I believe that it is in the most ordinary moments of life that kids are really themselves.
To photograph these little instants is something you can and should do for your own family.
When I photograph families, my mind is on the kids. The photographs I take are for them, because I know that in the future, they will be the people who will most enjoy seeing them and remember how they were. I know this, because that is exactly what happens to me today, when I look at old pictures from my childhood.
And my favorite moments to photograph are the most ordinary of the family life, like getting the kids dressed and ready, the meals, or even when kids simply go to the bathroom. I believe that in those situations is when their personality becomes more evident and the result are the photographs that will be most cherished in the future.
For instance, the expressions they make when they don’t like the food and even try to reject it, or when they love it and eat it very enthusiastically; when they go to the toilet and just can’t keep still, they start messing with stuff at their reach, get distracted, and some even fall asleep.
To photograph these situations the most important thing is to be prepared.
As a photographer that accompanies the family in their everyday life, a big part of my work is preparing and anticipating those quick instants. I observe the kids behaviours, I understand the space, and position myself for the best composition and light, to be ready for when it happens.
And at home, when I photograph my own kids, the approach is the same.
As parents, we know our children better than anyone else and we already know these expressions and gestures, and when they occur. They are golden opportunities we have to freeze these small moments.
However, photographing the everyday life with this documentary approach requires a change in the way we photograph. It means not being in a hurry to take the shot and thinking about what we are doing. It is a process that takes time and a lot of practice. But it is so worth it!