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Showing posts with label Photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Photography. Show all posts
Peace is a theme of the Christmas season, and I've been mulling over the idea lately.
On the night that Jesus was born, angels lit up quiet skies and declared "on earth, peace among men!" But the world still doesn't feel peaceful, does it? Our attempts to drum up some peace around Christmas time feel artificial and hollow. Around this globe, war and atrocities never truly end. Maybe that's why the song "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" has resonated with me in my adult life.
"There is no peace on earth," I said. For hate is strong, and mocks the song, of Peace on earth, goodwill to men..."
I think we understand peace all wrong. We think quiet, or a brief ceasing of strife, or a fleeting feeling, or one happy day is Christmas peace. But that's not the peace the angels were talking about. The peace Christ brought when he was born in that stable is not the temporary, fading peace of one Christmas morning.
"But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace..."
Ephesians 2:13-14a
Christ Himself is our peace.
We are a rebellious, sinful people. We have broken God's laws, we are lost, deserving death as the penalty for the crimes we have committed against a holy God. But instead of giving us the punishment we deserve, God in His mercy stretched out His hands, and offered us peace by offering Himself.
Peace on earth, goodwill to men.
That baby, born in a manger that night, was God Himself. He who had no sin, took the death we deserved by dying on the cross in our place. He rose again, securing His victory over death and our sin. And He still stretches out His hands to us now, offering us peace with God, if we will just believe and trust in Christ to save us. The truest peace of God can be ours forever.
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:1
Someday Jesus will return again, and put all things right, and then His people will have peace in every sense of the word. Until then, my prayer for you, my friends, is that you will know His peace in your heart this Christmas and always. That you may reach out and grasp the hand of peace that God has offered to you in Jesus Christ, and find Him while He may be found.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
Romans 15:13
"Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace."
Luke 1:78-79
He Himself is our peace. May you know that truly, my friends. And the merriest of Christmases to you!
(Photos in today's post are from last year - I haven't been able to bring myself to sort through yesterday's disastrous photo attempts yet!)
When I was pregnant with my firstborn, I realized how critical photos would be for me in my memory-keeping. My babies all have grown too fast, and I am so glad I made sure we got some really good photos together to mark the passing of each year.
For really big events, like maternity or newborn pictures, I've always outsourced and got my amazing photographer and dear friend to do some photos for me! But for regular, run-of-the-mill family photos, I usually do them myself.
(Proof that I can sometimes take a good family photo with the tripod!)
Despite yesterday's photo struggles, I usually am able to get some pretty good photos each year, and I thought I would give you my best tips for taking your own family photos - or basically just tell you how I manage it. I am still really just an amateur, hobby photographer, so your mileage may vary with these suggestions, but this is how I take our family photos.
(If you want tips for taking photos of yourself with a tripod - I can't help you, ha! That's one tripod skill I've never mastered. If I'm the lone adult in the picture, then it's most likely one I had Derek take for me!)
What I use:
My DSLR (I have a Nikon D5200 and a 50mm f/1.5 lens)
A tripod (this one)
A remote shutter release (this one)
My iPhone 7+
1. Scout out a spot to take photos ahead of time.
Every time I've taken photos that have gone smoothly, it's been because I found a spot I liked ahead of time and started putting the photo together in my head. I think about where I'll put the tripod, how I'll arrange the family, where I'll run in to join, etc. I try to think about light and shadows and whether morning or evening would be the best. The couple hours right after sunrise or right before sunset are best, and try to stay out of direct or dappled sunlight! Good lighting is everything.
2. Pack an emergency photo bag.
I usually pack a bag with things like a blanket to sit on, extra memory cards and camera batteries, candy to keep the kids happy, hairbrush, makeup, extra diapers, etc. I've been burned before when I didn't think things through, so I try to plan ahead for problems that might arise so I'm prepared.
3. Be meticulous about getting set up.
When we arrive at the spot I've (hopefully) scouted out, I take a couple test shots first to make sure my settings are proper and the light is good (I didn't pay enough attention to this yesterday, hence why a lot of our photos are junk). I get my camera and tripod set up and fidget with it until it's directed right where I want the family to stand, then I have my husband go stand where I want him. My husband is usually my focus point, because he is the only one in the family I can trust to stand still! I get the kids arranged around him, and keep in mind to leave a space for me to stand.
