CHILDREN

This is ME! When I look at this portrait I think of a few things. One, I was really stinkin' cute! Two, I feel so grateful that my parents cared about me enough to take me for proper portraits. Three, I feel like a special and valued part of the family. This portrait makes me smile. I love my cute 'bunches' and my big eyes. I also think about my mother. She reflects back on her own childhood and says sadly there were no photos taken of her when she was a little girl. It can really affect self esteem in either direction.

Every person is deserving of at least one special portrait of themselves as a child. In this digital age of scrolling and clicking, a printed portrait is in a fixed place and doesn't disappear only to be replaced with what your friend had for lunch. It remains in place to bring a spark of emotion and a grin on your face at a glance as you go about your day.

I still enjoy my little kids' portraits taken at ages 4 and 7 as they hang in my hallway. They're 22 and 25 now!