Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Proof of Life...

I joke {a lot} that if someone would look only at our family pictures, that they wouldn't think this family had a mommy. It's the curse of being the family photographer, number one, but it's also what happens when you don't love seeing pictures of yourself. However, is it not important to document the fact that you were here; that you were a vibrant and essential variable in your own life? Yes, yes it is important. Does it really matter if our hair is messed or we don't have something fabulous on? No, it most certainly does not!

I think it's hard to take the initiative to photograph ourselves. Especially if we have kids...there's always someone much cuter around to photograph, right? But someday those kids are going to want to see visual proof of the the bond that we share. And I will want something tangible to hold on to long after my girls are still cuddling in my lap. I will want to look back and remember myself with my children; the way I felt, the way they make me smile, the connections that we have together. And the best way I know how to capture that is with pictures.

Once you do it a couple of times, it starts to get easier. Plus, in this digital age, you can take a bunch and, chances are, one of them has to come out decent enough that you won't mind looking at. Most cameras have some sort of 10 second self timer {which, by the way, the kids think is absolute magic!}. A remote helps quite a bit but it's certainly not necessary. Just grab your camera, grab your kids, compose your shot, set the camera on some books or a table {expensive tripod NOT required}, and get in the shot!

P.S...we have had quite a snow storm here today! While I could still walk in it earlier today, I took Maya out and we got some pictures of the winter wonderland. I'll post them tomorrow!

5 comments:

Jamie February 11, 2010 at 11:01 AM  

I love seeing your smiling face on the blog for a change.

Amy @ Lucky Number 13 February 11, 2010 at 1:40 PM  

The pictures I have of me with my parents and siblings when I was little are so important to me, I really cherish them. I rarely ever am in pictures with the kids because I am the photographer and because I hate myself in pictures which is another issue entirely. Something I know I need to work on! : )
I love these shots of you with the kids, just precious and can I just say that you look like the teenage babysitter in the first one?!?!?

JennOvey February 11, 2010 at 2:23 PM  

I think you are beautiful!

Alecia February 20, 2010 at 8:41 AM  

Found your beautiful blog after reading about you in Artful Blogging . . . so I'm certain you'll have tons of new comments on old posts coming your way soon.

I am our family photographer and my challenge isn't only getting myself into pictures but also getting my mom—who hates being photographed—into pictures. I don't know how to do it! It actually makes me not bring my camera to life events because I know she doesn't like it . . . I am stumped!

Mommy in the Making March 18, 2010 at 3:11 PM  

I have the same duvet cover (and LOVE it)! I know exactly what you're saying - there are so many periods in my life that I wish I had photos of myself from and while I'm running around snapping pics of baby, baby and daddy, baby and grammy, baby and grampy, etc, etc, I know I'm really really going to want to relieve baby and mommy in no time...

Amanda