Once everyone is arranged, I go back to my camera, set the focus point on my husband, and ask him not to move his head. Then I switch the shutter setting to the remote, go over and rearrange children if necessary, stand in my spot, and start clicking with the remote!
4. Check the photos!
I usually have to repeat this process a few times to make sure everyone is looking good in the actual photos and everything is in focus. I'm always sorry later when I don't take breaks and double-check the photos in the back of my camera! I've taken a whole group of photos before, only to realize later they were all out of focus.
5. Take a lot of shots.
Most likely most of the shots you take with a remote are going to be just okay, but if you take a ton, you are more likely to get one that might work.
6. Be a little silly.
In the photos where everyone is smiling, it's usually because we all just got finished yelling "chocolate cake!". Seriously, instead of telling my kids to say "cheese", I tell them to say other foods they like. Usually there is more giggling and general enthusiasm that way, which translates well in photos! This is my favorite strategy for when I'm trying to get a good shot of just the kids too. My best trick is to be a goofball, balance a pinecone on my head and then let it fall off, throw some leaves, peek out from behind a tree and make a funny face...all with my camera at the ready to catch the laughs! It helps that my kids are quick-laughers too.
7. Tell everyone to look at one person.
I really like a good "candid" shot, so after we try a few smiling at the camera, I usually pick a person and tell everyone else to look at them! It turns out well when everyone is looking at one of the parents, but you have to make sure you are not just smiling blankly at the camera. Look at everyone else as they are looking at you, or laugh a little, and it turns into a great fake-candid shot!
8. Try tickling someone.
When we have a child (especially a baby or toddler) who is crying, we tickle that kid. We could be really obvious about the tickling and get more of those fake-candid shots while the kid is being tickled, like I talked about above. Or sometimes we are really subtle about the tickling, so it doesn't cause a ruckus but leads to some good smiles. There is a blurry line between crying and laughing, especially in photos, and sometimes tickling is the best way to save the photo session!
9. Take it slow, and bring candy.
When a photo session is devolving, I try to let the kids have a break to explore a little. Often if they have time to get some energy out, they are ready to try taking another photo. I try to take a breaks too so that we can also enjoy the experience, instead of being stressed about getting the photos done! (Note: It's best if you start earlier than you think you need to so time is allowed for this sort of thing before you lose the light - another mistake I made yesterday.) This can also be a good time to get more casual shots, or wider-angle shots of your kids exploring nature (I use my iPhone for this - maybe someday I'll get a better lens for scenery shots).
I have also been known to break out the candy to improve moods. This is not normal parenting...this is parenting while trying to take photos. Normal rules surrounding bribery do not apply.
10. Know when to let it go.
As I shared yesterday, sometimes photos just don't work. I've been known to break our family photo sessions up into two shorter attempts, because little kids only last so long before they are ready to be done. I've tried before to persevere when I could tell everyone was losing focus, and it's never gone well. If everyone is crying and miserable, it's better just to call it quits. You can always try again another day.
Or you can do what I'm doing this year, and resort to getting your photographer friend to help, ha! Some stages are just hard (ex: when you have an almost two year old), and reinforcements may be in order. But don't let a bad attempt make you think you can't take your own family photos - it happens. Just try again another day.
Have you ever tried to take your own family photos? How did it go?
I've been debating with myself on how to handle Sundays during my 31 days challenge. I thought I might write about what our pastor's sermon was about each week, or maybe part of my testimony. But Sundays are typically restful family days, and I didn't want to put a burden on the day, so I thought I would just play it by ear.
This morning we went to church, and the plan was to visit my mom and dad in the afternoon, and take some quick family pictures in the fall colors. I thought I would be able to whip together a brief but insightful summary of what I learned in church once we got home and finish with plenty of time left for a TV show with Derek.
Easy as pie, right?
Not so much.
