A Decade Missing From the Photos – When Weight Keeps Moms Out of the Frame
At Tiffany’s image reveal appointment, we were doing what we always do. We were watching her slideshow, laughing at the toddler moments, and soaking in the quiet sweetness of her brand new baby. It felt light and happy, the kind of joy that comes when you see your family frozen in time on a screen in front of you.
Then she said something that I couldn’t stop thinking about.
What Is Stopping Moms From Getting Family Photos Done?
She told me she had seen a question box I shared on Instagram stories the week before. I had asked, “What’s stopping you from getting photos done?” The number one answer was weight. She said reading that made her sad. Not because she doesn’t understand it. She does. She has felt that way too.
It made her sad because she knows what comes after the waiting.
“There’s like a decade missing,” she said.
A Decade Missing From the Photos
Tiffany lost both of her parents. As we sat there flipping through her newborn photography in Grimsby, Ontario, she shared that her mom avoided being in photos for a long stretch of time because she felt self-conscious about her weight.
The result is that there is nearly an entire decade where there are very few photos of her mom. That includes her high school graduation. There is no photo of her and her mom together that day.
Not because her mom did not love her. Not because she was not present. But because she did not feel good enough to be in the frame.
That is what waiting can cost.
Why Family Photos Matter More Over Time
After her parents passed, Tiffany and her sister inherited boxes of family photos. Printed albums. Old film reels. Even a video of her mom as a toddler with her own parents.
She told me it was surreal to see her grandmother as a young mom, because in her mind, she had only ever been gray-haired grandma. Suddenly, she could see her at the same stage of life Tiffany is in now.
That is what family photography in Niagara becomes over time. It becomes history. It becomes proof that someone was there.
Tiffany shared something else that stayed with me. She loves the professional portraits her parents had done when she was little. But the ones that mean the most now are the candid ones with their parents in them. The ones where she remembers exactly what was happening that day. She can picture the room. She can feel the memory.
Those are the images that last.
The Power of Being in the Frame
In her own home, she has scanned those old photos and set up a digital frame that rotates through them. One day, she sees her dad as a toddler. Another da,y it is her mom holding her at six years old. Another day, it is her and her own daughter.
During her newborn session here in our Grimsby studio, we focused on exactly that. Not perfection. Not performance. Just being together. We captured her holding her baby close, her toddler leaning in gently, her husband watching quietly.
As a Niagara family photographer, this is why sessions are designed to feel simple and calm. Clear posing guidance. Natural interaction. Space to just be together. When parents feel supported, the images feel real.
A Reminder for Moms in Grimsby and Niagara
Tiffany said something I will never forget. If there are moms on the fence, she said, please tell them from a mom who has lost hers: do not question it. Just get the photos.
Your kids do not want a goal-weight version of you. They do not want the someday version of you. They want you to be yourself. The one who cuddles them on the couch. The one who holds the baby close. The person who arrives despite being exhausted.
When someone is gone, no one looks back and thinks she should have waited. They just want to see her. They want proof that she was there.
A Full-Service Family Photography Experience in Grimsby
At our full-service photography studio in Grimsby, everything is designed to feel manageable for busy moms. Wardrobe is available. Hair and makeup can be arranged. Posing guidance is clear and simple.
After your session, I guide you through selecting printed artwork for your home. Framing and installation are handled for you. Many families tell us they love not having to figure it out on their own.
Images are ready quickly, with a one-week turnaround for most sessions. Because when you finally decide to be in the frame, you should not have to wait long to see it.
We are also expanding into a new dedicated commercial studio space in April 2026, continuing to serve families across Grimsby, Niagara, Hamilton, and Burlington with even more space and comfort.
Tiffany’s daughters will never have a decade missing. They will grow up seeing their mom in the frame. They will see how she held them. How she looked at them. How she showed up.
If you have been waiting, consider this your reminder. Not because you should feel pressure. But because one day these photos will matter more than you expect.
Take the photo. Print the photo. Let your kids grow up seeing your love.
