How Often Do You Procrastinate?

Lets face it! Most people put off doing important but non-urgent tasks.  They have the intention to do it! However, when the next important and urgent task pops up and the task at hand gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list!

People are busy these days. Busy with work, home, kids, life, hobbies and the list goes on.

One of the most important thing and never urgent thing to do is to get in the shot with your entire family.

How many occasions have you had time to “stop”? It is unfortunate nowadays that when we “stop”, our phone is right in front of us, busy with learning, news, kay poh someone else’s social media updates and what not. However, only when we really STOP AND LIVE in the present moment with everyone around during major events. Events such as weddings, funeral, milestone birthday lunches or dinners to have some clear space in the head that we suddenly realize people around us.

Parents seems to have aged..

Their hair are turning more silver…

Children seem to grown taller..

Grandparents seems to walk a little slower … talk a lot more or they just become the complete opposite and become really quiet.

When we look into the mirror, we find more train tracks on the face, extra kilo here and there. Well, thats the cruel reality of life.

For family portrait photography, its even easier to put it off as its a big task involving the organisation of many people for the photoshoot and nobody want to go to the trouble. So Why Bother Doing Family Photoshoot?

My Observations

I have been doing charity shoot for Home Nursing Foundation this past week that involve older generation in the community who live all by themselves. No doubt they are self sufficient, but throughout the day, my observation tells me that, they love having people around them. They kept saying:

“Today, I am very happy, because I have all of you all to bring me around, spend time and talking to me.”

If you ask any parents, what matter the most to them, almost always you will hear:

“MY FAMILY is the most important to me!”

All they want to have is your TIME with them. Talking to them, doing something meaningful things with them.

Older generation don’t need much, the thing that they value the most is the photograph of their family together. That worth more than anything to them.

I understand we can’t be with them all the time, with this little photograph, they can certainly relive the moment, you share with them.

Knowing its importance, how long can you procrastinate then?

Tomorrow Never Comes?

There is only right now, the present. Why they call it “The Present” is because only right this second, you are able to do something. Tomorrow, we are lucky when we are given one more day as tomorrow always seems like an elusive time that never really come. So if I tell you that there is Free Beer tomorrow… you better believe me. Because, there will no free beer today.

10 Years?

Majority of the families I photographed recently had their family portrait taken some 10 years ago. Yes! it is a decade.

When I talk to them about what happen in the last 10 years, usually, there are some “regrets” because they say they should have done it earlier. Someone has passed on, someone is terminally ill, someone has moved to different country, etc.

Often, I get ask if I could “photoshop” a person or two in a family photo. It certainly break my heart just to hear it.

It seems like, something this important, tend to be left hanging for 10 years and there you go, that’s 10 years of procrastination. How long have you procrastinate to have yours done? if the answer is this long or longer, maybe, it is time to stop and re-think about getting one done real soon!

3 Years?

Smaller and younger families does their shoot every 18 month to about 3 years depending on the ages of the kids. Usually, they will do one for their own family about 18 months when the children is under 7, but when it comes to grandparents, they tend to include them on every second shoot.

It is amazing with even shorter procrastinating timing, we still have good number of clients who tells us that they should be doing it earlier. So what are you waiting for?

Another baby?

If you are like us when we say we “close shop” with 3 children. It is a good time to plan as an annual thing.

Clients do ask us to send a reminder as they want to do it more often. Majority come back and some will forget, well, I will hear the same old story like the sound of broken record.

No Procrastination – Let’s Plan It Regularly

Having said that, there are also many clients who does their family portraits yearly without fail. They make it as a tradition, one album, one canvas or frame to fill their wall of their ever growing family. As we open 7 days a week, it is never easier to plan something in and we make the process simple for you so you can enjoy while we take care of this important thing for you.

So, Lets look at 2 typical scenarios when planning for a photoshoot. Which one can you relate more?

Scenario 1

1. When was the last time we did our family portrait? – 15 years ago when I graduated.
2. Family Portrait Photography – Is it important? Yes.
3. When Should It Be Done? – Soon
4. How Soon? – When everyone is available?
5. When is that? – Christmas, Hari Raya, Deepavali or Lunar New Year?
6. Oh so and so will be away on these dates? Let’s do it another time? – Ok When?
7. Dad or Mum’s Birthday? or Anniversary? – Ok
8. This year or the next? – Next

Ok let’s set a date and start a WhatsApp group to get this organised. – Perfect!

Scenario 2

1. When was the last time we did our family portrait? – 15 years ago when I graduated.
2. Family Portrait Photography – Is it important? Yes.
3. When Should It Be Done? – ASAP
4. How Soon? – Before grandma/grandad/dad/mum have health issue. Do it when they are all healthy.
5. When is that? – Next Week

Ok, set a date, make sure everyone block this time for the photoshoot.

Reflection

As I turn 40, my mind is occupied with a million things that I sometimes forget to be present. I take it for granted that I will see my family and friends tomorrow, and the day after that and after that… or is it really?

I came home yesterday and learnt about the departure of a friend of mine, whom was around my age. It serves as a wake up call for me to be present, grateful and appreciative of every moment with friends and family!

After many years of photographing families, I’ve encountered families who booked the session but was a day too late for the grandparents; or that there is only a small window of opportunity for the photoshoot to take place in between hospital/doctor visits and visiting family from abroad.

It is difficult to comprehend sometimes, when a family asking for a refund as the shoot they planned will never happen ever again because the main person that they want to be in the photograph is no longer there. This shocks me and sometimes leave me battling with my emotion for hours if not days.

Gift of Time

As I grow older, I come to understand the biggest gift you can give people is not things, but time. It is your time that they want the most… as it is life most expensive commodity, as time is finite.

We live in age of abundance opportunities, abundance of wealth, abundance of knowledge for you to chase but the only wealth that older generation usually speak of is often our time with them.

You see, photographs has a super power that allow time to standstill at the point of time that the image was taken. Your time spent with your family is well recorded, proudly hung on the walls of those who know it matters.

Generation Portrait with your parents and grandparents are not a luxury anymore. It is a necessity. If you have to get something for them, why not something tangible that reminds them of the time you spend with them? It can be a birthday gift for them, it can be an anniversary gift for them, it could be a major milestone gift for them, whatever excuse you need to make up, you know you are giving them something that they will cherish for the rest of their life and also pass on to their grandchildren one day.

So how long would you like to procrastinate? Just how much longer do you want them to wait? They won’t ask, but it would be nice of you to offer them.

So, if you have read until here. Wait No More! Give us a call at 8858 0088 or WhatsApp us to have a chat on how we can make your generation portrait done for your parents.