I have never had such a hard time taking good photos of my family! The light faded too quickly, my camera wouldn't focus or my settings were off, and the kids were not cooperating. A couple of hours, multiple crying children, and a bag of M&M's later, and I got a very small handful of usable photos. I couldn't even get a really good one of Georgie at all.
I was fighting a grouchy mood all the way home, and even now I am just shaking my head wondering what in the world went wrong! So if you've ever told me "I don't know how you get such great pictures of all your kids!"...well, today I'm not sure how I've ever done that either.
I'm sure I'll always look back at this year's family photos as the year it just wouldn't work.
But I hope I also remember a little bit about how cute they all looked, despite the lack of documentation. How tall and handsome Wyatt and Clyde were in their bomber jackets. How Gwen and Clarice beamed when I told them how ladylike they looked. How Georgie pronounced "I wook pwetty!" in her baby voice.
I hope I remember the way all the kids breathed a sigh of relief when I finally called it quits. How suddenly the tears turned into laughter as they threw leaves in the air, on top of their heads, into the water.
The way it felt when Georgie leaned her forehead against mine and relaxed into my arms, a tear drying on her cheek and her chubby little fingers clutching a blue M&M.
How Derek let me vent all the way home about what a disastrous attempt at photos that was and sulk for a little bit, but didn't hold it against me. How he wrapped his arms around me and assured me we could try again.
I don't have much energy left in me to be briefly profound about anything at the moment.
But I am so thankful for my sweet family that I didn't get any good pictures of today.
I have a few fun finds from June to share!
$1 Summer Movies
In case you weren't aware of it, a lot of theaters play older kids' movies in the morning in the summer and charge only $1 for admission. (See this post for a general list, or just google "one dollar summer movies" in your area). The kids and I went to see "Turbo" with friends a few weeks ago, and I'm hoping we can catch a couple of the other movies before the summer is over! Especially having a bigger family, we rarely get to go to the movies because it's so expensive for all of us - so this is one of our best chances to see something in the theater! We don't care if it's an older movie.
Poesie
One of my recent goals is to read more poetry. I have always struggled to find poetry that resonates with me. I came across this app, which makes my attempt at poetry appreciation a little more fun - the app has a daily poem, but it also has a bunch of free poems you can read within the app, organized by author or mood. I actually found a couple poems I like this way! However, the art choices for some of the category covers are a little...um, questionable, so don't let your kids poke around on there.
Colorized Photos
I ran across this album on Facebook, which contains iconic pictures that someone has taken and colorized. Oh my goodness, they are amazing. You know how sometimes you look at an old black and white picture and the person in it almost doesn't seem real? The way these photos are colorized makes you feel like you are sitting right there in the scene, like you could have lived right next to these people. It's just really neat. I especially liked this one taken on D-Day, the ones of Einstein and Churchill, and this one from the Civil War.
Never Grow Up by Brooke White
I am a big fan of JJ Heller's lullaby album, and I know many of you are too. Well, this album by Brooke White kind of reminds me of that other album. The sound is a little different, but the lyrics are still all about memories with children and babies and growing up, with a bit of a lullaby quality to some of the songs. I found it a few months back, but I've been enjoying it again in the last week!
The Far Country by Andrew Peterson
Another album I've enjoyed this month! Once again, what makes the album for me is the lyrics. The theme of this album seems to be the ultimate destination for the believer in Christ - which is Heaven - and looking ahead to the unseen in faith. I think this is just a nice one to play in the background around the house on a quiet summer afternoon, and I've found it encouraging.
Note: Both of those albums are on Amazon Music if you are a Prime member.
Alma Classics
Some friends and I decided we want to read more classic books together, so we've started a little classics book club. Of course, if I'm going to be reading all these classics, I can't think of a better opportunity to search out pretty copies to add to my collection while we are at it! Unfortunately, the UK seems to have a monopoly on all the really pretty editions of classics, but I will not be deterred. I found a couple of the classics on my list through online used book retailers, and one of the publishers I search for is Alma Classics. They print paperback copies, but the covers are definitely some of the prettier ones available in the US, and usually you can find reasonably priced copies online. Here's the Alma Classics copy of The Great Gatsby, which I recently bought for book club:
Kiddie Pools
This is probably going to make me sound a little hillbilly-ish, but there is just not much that is nicer on a hot summer afternoon (when you have five little kids) than to sit on the back porch in the sunshine, reading a book with your feet in the kiddie pool while the kids play. It's nicer than taking them to a real pool for sure, because they are all right there in front of me so I don't have to worry so much about taking my eyes off them, since I can literally stretch my legs and touch them. Nothing bad is going to happen if I read for a few minutes, because they are two feet from me. But we still get the benefit of water!
