Thoughts from a Raleigh family photographer who’s watched a lot of kids grow up

Time doesn’t announce when it’s changing your family.

There isn’t a morning when you wake up and suddenly realize your child’s face looks older. You don’t necessarily notice the day the last little bit of baby disappears from their cheeks, or when your oldest somehow becomes almost as tall as you are.

It happens while you’re making dinner and driving to swim practice and helping with homework.

Which is probably why one of the questions families wonder is: How often should we actually have family photos taken?

And my answer might be a little surprising for someone whose job is taking family photos: you don’t necessarily need professional family photos every year.

But I also wouldn’t let “nothing has really changed” be the reason you skip them.

How often should you update your family photos?

Babies change dramatically in their first twelve months, so we actually photograph them every few months. Once they’re a little older, many families choose to create an annual record as their children grow.

For other families, every year might feel like too much. Maybe every other year feels right. Maybe you tend to schedule photos around bigger transitions, like a new baby, a milestone birthday, senior year, or another season you especially want to remember.

There isn’t a correct interval.

The part I’d pay more attention to is how long it’s been since you last made a photograph of your whole family that really feels like you.

Not the school pictures. Not the phone snapshot where someone is missing because they’re the one taking it. Not the obligatory Christmas-card photo where everyone tolerated each other for exactly eight seconds. 😅

A photograph where you’re all actually there.

“But nothing has really changed since our last family photos.”

This one gets me.

Because usually? A lot has changed. It just happened too slowly for you to see it.

These three sisters are a perfect example.

I first photographed them six years ago, and then again last fall, and putting the photographs next to each other stopped me in my tracks.

Obviously, they’ve grown. But look at the way they are with each other.

Six years later, there’s something wonderfully familiar there—the way they lean toward each other, laugh together, and fall naturally into being sisters.

That’s one of the things photos give us that our memories aren’t always very good at holding onto. We don’t just get to remember what everyone looked like. We get little clues about who they were together.

Do you need family photos every year?

No. There. A family photographer said it! 😂

But I do think there’s something valuable about creating a record of your family with some regularity – whatever “regularly” means for you.

Because six years sounds like a long time when I write it here.

Living it doesn’t feel that way.

It’s six falls. Six birthdays. A whole bunch of school mornings and vacations and practices and dinners and ordinary Tuesdays.

And then you put two photographs next to each other.

Oh. There it is.

So, how long is too long between family photos?

I don’t think there’s a magic number.

Instead, I’d ask yourself this:

If another year passes and we don’t do them, will I wish we had?

Sometimes the answer really is no. That’s okay.

But if you’ve been saying, “Maybe next year” for the last two or three years, that might be your answer too.

Time is going to keep on trucking either way. We don’t get much say in that part.

But photography lets us put up a pretty good fight.

Maybe this is your year.

If you’ve been thinking about updating your family photos – or realizing it’s been a little longer than you meant for it to be – I’d love to photograph this version of your family.

I offer relaxed, connection-filled family sessions seasonally in Wake Forest and throughout the Raleigh area. You can learn more about family sessions here, or get in touch when you’re ready.

If you’ve spent any time looking at children’s photography lately, you’ve probably come across the term heirloom portrait. This classic style of portraiture is having a bit of a renaissance – and for good reason!

So what exactly is an heirloom portrait?

An heirloom portrait is a simple, classic portrait of a child created with longevity in mind. Typically photographed against a clean, neutral background with minimal styling and beautiful light, the focus is entirely on the child: their face, their expression, and all those little details that make them who they are at this particular age.

But the word heirloom describes more than the style of the photograph.

These portraits are intended to become finished pieces of artwork – beautifully framed and displayed in your home now, and eventually passed down through your family.

In other words, an heirloom portrait isn’t designed around what’s trending this year.

It’s designed to still belong on the wall twenty years from now.

What makes an heirloom portrait different from other children’s portraits?

