What Iceland Taught Me About Patience In Family Photography

Quick family mini sessions have always frustrated me, and during a recent trip to Iceland it really hit me:

Great photographs require patience.

My travel images have always felt too snapshot-y to me. Quick pictures are a great way to remember what you've encountered on your travels, but taking the time, mingling with your subject, and waiting for the opportune moment within a scene can have huge payoffs.

Contemplating your image might lead to images that are different from the thousands of images others have taken of the same subject.

A bit of patience means a better chance of creating thoughtful images – capturing what the photographer or the subject was feeling. Even better – the images might evoke something in others that did not experience the scene first hand.

You may not need as much time when working with inanimate objects, but even then you might have to wait for the right time of day for the light to work the scene in the way you envision.

Sometimes you can get lucky with timing. In no way does that mean that you get a lucky shot – but the image you're waiting for might come together quicker than expected.

Now, you are probably wondering how this relates to family photography.

Realizing that great photos require patience is why I will not take on mini sessions. Documentary style images of families, whether they have a tiny newborn or several older kids, takes time.Trust takes time.Seeing what will be important to the family takes time.I do not want to provide my families with just snapshots.

Needless to say, I did not have two hours of time to just sit and take in a scene in Iceland – I think that would have driven my husband crazy. I spent a good amount of time with the Icelandic horses, though, because I really wanted a good "chomp" image!