I Hate Going to the Dentist (5 minute read)

What do you hate doing?

I hate going to the dentist; I admit it.  There’s always been a fear of going.  My mom used to call it “visiting the dentist”, as if changing that one word was going to make going sound like a fun time.

I do NOT feel like sitting in a dentist’s chair, with a person holding metal tools, peering into my mouth, is fun.

Now, I’ve had a couple of really great dentists!  My dentist in Anchorage, Dr Christiansen, was so fantastic. Once, I had developed an ulcer on the roof of my mouth, so I went to him to have it lanced;  in my memory, he’s the Dr. Pimple-popper of dentists!  We also had a laugh over my bovine implant in my gum at another time.  We shall never forget that episode.

So aside from those stories, let me tell you this:  I will STILL do everything I can to avoid going to the dentist, especially those who don’t use laughing gas.  Breathing in that gas that just makes everything seem hilarious, even when the hygienist is poking around.  But here’s the thing about avoiding the dentist; at some point it could be too late, and you could lose a tooth, all because you avoid going to the dentist.

I hear this about being photographed, too. 

“I know we should do a 3-generation session, and we will, but I need to lose about 50 lbs first, before I get in front of the camera.”
“I know I need to bring my 10 year old dog and 2 teenagers in to be photographed, we’re just so busy, I can’t find a good time to do it.”
“I hate getting my photo done, but I know that I need to be in a photograph with my husband and kids.  Can you hide me behind them?”

And here’s the sad part:  getting around to losing those 50 lbs may take too long, and you might lose a parent.  Dogs have much shorter lives than we do, and how sad is it that that photograph might never happen?  Your kids are going to get older, and you and your husband will, too.  The magical ages of young childhood last for only a certain amount of time, and then all of a sudden they are 10+ years and going every-which-way, and you’re the one driving them to their activities.

I understand that the thought of taking a photograph is risky for a lot of adults.  “What if I lose weight next year, then I’ll have photographs of me at this weight forever! Ugh, I can’t stand to see that!”

What if I told you that by working with me, together, we’ll create the family photographs of your dreams?

My answer to that is, “When we plan your photography session, we’re going to plan outfits that are flattering for everyone, including yourself.  I’ll pose you to ensure that you look great, and my camera angle will be at a place that will make you instantly look like you’ve lost 8 pounds!”

What would it mean to you to have a photograph that YOU LOVE of your family?  Not a photograph where the kids look cute, and that’s good enough for you.  But one where you look stunning, your kids look like they are having fun, and your husband looks like he’s enjoying himself, too.

What would it mean to have a photograph of you, your siblings, and your parents together?  A photograph that, every time you see it, years from now, you’ll remember what it was like to embrace your dad and smell his aftershave?

What would it mean to you to have a photograph of your kids and your dog, one that pulls at your heartstrings, and helps you to grieve a little easier when he ventures on to Rainbow Bridge?

Just like avoiding the dentist and losing a tooth, avoiding getting your photographs done with great intention of doing it someday may result in never having done it, and I can tell you that the regret can be enormous.  Snapshots are great, but artwork that you display on your walls that tell a story of your family is so very important.  You’ll get to see these photographs every single day in your family room, and so will your guests and loved ones.  They are conversation starters and will help you to relive the experience of when you reconnected with your husband and kids, when you talk about them to your friends, and then you’ll fall in love with them, all over again!

And how good does that feel to know that you entrusted such important photographs to a photographer who cares about your photographs just as much as you do?

 

It feels as good as it does to know that my dentist cares about me and my fears as much as fixing my tooth, and that my mouth will feel better when it’s all done.

Make the goal, this year, to get your family’s photographs done, with purpose and meaning.  If you have a pet in your family, or 2 or 7, I’d love to offer you a gift certificate that will help save you money, contribute to a worthy cause, and create lasting emotional attachment to a moment in your family’s history.