Recently I’ve seen a lot of bloggers posting about “Embracing the Camera.” The purpose of this movement is for moms, who are generally behind the camera in most family photos, to start taking the initiative to be in more photos with their children. This has something that’s been bugging me a lot lately when I upload my photos from holidays and family gatherings and realize that there are absolutely no pictures of me. Not that I particularly love looking at pictures of myself, but I would like to have a permanent recording of the fact that I was actually there for all these events! When I’m gone I want my kids to look at our family pictures and see me, remember me, and remember all the little moments we had together.
Embracing the camera isn’t about setting up elaborate photo sessions where you get someone else to take stiff and posed photos of you with your kids. It’s simply about finding little ways to include yourself in the photos you already take. Turn the camera around every once in awhile and grab your kid for an impromptu cuddle picture. Set the self timer during one of the many every day moments you share. It’s not about perfection, it’s just about seeing you and your children together. And more importantly, them being able to see you together when they look at these pictures later in life. My kids are still young and they’re not going to remember these moments. But they will hopefully see these pictures and realize I loved them and we had a lot of fun together.
These pictures were a little dangerous. It’s probably not that safe to swing holding your squirming kid in one hand and your dslr pointed the wrong way in your other hand. Amazingly, nothing (or no one) was dropped.
Okay, I’m not in this at all. But I love Shepard’s little hands!
He’s been holding my hand a lot lately. He’s cooperating a lot earlier than Caden did with holding my hand walking on the sidewalk or in parking lots. At the park he wanted to hold hands while he walked on the wooden edging around the playground.
We were relaxing on the bench for awhile, watching Caden chase kids all over the place.
Back at home trying to get some pictures with Caden now. He has such gigantic eyes.
Caden liked this embracing the camera idea. Whereas after Shepard’s baptism when I really wanted him in pictures and he refused, yesterday he kept saying “more things!” to try and come up with other ideas of ways we could be in it together.
Caden and I have exactly the same super wide stubby toed feet.
Shepard was intrigued by this idea and had to stick his feet in too.
Trying to get in on this picture too. Even though he’s totally cut off, this is one of my favorites. 🙂
Pictures like this are much more easily done with a point and shoot! My arms aren’t long enough to get us both in!
That’s better!
This is a fun one too.
Okay, only my leg is in this picture… But I love how Caden’s feet and hand look!
I wanted to try and get an everyday moment kind of picture too with Caden helping me wrap some presents. It’s harder taking the pictures with a self timer. I like the smiley giant face ones better.
Anyway, it was fun spending my day trying to get some fun and happy pictures of me and my boys. I’m going to try doing things like this a lot more often!