Chirp Books
This is a new audiobook deal website! I found out about it early, because I am also signed up for BookBub's ebook deal emails. They have some good audiobook deals on here though, and a few different titles that I am interested in! I'm just sitting on it for now while I think about which ones I should consider buying, but I figured I'd share with my fellow audiobook-lovers in the meantime.
Do you have any good finds from June? Please share!
I had so many ideas for advent readings and crafts to do with the kids. We were going to bake, and learn new Christmas carols and Bible verses. I was going to continue waking up before the kids and get in a rich, meaningful personal Bible study leading up to Christmas Day.
And then the king of all colds struck us last week. I tell you, if I ever needed a non-serious reminder of the sinful, fallen state of the world, this cold was it. Even though we are well past being contagious, we still are struggling with scratchy voices and irritating remnants of a cough. Derek took time off from work, and I rolled out of bed too late every morning for the past week. Needless to say, my plans did not come to fruition.
However, I finally felt well enough to get back to my new morning routine again this morning. I grabbed the Christmas present I bought myself, an illuminated Scripture journal for the book of Hebrews. I figured I'd just start by checking out the cross-references, and I stumbled across two passages that have helped set my heart back on Christ amidst the Christmas-Eve craziness this morning. (The first one is kind of long, try to take time to read through the whole thing - it's so good!).
"He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in Heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross."
Colossians 1:13-20
"For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
2 Corinthians 4:6
I just love how these passages talk about the light of Christ. We are lost in darkness, in our sin, without Him - but when we were stumbling around in the dark, God sent us the light of Christ, the light of Himself. He was born to make peace for us through the blood of His cross. We are the ones who deserve darkness and death forever because of our sin, but He bore that penalty for us on the cross. And now if we will merely raise our faces to His light, trusting in His sacrifice and what He has done to save us, we need never be lost in darkness again.
Merry Christmas, friends. I pray that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ is shining bright in your hearts this Christmas (and that you have more joy than Georgie in that last picture)!
(This new metal print is so cool! Thanks to Artsy Couture for sending me a metal photo print to review.)
Do you ever wonder if it's narcissistic that we decorate our houses with pictures of ourselves?
A few years ago I heard someone mention how it could be narcissistic to decorate with photos of yourself, and for a long time I wondered if maybe that was true. I can certainly see how decorating with photos could become narcissistic, like those movie characters who live alone and have a huge canvas of themselves adorning the wall above the couch. But still, I don't buy that decorating with photos has to be a narcissistic thing.
I've put more thought into it, and even read about it in recent years, and I personally think there are a few good reasons to decorate with photos of your own family. This is what I think:
1. Decorating with photos adds to a feeling of solidarity between family members.
I think about decorating with photos differently now that I have kids of my own. I think that for kids, seeing pictures of themselves with their family on the wall reminds them that they aren't alone - they are part of a bigger unit, a family, and that means something. They play an integral role in a family, they are woven through the collective family memories that photos represent. They can look at the walls and visually see their place in the family. In my opinion, that can't help but add some security, knowing your place in the world by being able to see it on the walls.
2. Photos are memories.
I went to my parents house for the 4th of July, and my sister and I stood looking at an old vacation photo from when we went river rafting. I mentioned something specific that I remembered about that day, and she mentioned something she remembered, and there we were bonding over a shared memory because of a photo on my parents' wall. I'm the type of person who doesn't really remember things until I see a photo - and then a whole cascade of memories floods in. Not everyone is like this, certain personality types are much better at remembering and honoring the past in their hearts without any external reminders, but personally, I need the photos around me to remind me.
