Family pictures of everyone in coordinating clothes standing by the ocean are beautiful, but if we're being honest, they're a far cry from what everyday life is like. One family decided they wanted to look back on their family photos and see them as snapshots of where they were in this phase of life, so they grabbed their favorite photographer and headed to a place where families make a ton of memories together — Ikea.
Amber Cox knew she wanted a family photo session that was different from anything you've seen on Pinterest.
While talking with photographer and lifelong friend Tammi Camp of The Lovely Lens, the two started chatting about how often they find themselves at Ikea. "I can't tell you how many times I go," Camp confesses to CafeMom. "It's almost embarrassing." They knew a place where the family spent so much time was the perfect spot for a family photo session.
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"As a photographer, I try to capture real, raw, and candid moments, and Ikea was the perfect place to do it!" Camp tells CafeMom.
It's smart to head to a familiar spot for family photos, because it's hard enough to get kids to smile for the camera already without being in a strange place too. Going to Ikea is genius because you don't have to clean the house for the photographer — there are a million staged rooms dust-free and ready for you.
Mom and Dad got to show off their playful side.
And Cox's 7-month-old son was a total cutie for the cameras.
Pictures where everyone's smiling at the camera are great, but it's the candids that capture the hidden beauty of right now.
As a mom you might feel rushed and out of sorts when you're trying to look for plates and your baby's tugging on your clothes, but there's no question that Cox looks drop-dead gorgeous in all her multitasking mom glory.
Forget the stuffy studio backdrops or walks along dusty trails with no bathrooms.
Taking photos in a place that feels natural to your family just makes sense.
Of course, the family couldn't go to Ikea and leave empty-handed.
Camp tells CafeMom that they grabbed some ice trays and a few other odds and ends on their way out the door. And they celebrated the successful photo shoot with $1 ice cream cones, of course.
