How many times have you wanted to take a family photo, maybe for your Christmas cards, and then simply been too busy? Life gets hectic, and you find you don’t have time to wrangle all the kids and sit everyone down for a proper photo.

Or maybe you have albums full of photos of your kids, but none with you and your spouse in them because one of you is always taking the pictures.

This is where a professional family photo shoot is a great idea. Instead of worrying about taking a photo yourself, you can let a professional shoot, edit, and even print the photos, providing you with memories to cherish for the rest of your life.

Capture changes in your family.

From first steps to braces to high school, as your kids grow up, you don’t want to miss a moment. Having an annual family photo taken allows you to document all the changes in your family, whether it’s a new addition or a rapidly growing child. Professional family photos will be something you and your children can look back on for years to come.

Create art for your home.

What better way to decorate your home or office than with beautiful photos of the ones you love? You may have plenty of photos of your kids snapped on your cell phone and even some selfies of the whole family, but those are hardly the kind of pictures you want blown up on canvas and hanging above the fireplace. A professional family photo shoot helps you ensure that everyone will be in the photo, looking their best.

Start a tradition.

Whether you grew up taking family photos or not, it’s a great tradition to start with your family. Someday your grandchildren and maybe even their children will look back on your family photos, so it’s important to have quality, professional images for future generations to enjoy. And once you start the tradition of taking family photos each year, your children can continue it when they have families of their own.

Eliminate the stress of taking your own photos.

Instead of trying to organize and shoot a family photo yourself, a professional can do the work for you. Professional photographers work frequently with families and children and will know how to keep your kids happy and get them to pose. Even better, they can often help with printing the photos, so you know you’re getting the best quality images of your family.

Next time you’re thinking about how much you need an updated family photo, consider scheduling a session with a professional photographer—and make it a tradition that your family can enjoy for years to come.