HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU SCHEDULE FAMILY PHOTOS?
At Jean Johnson Portraits, we believe family photos are one of the most meaningful ways to preserve your family's story. They capture the relationships, personalities, and moments that make each season of life unique, creating keepsakes you'll treasure for generations.
But how often should you really schedule new family photos?
The truth is, there isn't one universal answer. Every family grows and changes at its own pace, so the right time depends on your season of life and the moments you want to remember.
Your Season of Life Matters Most
Family portraits aren't meant to be a single snapshot in time. Instead, they become part of your family’s visual history, showing how your children grew, your relationships evolved, and your family changed over the years.
Whether displayed as framed artwork in your home or preserved in a handcrafted album, family portraits become a visual record of the people and moments you never want to forget.
Babies & Young Children
The baby and toddler years are full of constant change. New smiles, personalities, milestones, and little details seem to appear almost overnight.
Because these early years pass so quickly, many families choose to update their family photos every year or during especially meaningful stages in between. Looking back, even a single year can represent incredible growth.
School-Aged Children & Teens
As children grow older, changes become more gradual, but these years are just as meaningful.
Between school, sports, and busy schedules, finding time when everyone is together becomes increasingly difficult. A family portrait session offers the chance to pause and document this season before it becomes the next.
Many families choose to update their portraits every two to three years, often around milestones like:
Starting a new school
Getting braces off
Significant birthdays
Senior year/Graduation
Don't Let the Calendar Decide
Milestones like welcoming a new baby, celebrating an anniversary, or experiencing a major life transition are wonderful reasons to schedule family photos, but they aren't the only ones.
Some of the most meaningful portrait sessions happen simply because a season of life feels worth remembering. Maybe your children are at an age you never want to forget, or your family has settled into a new rhythm. These ordinary seasons often become the moments you treasure most.
Rather than waiting for the "perfect" reason, prioritize family photos when life feels meaningful, not just when the calendar says it's time.
Preserving the Places That Hold Your Memories
A new location can also be the perfect reason to update your family portraits.
Whether you've recently moved or discovered a place that has become special to your family, the environments where you spend your time become part of your story. Photographing your family there adds another layer of meaning, preserving not only who your family is, but the place where this chapter unfolded.
Don't Miss the Rare Moments Together
Some of the most treasured portraits are the ones that include multiple generations.
When grandparents are visiting, siblings have traveled home, or your extended family is together for a special occasion, take advantage of the opportunity. These moments may not happen often, making these portraits even more meaningful with time.
A Simple Guide for Updating Family Photos
If you're wondering how often to schedule family portraits, here's a simple guideline:
Families with young children: Every year
Families with older children: Every 2–3 years
Extended family portraits: Whenever everyone is together
These are simply starting points. The best schedule is the one that allows you to preserve the seasons that matter most to your family. It may be time to schedule a family portrait session if:
The photos on your walls no longer reflect your family today.
Your children have changed significantly since your last session.
You've experienced a major life transition.
Most of your favorite family photos only exist on your phone.
You keep saying, "We really need to update our family photos.”
There Is No Perfect Timeline
There is no perfect schedule for family portraits, only the one that's right for your family.
What matters most isn't following a timeline. It’s creating a lasting record of the people you love while you’re living these moments together. Your family is always creating new stories, and your portraits should grow with you.
Years from now, these images will become more than photographs. They'll become reminders of the people, relationships, and moments that made this season unforgettable.
If you've been thinking about updating your family portraits, this might be the perfect time to start planning your next session.
JEAN JOHNSON PORTRAITS
LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHER | PERSONAL ARTIST | FAMILY HISTORIAN
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Serving as family portrait photographers for families in Sammamish, Issaquah, Snoqualmie, Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Mercer Island, North Bend, Carnation, Woodinville, and the greater Seattle area.