I have always loved taking photos, but like many others, only really took an interest in taking quality photos when I became a parent.
Over the years, I have come a long way in my photography journey (as you can see below). The photos from when Lily was little are not anywhere near as good from a technical standpoint as the photos I take of my children now. But you know what? I love them anyway!
I LOVE going through our photo books with my children and showing them the little faces they used to make, adventures we went on, favorite places they loved to hide and so much more.
I encourage every parent (fur kids count too!) to document the little things along the way. You don’t have to be a professional photographer or have a fancy camera. You just have to take the picture.
As this blog evolves, I’ll have some tips for taking better photos of your kiddos with your phone or even your camera if you have one. But, for today, that’s my advice: TAKE THE PICTURE. You will be glad you did.
Here are some of my favorite moments not to be missed with your camera or phone:
1. Milestones. I took monthly photos for each one of my babies throughout their first year. I put them in the same spot each month with a stuffed animal next to them and their age displayed above. I love seeing how much they changed in such a short time.
2. When they don’t know you’re watching. I LOVE sneaking a peek at my children playing when they don’t know I am watching. The look of concentration on their face as they set up their action figures or dolls just right, the wonder as they discover something new, the joy as they are immersed in their own little world - I love it all and want to see it again and again.
3. Surrounded by their favorite things. Grab their favorite toys or activities and snap a few photos of them doing what they love. It’s fun to look back on later and giggle as you remember when their favorite item in the whole house was the swiffer mop, their triple level Little People Garage and floor mat, or their Camping Fun Polly Pocket set.
4. Movement. Okay, this can be a tricky one, and we’ll chat later about the best ways to capture moving kiddos, but I love little ones in motion. Capture them flying their toys through the house, swinging on the swings, skipping down the walkway, just snap the photo.
5. Doing everyday things. Don't forget to capture the things you do together all the time. This can be playtime in the backyard, bath time, hanging out with neighbors and family, or just relaxing with the dog. Life is in the little moments.
6. Photos WITH you. Often times the person reading this, is the person taking the snapshots at home. Don’t be afraid to ask someone else to take over the camera for a minute and get in the picture too. Your kids don’t care that you look tired, haven’t washed your hair, or aren’t dressed to the nines. They love seeing photos of themselves with you, so don’t miss out on getting in the frame from time to time too.
There are so many little moments I want to remember as my kids get older and I do my best to capture them and still be present with them as well. All of the things mentioned above are great reminders to build your collection of memories, but the most important thing of all is that the technical beauty of the little moments doesn’t matter nearly as much as the emotion attached to them, so stop worrying about the clutter in the background, your mascara smeared under your eyes, or the toothpaste on their shirt, and JUST TAKE THE PICTURE.