3. Photos can be modern "remembrance stones".
Remember how the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, and God told them to stack twelve stones from the river bed? When their children asked about the stones, they could tell them of the Lord's faithfulness to Israel. Well, to me, photos on my walls are something like a modern equivalent to that. I want to work on this more in my home, by putting photos on the wall that are not only the perfect family photos, but photos that I can point to and say "Remember when God did that?" He has been faithful to our family in many ways, and I want the photos on my wall to not just serve as an anchor for bonding and memories in my family, but also a way to point back to God's faithfulness.
Now, on to some practical things...
What is your favorite way to decorate with photos in your house?
Personally, I am constantly changing it up.
-I have small, square prints on a bulletin board above Derek's desk.
-We have a wall collage of canvas prints. Two of the pictures are of Derek and me from our 5th anniversary (they probably need updating since we just hit our 10th!), and there are smaller canvas prints of each of the kids' newborn pictures.
-I had pictures hanging along our stairwell, but I recently took those down because I want to re-do that wall. I'll update when I figure it out.
-A metal print on my piano-top (which is basically my version of a mantel display, since I don't have a mantel).
The metal print is the newest addition to my photo decor - Artsy Couture recently asked if I'd like to check out one of their products and sent me this gorgeous metal print! In case you haven't heard of metal prints, the photo is actually printed on a thin sheet of aluminum. The colors are supposed to be brighter and sharper in printing with this method.
I ended up picking a beach photo from our vacation that I knew was not perfectly focused, but I was so impressed when the print came at how crisp it was anyway! The colors really are gorgeous and vibrant, and it kind of has a certain glow about it that I am assuming is an effect of printing on aluminum. I love the way it turned out, and it looks just as good as I thought it would on my piano-mantel.
Bonuses to printing on aluminum: it doesn't get retain dirt like textured canvas might, and there is no glass to break if it falls!
I poked around on the Artsy Couture website and they have a ton of options - not just for metal prints, but canvases, wood prints, traditional prints, cards, photo books, etc. They also happen to be having a sale on large prints that ends tomorrow, so if you are interested, hop on over there and check it out!
What do you think? Do you decorate with photos or not? What are your reasons, if you have any?
My sister has this crazy ability to remember events exactly as they happened. Sometimes we'll be talking and she will casually mention something we did when we were kids, and I realize that I literally haven't even thought about that event for years. It makes me sad sometimes that I have all these memories locked away in my brain that I won't remember until someone else brings it up.
As an adult I have realized pretty quickly that if I am going to remember something, I'm going to have to have some record of it. Maybe that's part of the reason blogging has stuck, but to be realistic, I can't sit down every evening and write out every detail of the day.
This is where photos come in.
The say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that saying has lasted so long because it's true! When I have a picture of something we did together, it's so much easier for me to remember all the details of that time in our lives. Photos are a quicker, easier record to take than writing out my thoughts, and I've relied on them even more as a mom. How else am I supposed to remember the face my babies make when I tell them to say "cheese"? How else am I supposed to remember the way their hair curled before the first haircut, or how their faces have changed year to year?
So photos have become a really important part of my memory-keeping, but I do have a tendency to only take photos when we are doing something unique - like when we are on trip, or celebrating someone's birthday. I'm grateful for those occasions because without them I might go too long between taking photos with my "good" camera. But I make it my aim to take pictures between those special occasions too. These are a few examples.
Unique Details
Each kid has some thing that they do, some physical feature, or some interest that makes them unique. Does my child have a special blanket or toy? Are they really into Hot Wheels cars or legos? Do they scrunch their nose when they smile? Does their hair curl just right, or am I always getting comments on their impossibly long eyelashes? I try to take pictures of those things!
Doing Ordinary Things
It's easy to pull out the camera when we are doing something Facebook-worthy, but I love the images of us doing everyday things even more, because they help me see the beauty of these ordinary days. I've ben told too many times how it goes by so fast and how I'll miss this stage someday. So I want photos that help me remember what our day-to-day was like. I might take pictures of the kids eating cereal (or watermelon, which was a hit last summer), Wyatt working on his schoolwork, or the kids digging a hole in the yard, for example.
