If there’s one thing I hear from mums time and time again, it’s that they wish they had more photos of their kids when they were little. Not just the birthdays and Christmas mornings, but the everyday stuff. The cuddles, the backyard adventures and the little routines that make up so much of family life.
As a Melbourne family photographer, these are the moments I love documenting most. Because while it's easy to remember to take photos on the big occasions, it's often the ordinary moments we end up missing the most.
Here are five everyday moments you'll be so glad you have photographs of one day.
1. Newborn cuddles and tiny little details
Those early newborn days can feel like a blur. You're feeding, changing nappies, surviving on very little sleep and wondering how something so tiny can take up so much of your heart (and your entire day!).
But these are the days you'll want to remember. The way your baby curled up on your chest, their tiny fingers wrapped around yours, and those sleepy stretches when you finally put them down.
And it's not just about the baby. It's about you holding them, your partner learning how to settle them, and older siblings getting used to having a tiny new person in the house.
Newborn photos don't need elaborate setups or perfectly posed babies. Your home, your arms and the way you love your baby are more than enough.
A fresh family photo with the newest little member.
2. Reading books, baking and everyday cuddles
When your kids are little, so much of your day revolves around routines you barely think twice about. Reading the same book for the hundredth time, baking cupcakes with more flour on the bench than in the bowl, or squeezing in a cuddle on the couch before dinner.
Some days, you're probably counting down until bedtime. But one day, those little routines will change.
They'll stop asking you to read their favourite book, become a little too independent to need your help baking, and eventually decide they're too big for cuddles on your lap.
Photographing these moments means you can look back and remember not just what your kids looked like, but what life with them actually felt like.
A delicious breakfast enjoyed together.
3. Backyard adventures
You don't need an elaborate family outing to create memories worth photographing. Sometimes, the best moments happen just outside your back door.
Running through the sprinkler, jumping on the trampoline, playing with the dog or making up some completely ridiculous game that only your kids understand.
Your backyard is part of your family's story. It's where little legs learn to ride bikes, where muddy feet run inside and where hours of fun happen without spending a cent.
You don't need a perfectly landscaped garden, either. A patch of grass, a back door and a bit of space to play are plenty.
One day, the toys will disappear, the kids will outgrow the trampoline, and the backyard will feel a little quieter. You'll be glad you have photos of it all.
Backyard fun.
4. Your kids growing into themselves
Family photos aren't just for babies and toddlers. If you have older kids, this is your reminder to keep taking photos of them, too.
Capture their ever-changing hairstyles, their favourite hobbies, their bedroom walls covered in posters and the way they laugh with their siblings. Photograph them doing the things they love, helping with dinner or simply hanging out at home.
And please, get in the photos with them, too!
You don't need to wait until you've lost weight, bought new clothes or feel more photo-ready. Your kids want photos of their mum. They want to remember what you looked like, how you hugged them and what it felt like to be around you.
You might not notice how much they're changing day to day, but looking back at photos from a year ago can be a real eye-opener.
All primary school aged kids with their Mum and Dad.
5. Everyone together, doing nothing special
We often wait for a reason to organise family photos: a birthday, a new baby or Christmas cards. But you don't need a special occasion to document your family.
What about a lazy Sunday morning in bed, everyone piled onto the couch watching a movie, or the kids squeezing into your bed for a cuddle when there's absolutely no room left for you?
These are the moments that make up your everyday life, and they're worth remembering just as much as the big milestones.
I love including your home in family photographs, too. The kitchen where you cook together, the couch where everyone gathers and the bedroom where you have morning cuddles. These spaces are part of your story.
Playtime on the parents bed.
You don't have to wait for the perfect moment
Your house doesn't need to be spotless, your kids don't need to behave perfectly, and you certainly don't need to wait until you feel photo-ready.
As a Melbourne in-home family photographer, I love helping families capture their real lives, just as they are. The cuddles, the chaos, the backyard fun and all the little things that make your family yours.
Because one day, this season will be a memory. And you'll be so glad you have the photos.
Want to remember this season of family life? I'd love to help you document it with relaxed, in-home family photography across Melbourne. Get in touch to find out more.