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From my own childhood, I have exactly one album of family photos. It is possibly the most precious thing that I own.
This one, wonderful album is choc-full of history, housing a series of printed images, spanning from birth, right through to later teenage years.
Each and every one of those images I’ve gone back to look at, over and over. They are completely irreplaceable and priceless, but they also taught me so much growing up, by the simple act of being able to refer back to these beautiful memories whenever I needed to.
In these ‘good ol’ days’, it was commonplace to take a camera with a roll of film containing approximately 13 images to an event, just hoping that you’d made the most of each click of the button, as you only had 13 tries. The following day, I would take my camera and the film to the local print shop, hoping and keeping everything crossed as they developed the roll, that at least one or two on the roll turned out more in a ‘not-so-terribly’, and less in a ‘finger-accidentally-over-the-lens’ kind of way.
From baby’s first bath, to the first time they ride their bike, to perhaps even a cute photo of them napping. With our smartphones, we now have the opportunity to capture the minutiae of life, from the mundane to the truly memorable.
Although this now means we can photograph many more moments, and document life stages we perhaps couldn’t even 20 or so years ago, many of us lose or simply forget to cherish these valuable images, as they disappear in a flood of thousands of digital snaps we have on file.
“I’ll definitely get some of these printed, one day”
…We tell ourselves.
Printing and hanging our cherished family photography, however, is about so much more than simply not losing our memories; it’s about their profound and lasting impact, especially on our children throughout their developing years.
Studies have shown that children who grow up surrounded by images of their family have an even stronger sense of self-confidence and belonging. They consistently see themselves as truly part of the family, viewing the photographs day-in-day-out, continually and positively reinforcing their sense of self and providing them with a strong identity about the family they belong to.
Kacey Bradley from ‘Mummy Bites’ writes:
“Photos of you and your children are a physical representation of your family history, one that stretches back for millennia. These photos can even be used to look for similarities between other found relatives, like a comparable nose structure or the same colour eyes.”
But the bountiful positives don’t stop there, she suggests:
“Family photography can offer a lot of long-term benefits to your children and their self-esteem.”
“Display photos early, as experts say children already have a sense of self-esteem by the age of five. Kids will then look at these photos and know where they belong. Not only is a picture a symbol of pride in your child, but it’s a lasting memory that can be cherished and held dear.”
When we hang family photos within our homes and display them for our children to see, we are doing so much more than simply hanging one of our favourite pictures on the wall.
Of course, it adds to the room, and it’s overall style and aesthetic, but the psychology behind the power of an image also runs much deeper.
Head of School and Dean of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester, Professor Geoff Beattie, says that according to his research, a photograph can have a strong psychological impact, especially on developing children.
“Photography in the home makes children feel valued and gives them a rich understanding of where they come from,”says Beattie, also stating that “we cannot underestimate the power of photographs to keep us feeling linked to others and belonging. I have done a lot of research into how important it is to be reminded of the past, and photographs are a brilliant way of doing that.”
“They cement us into our networks,” observes Beattie. In terms of human relationships, they are also hugely beneficial. Beattie says:
“For children in particular, looking at photographs is part of the socialising process; learning who you are and where you fit into the family.”
“By displaying photographs of our children at different stages of their lives, we are making a very public statement that we are proud of them.”
This positive cycle is one that continues throughout the generations, with research suggesting that children who grow up surrounded by positive family imagery are far more likely to do the same for their own children.
Professor Beattie states: “Until recently, people often thought of photographs as almost trivial, but actually they are an incredibly important way of connecting with our sense of self, with each other and with times gone by.”
If you’d like to chat more with our Verve team about creating some beautiful family photography for your own home with your family, get in touch with Verve, and our friendly team will walk you through the process (view our framing styles).
Here’s to making and creating some beautiful memories together.
Displaying family photos in your home is about far more than decoration. Printed photographs preserve the moments and memories that make up your family’s story. Unlike digital images that often disappear into thousands of files on a phone, framed photos become daily reminders of the people, experiences, and milestones that shape your life together.