Places We Visit All The Time
It's fun to sometimes think a little outside the box and take pictures in places we often frequent. Examples would be the place you stop for coffee, the grocery store, or the library. Is it a little awkward to pull out your camera in a public place? Yes, but those photos are some of my favorites to look at! (I really like Alex's documentation of a visit to Aldi, for example).
On my list of things to improve...capturing more of these kinds of photos, not just of my kids, but of my husband too!
Do you take pictures to keep memories? Or are you more like my sister who can remember everything without photos?
In the spirit of the day, I thought today's old-fashioned blog post could surround the holiday. How often do major holidays land on a Tuesday, after all? Not often.
(If you are here for the movie suggestions, scroll down.)
Valentine's Day Spirit
Valentine's Day Buckets
Old School Movies For Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day Spirit
I'm sure you are all well aware by now that I love Valentine's Day - mainly because every year I mention repeatedly how I love Valentine's Day. If you need to get into the Valentine's Day spirit, I suggest these previous musings on the subject.
Valentine's Day Buckets
For the kids' Valentine's gifts I had to be a little thrifty this year, so we just kept it simple.
Cute Valentine's Buckets - Target
Educational Card Decks (wrapped in DIY wrapping paper) - Target
Valentine's Pencils - Walmart
Glittery Hearts - Walmart
Rolos - Anywhere
As of this typing they haven't seen their Valentine's treats yet, but I'm confident they'll be a hit.
I ordered a present for Derek a couple of weeks ago, but it has yet to arrive. I was quite disappointed by this, because Derek always out-does me when it comes to gift giving, and I was excited to out-do him this time. I've decided instead to sneak a little Valentine's gift into his work bag for each day leading up to the arrival of his gift. That will keep up the suspense and gift-giving excellence, right?
Old School Movies For Valentine's Day
Excuse me for using my old-fashioned post for something slightly Pinterest-y. Last week I bemoaned the fact that there are very few new chick flicks out these days, and I am still stretching to think of a recent good romantic comedy. I don't like my romantic movies heavy in any sense. I appreciate light and happy. I considered sharing my favorite modern chick flicks, but then I realized that I am sure all of you reading this blog have seen those many times over, so I reached a little farther back. I present to you, for your Valentine's Day viewing consideration:
The African Queen (1951) - I admit, it's been quite a while since I watched this one, but I may have to remedy that soon. Humphrey Bogart! Katherine Hepburn! A quirky love story that takes place on a boat! I can almost guarantee it will leave you grinning, for one reason or another.
How To Marry A Millionaire (1953) - Lauren Bacall! Marilyn Monroe! I realize I should probably stop exclaiming all these actor names, because unless you already into old movies it won't really make a difference to you. But, just trust me, it's a winning combination. This movie is funny, and outrageous, and just cute. An old-school romantic comedy if ever there was one.
The Shop Around The Corner (1940) - Remember You've Got Mail (how could you not)? This is the movie that inspired that movie. I watched it several years ago, and thought it was different than the original but not in a way that ruined either one!
McClintock! (1963) - Imagine a John Wayne western and a romantic comedy got married and had a baby. This is that movie. Can't picture it? Let me tell you, it's a lot of fun! About a married couple on the brink of separation as they reconnect, all set in the old west.
If A Man Answers (1962) - And this one I'd call more of a "Galentine's Day" movie. Not that you couldn't watch with your husband, but there is some (respectful) comparing of husbands to dogs, so it's more fun to chuckle at it with your girlfriends than with your man!
A couple of these are one Netflix, but if you don't have any luck there, I suggest checking your local library!
What are your Valentine's date plans (if you have any?). We went bowling and shopping last week, so we'll probably just hang out and watch a movie tonight.
(Photo taken by Wyatt!)
Old School Blogger Shoutout
I think I need to create a spreadsheet because I'm losing track of who I already mentioned!
Elizabeth from Life In St. Petersburg - Elizabeth is an American mom living in Russia. I always find her posts interesting, whether she delves into Russian culture or not!
Carol from Pur et Simple - Carol is a mom to eight kids spread across 20 years - so she has grown kids and little ones. It's interesting to me to read what that looks like since mine are a lot closer together!
Both of these ladies are relatively newer reads to me, but it's so interesting to peek inside life with kids in different stages and places!
