Survey Finds Majority of Mothers Rarely Appear in Their Own Family Photos

A recent survey found that more than half of mothers are “almost never” in their own family photos.

European photo printing company CEWE surveyed more than 500 mothers in the U.K. aged 18 to 50 to understand how many are missing from their own family photo albums and why. According to CEWE’s findings, mothers are overwhelmingly the family photographer and rarely appear in the frame.

For many new parents, taking as many photos as possible of their baby is standard. However, the survey suggests that many mothers are absent from these moments because they have taken on the role of photographing them. Nearly nine in ten respondents (88%) said they are always or often the one behind the camera, while more than half (58%) reported that they are almost never in the frame. Just 11% said their partner is the family photographer.

For many, the reasons are practical. Almost half (45%) said it is too difficult to include both themselves and their baby in the shot, so they prioritize photographing their child instead.

Other reasons are more personal. Nearly as many (4%) said they do not include themselves because they feel unhappy with how they look, reflecting the pressures many women experience after giving birth. Another 34% said they simply forget to include themselves, while 33% said their partner does not think to include them.

CEWE’s survey also explored how mothers feel about being left out of family photos. Two thirds (66%) said it makes them sad not to have more pictures of themselves from this period. Around a quarter (23%) said they feel frustrated when their partner forgets to include them, while 21% said that being the family photographer means they miss out on being captured themselves.

To help address this, CEWE asked baby and family photographer Karen Wiltshire to share advice on how mothers can include themselves more often in family photos. She suggests using a timer on a phone camera or taking selfies.

“As moms, we naturally think of everyone else first, but it’s important to remember that one day those photos will mean the world to your child and they will want to see you in them too,” Wiltshire says. “A simple way to be included on photos is to use a timer on your phone. Place the phone on a stable surface, set the timer and step into the frame with your baby. It doesn’t need to be perfect – often the most meaningful photos are the natural ones.”

“There is also the classic selfie. While it may feel informal, selfies can capture close moments between you and your baby that quickly become treasured memories,” she continues.

“Another option is to ask someone else to take photos of you. Family and friends are usually happy to help if you ask, and you could even make it a shared effort by taking photos for each other.”

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.