The simplicity is intentional.

There are no elaborate sets or props competing for your attention. No seasonal theme that tells you immediately what year the photograph was made. Clothing tends to be classic and understated. The background disappears. The light is soft and beautiful.

The focus is solely and simply on one thing: your child.

That restraint is what gives heirloom portraits their timeless quality. A photograph filled with trends tells you something about the year it was taken. A portrait of a face tells you about a person.

And as a photographer, that’s the part that interests me most.

I’m looking for more than a technically perfect smile. I’m watching for the raised eyebrow, the quiet little grin, the expression you see across the breakfast table every morning. The things that make you look at a photograph and immediately say, Oh, that is so her.

Because twenty years from now, that’s what you’ll want to remember.

Who are heirloom portraits for?

Heirloom portraits can be created throughout childhood.

In my Wake Forest studio, I photograph children for Heirloom Portrait Sessions beginning when they can sit independently and continuing through age twelve.

Babies and toddlers are certainly beautiful photographed this way. Round cheeks, wispy curls, tiny teeth and sweet little collars lend themselves naturally to the classic style.

But heirloom portraits don’t have to end when the baby years do.

In fact, one of the things I love most about this kind of portraiture is the way it changes as your child grows.

A one-year-old and an eight-year-old bring completely different things to the camera, and both are worth preserving.

Are heirloom portraits just for babies and toddlers?

Not at all.

Older children bring something to a portrait that babies simply can’t yet: a growing sense of who they are.

Their expressions become more distinctly theirs. A six-year-old might give me the mischievous sideways smile his mother knows instantly. A nine-year-old has opinions and interests and a wonderfully specific way of moving through the world. By eleven or twelve, you can sometimes catch glimpses of the teenager – and even the adult – they’re becoming.

There is something especially fascinating about those in-between years.

The missing teeth. The freckles. The hair that suddenly got darker. The face that still looks completely like your little kid until, every once in a while, it doesn’t.

The portrait changes because the child changes.

An heirloom portrait at one isn’t a substitute for an heirloom portrait at eight. They’re different chapters of the same story.

What happens during an heirloom portrait session?

Heirloom Portrait Sessions take place in my natural-light photography studio in Wake Forest, just north of Raleigh.

The sessions themselves are intentionally simple and relaxed. Each session is designed for one child and generally lasts 10-15 minutes, though I reserve up to 30 minutes for them, giving us plenty of time to let your child settle in without asking them to perform for the camera for longer than they reasonably want to.

And I follow their lead.

Some children walk into the studio ready to tell me everything they know before I’ve even picked up my camera. Others need a few minutes to look around and decide what they think of me first.

Both are perfectly fine.

My job isn’t to manufacture the same expression from every child who sits in front of my camera. It’s to pay attention long enough to find the expressions that belong to yours.

The result is a small collection of portraits that feel polished and timeless – but still unmistakably like your child.

What should my child wear for an heirloom portrait?

Keep it simple.

Classic clothing photographs beautifully for heirloom portraits because it supports the timelessness of the finished image rather than becoming the subject of it.

For babies and younger children, that might mean a delicate collar, smocking, subtle embroidery or a simple dress or romper. Older children might wear a classic collared shirt, a beautiful solid knit or a simple blouse or dress.

Soft, muted colors work especially well. I generally recommend avoiding large logos, characters, neon colors and anything especially trend-driven.

But “heirloom” doesn’t mean your child has to look like they stepped out of another century.

The goal is still for them to look like themselves.

If your eight-year-old would be deeply offended by a Peter Pan collar, we are not putting your eight-year-old in a Peter Pan collar. Promise.

I’ll help you choose something that feels appropriate for the style of the portrait and for the child wearing it.

Are heirloom portraits black and white or color?

Black and white is strongly associated with traditional heirloom portraiture, and it’s easy to understand why. Removing color makes an already simple portrait even more distilled. You notice light, expression and all the tiny contours of a child’s face.

