Family lying in the grass while looking at their newborn baby during a newborn session in Charlottesville, VA with Erin E Gallagher Photography.

When You Want Family Photos, But Something Keeps Stopping You

There’s a moment almost every mother has before booking family photos. It usually happens late at night, when the house is finally quiet and you’re scrolling past images of other families, laughing, connected, glowing in that way that feels just out of reach. And a small voice starts whispering: I want photos… but maybe later. We’re not ready yet. I just need to lose a little weight first. The kids are too wild right now. What if it’s awkward?

If you’ve ever felt that tug-of-war (the wanting and the hesitation) I want you to know something gently and clearly: you’re not broken. You’re not overthinking. You’re human.

As both a psychologist and a lifestyle newborn and family photographer serving Richmond, Charlottesville, and the surrounding areas, I see this moment all the time. Mothers deeply want to remember this season of life, and at the same time, their minds quietly convince them to wait. Not because they don’t care, but because they care so much. Being photographed asks something vulnerable of us. It asks us to be seen (not someday, not once everything feels easier) but right now, in the middle of a life that may already feel tender, busy, loud, unfinished.

Our brains are wired to protect us from discomfort and judgment. So when the idea of a photo session comes up, they start telling stories. You might notice yourself zooming in on what feels wrong: the extra weight you didn’t plan on carrying this long, the messy house, the child who never sits still, the fear that everyone else has it more “together.” And suddenly, everything beautiful about your life fades into the background.

baby girl crying while being help by mom during family pictures with Erin E Gallagher Photography in Richmond, VA.

But here’s the quiet truth I wish more mothers heard: your life does not need to look extraordinary to be worth remembering. Ordinary moments are often the ones your children treasure the most.

The Fear That Everything Will Go Wrong

Many parents imagine the worst before a session even begins. What if my child cries the entire time? What if the weather doesn’t cooperate? What if my partner checks out? But real family photo sessions, especially relaxed, natural-light lifestyle sessions, aren’t about perfection. They’re about movement, connection, and the in-between moments. Some of the most meaningful images I’ve ever delivered came from moments that weren’t planned at all: a pause, a deep breath, a child leaning into their parent without realizing it. That’s where the story lives.

The Myth of “Someday”

A lot of mothers tell themselves they’ll book photos once things calm down, when life slows, when they feel more confident, when the house is cleaner, when they finally feel like themselves again. But life rarely hands us a neat, quiet moment and says, Now. There is no perfect season. There is only this one, and it already matters.

Mother & toddler son playing and laughing during family pictures in Charlottesville, VA by Erin E Gallagher Photography

Feeling insecure doesn’t mean you’re not worthy of being photographed. It means you’re in a tender season of life. And tender seasons deserve to be remembered.

What You’ll Care About Years From Now

One day, you’ll look back at these photos, and you won’t notice your weight, the clutter, or the chaos. You’ll notice how your child leaned into you, the softness in your eyes, and the way your family fit together in this chapter. That’s what lifestyle newborn and family photography is about… not perfection, but presence.

You’re Not Behind. You’re Here.

If you’ve been waiting to feel more rested, more confident, or more “put together” before booking photos, this is your gentle reminder: this season does not need to be fixed to be remembered. You’re not behind. You’re here.

In Part Two, I’ll share what actually happens during a relaxed lifestyle photo session, including how I help families feel emotionally safe, how we move through nerves together, and why real life often creates the most meaningful images of all.

If you’re looking for a Richmond or Charlottesville newborn and family photographer who values honesty, warmth, and connection over perfection, I’d be honored to hold that space for you.

→ Now booking relaxed, natural-light newborn and family sessions throughout Richmond, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Staunton, Harrisonburg, and everywhere in between.