Mom To Mom: Get in front of the camera | Tiny Turtles Photography
At the end of 2017 I decided to join a 365 photo challenge in 2018. I thought that I would be encouraged to capture the random beauty in my days. I assumed that it would train me to see the little moments in my life that I would document every day for the entire year.
As moms we are often told that the days go so fast to savor every moment. So I thought this would be a great opportunity to capture those tiny beautiful moments. But lets be honest, not every moment as a mom is picture perfect and amazing. Not every detail of raising young children will we miss when they are grown. Tantrums and sleepless nights come quickly to mind. Don't miss understand what I'm saying. Raising kids IS beautiful, and we should cling to the magic while it lasts. However, not every day can be pinterest perfect and that's ok too!
I have learned so much about myself as a mom and a photographer already this year, but not at all in the way I expected. Much to my surprise starting on January 1st I was provided not with tools to document my days but with a new seemly random word to photograph. Not at all what I was anticipating, and I must admit that I gave up pretty quickly. They were things like potato, or kool aid, or fear. I struggled to find the "right" photographs every day and instead got swept up with life as a work at home mom to four kids.
In March there was a shout out in the photo challenge Facebook group for anyone looking for an accountability partner. This was just what I needed! I was two months behind on my photo prompts and the perfectionist inside me really wanted to finish the challenge. So I was randomly assigned a buddy from Australia, and we planned to get caught up quickly by doing 2-3 prompts a day. I got to work and it has turned into this really neat scavenger hunt. I have throughly enjoyed the hunt now that I can pick and choose prompts I want to complete that day. It feels freeing to be unrestrained to the pressure of finishing an assignment within the same day it is announced.
I am almost caught up, I still have about 14 left, but the gap is quickly closing!
What I have learned is that I *can* document everyday moments with my kids. Now that I am in the habit of looking for things to photograph and now that I always have my camera with me it's easier.
I have learned that they don't need to be posed and perfect to be meaningful and worthy of remembering. I don't need 20 pictures of one outing, one or a few is perfect.
I have learned that I really enjoy photographing flowers. I have learned that I really enjoy being in the pictures with my kids.
I have also learned that I don't care for the way I look in most pictures I take with my kids, and that's ok. It's not about creating perfection, it's about documenting us today, right now. It's about loving myself even when I'm not the same shape I was before kids, or even after the first few kids. I know with all of my heart that when I die my kids won't look at the pictures of me and nit pick every little detail about my appearance. They will comment about how happy I looked, how I played games with them, and how I worked hard. They will remember all of the first morning snuggles, and the adventures we went on together. They will be glad to have pictures of me with them to show their own kids, and that is important to me.
I want to challenge you, if you are avoiding scheduling a photo session because you don't like the way you look, do it anyway. I can't promise to make you look like a different person, but I can promise to provide you with photos that your kids will cherish. I can promise to provide your family with digital images that if stored properly will last forever.
Shoot me an email or message me on Facebook and lets chat about what's holding you back from booking a session. Once we have hashed that out I would love to plan a session that you will cherish.
PS: I still have a few openings for my Mommy and Me sessions this Saturday morning (May 5th).
