How Becoming A Parent Has Changed Me As A Photographer

As many of you many know, Kevin and I became licensed foster parents in 2020. From there, our journey to parenthood began, and I can honestly say that it changed everything for me. This is especially true when it comes to photography. I began thinking about things that normally wouldn’t come to mind.

Previously when scheduling a family session, I would think about the weather, my availability, and that was basically it. And this worked. But since having children, I think about the age of the children. I think about when they probably go to bed, and if a session in the evening would interrupt their bedtime. For the little ones, I think about how quickly they can get bored, so during sessions with the little ones, I usually try to schedule breaks/games during those times when they are starting to get anxious. I also try to keep the kids involved throughout the process, so I will ask them for suggestions. I will let them ask me questions and sometimes I even bring a toy camera so that they can get a feel for what I am doing. This can be helpful for the little ones who may be afraid of the camera.

Another change I made in my business since becoming a parent, was introduce my in home sessions. As a foster parent, children come into my home temporarily. For some children, my home becomes their safe space, and I wanted to give families the option to take pictures in the safe space. I wanted these pictures to be more intimate and to show the love between a family.

Lastly, the kids have inspired me to have more fun and be more free during my sessions. I have introduced leaf fights and tickle fights. We laugh so much! Kids really are the best teachers as to how to live a happy life, and I will continue to learn from them. Thanks so much for reading!

XO,

Esther Kabwe Photographt