of Health...

Leigh and I are both affiliated with Northeast Hospital Foundation's In the Pink of Health. Since 1987, the Foundation has touched the lives of thousands of people in the Lake Houston community by providing funding to develop and nurture new programs and purchase new equipment to benefit patients. Proceeds from the 2017 "In The Pink of Health" luncheon will benefit Project Mammogram, a program that provides free mammograms to qualifying men and women. Please visit www.northeasthospitalfoundation.org for more information.     

Hurricane Harvey: The week Houston will never forget...

  To call Hurricane Harvey a devastating storm would be an understatement. As of Friday, it has been assessed that Harvey caused: one million Texans to evacuate, 185,000+ flooded homes, displacement of over 42,000 Houstonians still housed in shelters and over $23 billion in damages. An unprecedented 800 year storm, Harvey may have covered Houston in water, but he also uncovered the importance of our legacies; our photographs.    

The Importance of preserving photos before and after a flood...

Flood victims who were interviewed spoke of their attempt to salvage irreplaceable family photos before and after the flood.  Judy Levison shared, “You realize what’s important: photo albums are the only thing I really care about.  So I lifted things into closets as high as I could.” [Bethea, Charles The New Yorker “The View from Houston, As Harvey’s Floodwaters Rise” August 27, 2017] Jessee Smethermann of Kingwood said, “As we were trying to salvage what we could putting them out to dry, I was noticing the dates they were taken.  One of them was a relative from 1897.” [Molestina, Ken CBS News “Family Photos Saved In Spite Of Harvey Destruction” September 4, 2017] And Sheila Ware sadly explained, "Once you lose pictures that are 50 years old, you are never going to see that again. You have photos to trigger memories, and when they are gone, they are gone." [Slaydon, Andrea Click 2 Houston "How to recover photos after a flood" September 1, 2017] Thankfully when photo albums are damaged during a flood, there is still a way to save them. Firstly, bring them indoors. The sun and wind will cause them to curl. Ideally, while images are still wet from floodwater, rinse off any mud or debris with clean, tepid water. Lay each photograph flat onto a towel or blotting paper. Then, with rubber gloves, gently press down on the images to blot the water off of the back of the photograph. Be careful not to rub or scratch the front of the image as this may cause irreparable damage. Change the blotting paper or towel every few hours (as this will help soak up the moisture). Finally, leave images to dry completely. Do not use newspaper or colored paper as this may transfer ink to the images.  Natural disasters force us to take stock of what is truly important in life. The safety of our family, pets and friends is paramount, however the loss of irreplaceable photographs can be heart-breaking. While attempts to move items to higher ground is of course your best option, it's nice to know that there are ways to save our treasured photographs.