Who are your favorite old school bloggers? If I don't get some new suggestions this section is going to peter out in the next couple weeks. Or I might switch it to specific post shout-outs. What do you think?
Comment below if I haven't mentioned you yet and you'd like to be featured, or tell me your favorite old-fashioned blog to read (and read this post and this post again if you need a refresher on what I mean by "old-fashioned").
What I'm Drinking: Diet Lime Coke. I know. Where's the tea? It's just a Diet Coke kind of day.
(Note: Affiliate links used in this post.)
When Wyatt was one year old, I bought a DSLR camera. I really didn't know what I was doing at the time, I just knew that I wanted to take better pictures of my son. I wanted to capture the details of his babyhood in a way that my point-and-shoot camera just wasn't letting me.
I have never regretted that decision to buy a "big camera", and after a lot of trial and error I finally figured out how to use it! My favorite time of year to take pictures is finally here - Christmas time! I just love all the sparkles and colors and festivities this time of year - the "December" picture folder on my computer is always a little more full than the others.
Unfortunately December is also a difficult time to get good pictures, between the freezing cold weather that may make it hard to go outside, less daylight, a flurry of festivities, and kiddos that just won't sit still. I've got a few ideas for how you can get some pretty adorable pictures even amidst the Christmas hustle and bustle, but point #1 is what you need first if you are going to get those Christmas-y pictures you might envision.
1. Know your camera.
The thing about owning a DSLR is that it really is no better than a point-and-shoot camera unless you learn how to get off auto. Do you want that beautiful background blur in your Christmas photos? Do you want to capture the Christmas lights twinkling in the dark? Do you just not want the flurry of present-opening to result in a bunch of blurred photos? Then you need to know how to use your DSLR camera.
I bought my DSLR already knowing it was going to take a lot of trial and error to figure out how to manipulate the settings to get the pictures I wanted, but I am really excited to share a resource with you that I really think will help you figure it out faster!
Erin from Digital Photography For Moms has launched a photography course called Guided365. It is a monthly subscription course, and each day of the month you will get an email that explains a different photography concept and gives you a prompt to practice your skills. This isn't a list of photo ideas, these prompts focus on techniques that will help you to learn your camera, learn how to get the perfect focus, find the best light, and so many other things!
Erin was sweet enough to let me try out the course, and I've worked through the first couple weeks so far. It really is excellent. She starts out slowly to help beginners get off "auto", but I think people with intermediate skills (like me) can also get a lot out of even the beginning lessons and really hone their technique. Even with just the first couple weeks, which I thought would mostly be review, I was reminded of a couple of bad habits I had fallen into with my photography.
I am so looking forward to working through more of the course, and I hope you check it out! And Black Friday Deal Alert: If you sign up before December 2nd for the year 2017, you will get 50% off your first month subscription! Use the code "Confidence" at checkout! You any cancel or pause your subscription anytime you need to as well, but if you are wanting to learn more about how to use your DSLR, this is the most thorough resource I've found so far!
2. Be aware of the light and plan accordingly.
December is the month of the year with the least light, and low light situations are the trickiest when trying to get good photos. This is when it is really important to know how to use your camera (see the first point), because that will help you know how to pick the right settings to get a good picture...but I'm not going to lie, that doesn't always guarantee those low-light pictures are going to turn out exactly right. So my advice? Plan your picture-taking around daylight hours.
What I mean by that is to try to do as many of those photo-op activities as you can during the day. We usually set up our Christmas tree in the morning or early afternoon because I know we'll get good light from the windows (for you smarties out there - we decorated our tree in two stages this year, at night and in the morning, so I have both day and night pictures in this post! This was kind of an unusual year). I don't try to take Christmas jammie pictures at night - I gather them up in the morning while the light is good. You can't do this with everything you might want to photograph, but when you can, try to think about the light.
3. Think about the details.
Try to notice the little details you want to capture during the Christmas season. Some of my favorite Christmas time pictures are of little things, like my son's little hands wrapped around a hot chocolate mug, my daughter's face when she is concentrating on decorating a Christmas cookie perfectly, my littlest baby on the floor surrounded by ornaments, or the way my two-year-old sticks out his tongue while hanging an ornament (see above).
