displaying children's portraits.

how do you fill your children's rooms?

do you let them hang things on their walls?

do you decorate for yourself and your tastes or theirs?

or maybe you've found a happy medium for both of you?

have you ever invested in quality portraiture but then not known where to hang it?

from what i've found, most of us want a family print 

somewhere in the house centrally located,

but beyond that we don't think very far outside the box.

recently i photographed how one of my clients displayed some of their children's portraits.

i thought you all would like to see.

they have three ADORABLE children.

we did a shoot last year and they ordered a bunch of framed prints to hang

along the stairwell. they look great and add nicely to their visual family history on those walls.

but my favorite thing they ordered

were these large canvas prints of each of their children.

let's take a quick tour.

first their son's room:

do you see the print?

don't you LOVE where they hung it?

this guy is a sweetheart, let me tell you! 

he was playing minecraft (my boys' favorite video game)

on the ipad when i came over, but was so willing to let me intrude.

i love how comfortably boyish his room is.

and i love how that bright blue-eyed portrait is one of the first things you see when you enter.

now, this i had to capture while i was there, because i think it says it all:

in his words above: "It meant a lot to me because it is one of my favorite things to do. 

It reminds me of how much my parents love me."

i don't remember what was on the other side of that card hanging down,

but for me, it couldn't have been more poignant.

there right in front of his portrait, the one his parents bought because

they love him so much, 

was this card of him talking about being reminded that they love him.

that to me, is what is hanging a portrait of your kids is all about.

reminding them that you love them.

that their sweet face is the thing you want to see.

there are too many kids in this world that never get photographed at all.

people don't even notice they are there.

honestly, it breaks my heart often to think of it.

but then in contrast, i get to see the beauty of a family

who loves their children so much that they photograph them

and give them a portrait that makes their space their own.

everyone needs that type of space.

do you see the next sweet little portrait?

the girls share a room, but in it there is defined space by both of their portraits.

in my few moments with the girls,

i love how they shifted from so silly and fun,

to quiet and still.

i think that is what personal space does.

it allows you the freedom to be who you are and feel what you feel.

and even in sharing a room,

there is no question as to whose space is whose.

from a quiet reading corner...

to jumping on the bed.

these kids are loved.

and i love that there is a little piece of my work in their rooms
that remind them of that love.

hanging your child's portraits in their room says this to them:
you live here.
this is your space.
and you are very loved.
what child wouldn't want that??

okay. i'm off to order canvases for my own kids! ;)
thanks to gina + eric for allowing me to come photograph your portraits!
(and your family in the first place!)
thanks for the inspiration!