You Know What’s Missing from Your Family Photos? You.

February 3, 2026

Burnaby family photographer shares why getting in the frame matters more than you think.

I noticed something recently when scrolling through the albums on my phone.

Page after page of my kids dancing, at the classes, eating something, exploring new places… but where was I?

It hit me that years from now, my children might look back and wonder if I was even there.

You probably have the same camera roll. Your kids at every milestone, every ordinary Tuesday, every messy kitchen moment. But you? Maybe a handful of blurry selfies, but that’s about it.

Here’s what I’ve learned as both a mother and a professional family photographer in Burnaby: we’re so focused on documenting their childhood that we accidentally erase ourselves from the story.

And that’s not the legacy we want to leave.

Why This Matters More Than You Think

Your children won’t just want pictures of themselves. They’ll want proof that you were there too, laughing with them, playing with them, living life alongside them.

Those timeless family portraits aren’t about perfection. They’re about presence.

They’re about creating heirloom family photography that tells the complete story, not just half of it.

Getting in the frame with your kids doesn’t have to be awkward, complicated, or time-consuming! In fact, it can be fun, easy, and totally natural!

Here are 6 creative ways to capture those everyday moments with your little ones.

1. Set Up a Timer & Play Together

Most phones and cameras have a timer feature, we have to use it! Set up your phone on a stable surface (or prop it against something), hit the timer, and then just… forget about it. Build blocks together, read a story, tickle them, dance in the kitchen. The best family connection photography happens when you’re not performing for the camera.

2. Use a Tripod for Everyday Moments

An inexpensive phone tripod changes everything. Set it up during breakfast, bathtime, or backyard play. You don’t need to announce “photo time”. Just let it click away while you’re living your normal life together. These candid shots often become the most treasured.

3. Capture Your Reflections

Get creative with mirrors, windows, and other reflective surfaces! Snap a photo of you and your little one in the bathroom mirror during toothbrushing time, or catch your reflection in a storefront window while out for a walk. These shots have an artistic, authentic feel that tells a bigger story.

4. Come to a Photo Session with Me

Sometimes you need to hand over the camera entirely! A luxury family portrait experience in Burnaby means you can actually be present and connect with your kids while someone else captures it all.

No awkward angles, no missing heads, no stress. Just beautiful, frame-worthy memories of you with your children. This is what I create in my studio, meaningful family portraits, that honor the whole family, including you.

5. Ask Another Parent at the Playground

Next time you’re at the park, museum, or any kid-friendly spot, ask another parent to snap a quick photo of you and your kids! Most parents totally get it (because they’re in the same boat). Offer to take one of them too! You’ll both walk away with photos that aren’t selfies, and you might just make a new friend in the process.

6. Hand the Camera to Your Kids

Let your toddler or preschooler take photos of YOU for a change. Sure, you might end up with shots of your knees, the ceiling, or a close-up of your elbow. But you’ll also get their unique perspective of the world, and some surprisingly sweet photos. Plus, kids think it’s hilarious to be the “photographer, ” and those imperfect shots? They’re pure gold. They show exactly how your little ones see you, and that’s quite something.

Creating Family Photos That Last

As a Burnaby legacy family photographer, I see this pattern constantly. Mothers who show up for everyone else but disappear from their own family’s visual history. You deserve to be remembered too.

This is what heirloom family portraits are really about, preserving the full story, including you in it.

Let’s Make Sure You’re In the Frame! Book your family photography session and let someone else hold the camera for once.

Contact me for a chat :)