The holiday decorations are finally put away and my last 2018 task is to wrap up our family yearbook (more on how I organize our family photos and memories in a post soon!). I try to work on the book throughout the year and as events happen but let’s be real–that isn’t always the case. I do love flipping back through the pages and re-living all of our fun memories for the year.
In 2016, the year our daughter was born, I was scanning through the pages and selfishly realized how little I appeared in our family photographs. Now, I know exactly the reasons for this. I’ve never had the strongest body image and am absolutely more comfortable behind the lens than sucking in my belly and angling my body to look more flattering in photos. I realized though, that while the while my daughter would assume I was there because someone had to be taking the picture, those memories of us together weren’t. I want the happiness my daughter brings and our experiences together to be captured.
In 2017, I asked a close friend, who’s also a photographer, to take some photos of my daughter and I. On the surface, I had the goal of getting some images for this blog I had been planning but deeper than that, I wanted some photographs of just my daughter and I smiling, playing in the park, and enjoying each other. To date, these are some of my most very favorite images. My friend captured our bond so well and I’ll forever be grateful.
I really think this is one of the best gifts you can give your children; a collection of images of you together. Hire a professional, ask a friend/family member, or set up a tripod if you have to. I would encourage you to take these photos outside of your normal photo shoot for holiday pictures or birthday parties. If the focus isn’t about matching outfits or everyone looking the same direction, everyone is just a bit more relaxed and in it for the true purpose; to have fun.
The start of a new year is always a time to reflect on goals and aspirations and one of mine will be to make an effort and get in front of the camera lens this year.
Happy New Year.
