"What's the point in hiring someone when I can do it myself?"

The tall, elderly man at Kroger watched me quizzically from down the aisle as I stood on my tippiest toes and used a spatula to swat at a bag of quinoa on the top shelf. After a few minutes of my pitiful attempts to grab the bag with two spatulas, he walked over and easily pulled the bag down for me. I thanked him, feeling a little silly for not asking for his help and for giving him a funny story to tell when he got home.

I am a classic DIY'er. I'm especially loathe to ask for help if that help will cost me money. WebMD was made for people like me (I successfully diagnosed myself with appendicitis in 2008, but was unable to remove the actual appendix without going to the hospital), and I will Youtube the heck out of a house repair or update and then do it myself instead of calling a professional (ask me about the thermostat installation that took two days). I hate shelling out money if I can research the process and do it myself.

I know how hypocritical I sound. I AM one of those professionals, and I want people to hire me instead of doing it all themselves. You'd think that I would be able to follow my own advice.

Well, sometimes I do listen to myself, for the important things. I go to the dentist semi-annually. I have a pest control contractor treat my house three times a year because I'm afraid of spiders (VERY important). I hired a professional photographer for my wedding, and I hire a professional to take our photos every year because even though I'm a professional photographer, I'm not a miracle worker.

If you're fans or friends of professional photographers on Facebook (I'm friends with several), the common thread among them all, no matter their style or specialty, is that they all hire other professional photographers for annual family photos, or for big events. Even for the pros, it's very difficult to get your own kids to cooperate long enough for posed photos. Pros hire other pros to take family photos, not only so that they can be in the photos, but so that they don't have to wrestle toddlers, newborns, a camera and a tripod out somewhere and then try to focus on both their family and the technical aspect of it.

Can you imagine? Step 1 - Set up your family, leaving enough space for you to squeeze in non-awkwardly. Step 2 - Adjust the settings on your camera and place it on the tripod. Step 3 - Press the timer button and run like h-e-double-hockey-sticks to your spot. Make sure your hair isn't out of place, check for stains on the kids' shirts, spit on your hand and smooth down your son's cowlick, then breathlessly smile for the camera. Step 4 - While telling all of your family to "DON'T MOVE!!", run back to the camera, and check to see whose eyes were closed, who was picking their nose, and who was staring off into the sunset to the right. Step 5 - Return to step 3 and repeat. Somewhere around the 15th time, when you're feeling dizzy from your constant running back and forth, and your husband is groaning as you urge, "just one more," that same 4-year-old has turned from showing her pearly whites to drowning in slobbery tears, and you're ready to give up.

Ta-daaa, you've done it yourself. You may have even gotten one decent image. But the memory of that afternoon is not a pleasant one for anyone in your family. You didn't spend the time enjoying each other's company, you spent it yelling at each other and crying in frustration, and the thought of doing this all again anytime soon has you asking yourself what the point of all this actually is.

So let's answer the question posed at the beginning. What's the point of hiring someone when I can do it myself?

The point is not that you CAN'T do it yourself. Obviously, if you have the equipment, you can do it. The point is that you would rather choose to expose yourself and your family to a fun experience, where the memories you make together are just as good as the ones being captured by the pro.

Want to see what others’ experience has looked like, working with me? Visit my family photography page and check out the images we’ve created together. Worried your kid will cry no matter who takes their picture? Here’s where I tell you that your toddler doesn’t scare me.