But color can be just as meaningful.

The exact shade of their hair. Their rosy cheeks. Those blue or brown or green eyes you know by heart.

Those details are part of the memory, too.

What makes an heirloom portrait an heirloom?

This may be the most important part.

The word heirloom doesn’t simply describe the way these photographs look. It describes what they’re meant to become.

An heirloom is something made well enough – and loved enough – to keep for generations.

These portraits aren’t created primarily to become another image buried in a camera roll. They’re created with the finished piece in mind: a beautifully printed portrait that becomes part of your home now and part of your family’s history later.

I love thinking about where a photograph goes after I make it.

First it might hang in your hallway or sit on a dresser. Years from now, perhaps your child takes it to their own home.

And someday, someone who wasn’t even born when we made it may hold it and recognize a familiar expression.

That possibility changes what the photograph is for.

How are heirloom portraits different from school pictures?

School pictures and heirloom portraits both document a child at a particular age, but they serve different purposes.

A school photograph is wonderful for what it is: a record of a year. New teacher, new grade, new haircut, maybe a few more missing teeth than last September.

An heirloom portrait is slower and more intentional.

I have time to get to know your child a little. To let the initial camera-face disappear. To notice the small expressions and gestures that are actually theirs.

The lighting, styling, editing and finished artwork are all considered for one particular child rather than a whole class of them.

One is documentation; the other is a portrait.

Is there a best age for heirloom portraits?

There really isn’t.

Once a baby is sitting independently, every stage of childhood brings something different to an heirloom portrait.

You may choose to have one made to mark a particular age or milestone. You might make portraits of each of your children at approximately the same age and display them together. Or heirloom portraiture can become a tradition you return to periodically as your children grow.

I especially love that last idea.

The portraits don’t need to match perfectly from year to year. Your children certainly won’t. And that’s the point.

A toddler’s round face becomes a little kid’s grin. The little kid becomes long-legged and toothless. Eventually those permanent teeth come in and their face changes and matures.

There is no single age that represents childhood. They’re all part of it.

---

Frequently Asked Questions About Heirloom Portraits

What is an heirloom portrait?

An heirloom portrait is a simple, timeless portrait of a child created to become finished artwork that can be displayed and eventually passed down through a family. The style typically uses a clean background, classic clothing, beautiful light and minimal props so the focus remains on the child.

What age is best for heirloom portraits?

There is no single best age. At Christy Johnson Photography, Heirloom Portrait Sessions are available from sitting age through age twelve. Babies, toddlers and older children each bring something different to this classic style of portraiture.

Can older children have heirloom portraits made?

Absolutely. Heirloom portraits are beautiful for school-age children and tweens, whose growing personalities and more nuanced expressions can make especially meaningful portraits.

What should a child wear for an heirloom portrait?

Simple, classic clothing in soft or muted colors generally photographs best. Subtle collars, embroidery, smocking, solid knits and simple dresses or shirts all work beautifully. Avoid large patterns, logos, characters and highly trendy pieces that may distract from your child.

Where can I have heirloom portraits made near Raleigh, NC?

I photograph Heirloom Portrait Sessions at my Wake Forest photography studio, convenient to Raleigh and families throughout the Triangle. Sessions are available by reservation for children from sitting age through twelve.

---

You can explore Heirloom Portrait Sessions or get in touch to receive my complete Heirloom Portrait Welcome Guide with pricing and availability.

Christy Johnson Photography is located in Wake Forest, NC, and serves families throughout Raleigh, Wake Forest, Durham, Cary and the surrounding Triangle.

A few weeks ago, a family arrived at my Wake Forest studio for their newborn photography session. As we were getting settled, the new parents mentioned that they weren’t sure they wanted to be in the photographs.

And I understood completely.

Should parents be in newborn photos?

I always encourage parents to be part of their baby’s newborn photos, even if they don’t feel completely camera-ready. These photographs aren’t only about remembering what your baby looked like—they show your child how tiny they once were in your arms and what it looked like to belong to your family from the very beginning.

Those first weeks with a newborn can feel like a blur. You are bone-tired. Your body doesn’t feel like your own. You’ve probably spent considerably more time thinking about feeding schedules and diaper changes than what you’re going to wear for photographs.

Sometimes it feels easier to say, Let’s just photograph the baby.

So I told them something I find myself telling new parents often:

These photographs aren’t only for you right now. They’re also for your child later.

Someday, she’ll want to see you there

I’ve been photographing babies and families for nearly 18 years, but I’ve been a mom even longer. My oldest is 20 now.

And one of the things both experiences have taught me is that photographs change as they age.

When we’re making them, it’s easy to see everything through the lens of right now:

I’m exhausted.

I don’t feel like myself.

I don’t know what to wear.

The baby is the important part anyway.

But twenty years later, those aren’t the things that matter.

You notice how impossibly small your child once looked in your arms. You remember the way they fit against your chest. You see the tiny hand wrapped around your finger.

And your child gets something you may not be thinking about when they’re two weeks old: the chance to see you at the beginning of their story.

They get to see the way you held them. The way their dad looked at them. The hands that soothed them. The people who were completely in love with them before they could possibly remember it.

They get to see what it looked like to belong to you.

And that’s something photographs of your baby alone simply can’t tell them.

You don’t have to feel your best to belong in the photograph

I never want to dismiss how vulnerable being photographed can feel after having a baby.

Your body has just done something enormous. You’re recovering. You’re exhausted. You may not quite recognize yourself yet.

So I’m not going to tell you that you should feel beautiful or that you should want to be photographed.

I’m just going to ask you to think beyond how you feel about the photograph today.

Because the value of a photograph changes with time.

Ten or twenty or forty years from now, you’re unlikely to care about many of the things that made you hesitate.

But your child may care very much that you were there.

You don’t have to have everything figured out, either

Part of my job as a newborn photographer is making this experience as easy as I can for you.

You don’t need to arrive perfectly rested. You don’t need an elaborate wardrobe. You don’t need to know what looks good on camera or what to do with your hands. And you certainly don’t need a newborn who promises to sleep peacefully through the entire session.

I’ll help you with all of that.

I keep wardrobe options here at the studio so you don’t have to find something new to wear unless you want to. I’ll guide you into poses that feel natural and flattering. We’ll stop when your baby needs to eat, be changed, or simply needs a little extra time in your arms.

You don’t need to show up knowing how to make beautiful newborn photographs.

That’s my job.

The mom from that recent session later left me a Google review and described the experience this way:

“The process was so easy, smooth, and completely stress free…as an exhausted first time mom, I didn’t even have to think about what we had to wear that day!”

And then, at the end:

“We will treasure these photos forever.”

That, right there, is why I encourage parents to step into the photograph.

Your newborn photos aren’t only about your newborn

Of course we’ll photograph all the things you already know you’re going to want to remember: those tiny fingers and toes, the sleepy expressions, the wispy hair, the way your baby curls up against you.

But a newborn photography session isn’t only about documenting what your baby looked like.

It’s about documenting who you were together at the very beginning.

Maybe this baby made you parents for the first time. Maybe they joined older siblings and changed the shape of a family that already existed.

Either way, this is the beginning of something new.

And you belong in that story, too.

So if you arrive at my studio and tell me, “I’m not sure I want to be in the pictures,” I won’t pressure you.

I understand.

But I probably will gently remind you:

These photographs aren’t only for you now. They’re also for them later.

---

If you’re expecting a baby in Raleigh, Wake Forest, or the surrounding area and you’re looking for a relaxed newborn photography experience where you don’t have to have everything figured out before you arrive, I’d love to photograph this beginning for your family. Learn more about newborn photography with Christy Johnson Photography.