Think about your favorite moments from Christmas last year, including all the little details that made it cozy, magical, or special. Then I recommend mentally planning how you might be able to capture those details this year in photos - and that way, when the opportunity presents itself, you'll be ready!
On a similar note, don't just take the posed pictures - keep your camera nearby and take the spontaneous photos of those precious little details or moments in time. Let your family interact as normal, but keep your photographer eye ready.
4. Fake It.
I'm about to tell you my little secret of taking pictures of my family. You don't have to take magical, perfect shots right when the action happens. You can fake it.
Sometimes in the rush and hurry of Christmas festivities, I may miss my chance to get a picture that I really wanted to take of the kids. So what do I do? We stage a little reenactment. The kids are used to me by now and think it's fun to see the pictures of themselves, so it's usually not too hard to get them to do something again later so I can take a picture. We took a few tree-decorating pictures this way this year because I wasn't around to take them the first time. I don't know about you, but my kids don't need any cajoling to put more ornaments on the tree.
Is this inauthentic? I don't view it that way because we actually did do these activities in real life, and we enjoyed the activities. Having pictures is wonderful, but sometimes it's important to be in-the-moment with my kids instead of worrying about getting a good picture. This is how I accomplish that and still get whatever shot I wanted. And that leads to my last tip...
I'm about to tell you my little secret of taking pictures of my family. You don't have to take magical, perfect shots right when the action happens. You can fake it.
Sometimes in the rush and hurry of Christmas festivities, I may miss my chance to get a picture that I really wanted to take of the kids. So what do I do? We stage a little reenactment. The kids are used to me by now and think it's fun to see the pictures of themselves, so it's usually not too hard to get them to do something again later so I can take a picture. We took a few tree-decorating pictures this way this year because I wasn't around to take them the first time. I don't know about you, but my kids don't need any cajoling to put more ornaments on the tree.
Is this inauthentic? I don't view it that way because we actually did do these activities in real life, and we enjoyed the activities. Having pictures is wonderful, but sometimes it's important to be in-the-moment with my kids instead of worrying about getting a good picture. This is how I accomplish that and still get whatever shot I wanted. And that leads to my last tip...
5. Remember that it doesn't have to turn out exactly like you envisioned.
I almost always go into a Christmas activity thinking about which photos I want to get and when, but I rarely get the exact photo I was envisioning in my head - but sometimes the photo I end up with ends up being even better. It may not be technically perfect, but it's my family, in that moment. It's us. Everything doesn't always go as planned, complications (or catastrophes) arise, and I think the mark of starting to become a good photographer for your own family is being able to roll with it.
It doesn't have to look perfect. The point is to be fully there, in these moments with your family, and learn how to capture the moments that you can while being flexible enough to let the rest go. Enjoy your family. Enjoy this Christmas with them. Don't make it all about the photo, make it about the memory.
If you are fairly new to your DSLR, or if you have yet to venture out of auto or program mode, don't forget to check out Guided365 and learn how to get the most out of your camera! It will definitely be worth your time!
Do you have a DSLR? Do you shoot in manual or auto? For my fellow mom-photographers, what tips would you add?
My baby girl just turned ten months old and I have to tell you, I am feeling the first birthday party pressure.
There is a lot of pressure to have Pinterest-perfect birthday parties for our kids these days, and it would be a good thing if we all just relaxed a little bit. You know what my favorite birthday party memories were? Decorating with whatever we could find in the cupboard and having relay races with my little group of friends. I think it doesn't have to be big and fancy to be memorable and fun.
Once upon a time I started a photo album, sometime after Wyatt was born. I was a new mom, and I was determined that my child’s every move would be documented and immortalized in our bookshelves (okay, not every move, but close). I took a million pictures and put them into albums, and I thought I would do this for each child.
Then Gwen was born. I haven’t had photos printed since. I am officially three years behind.
A couple weeks ago we had our maternity photo session for Baby #4! I am very pleased with the way they turned out. My dear friend is a photographer, and graciously agreed to take photos for us, and as always she did a fantastic job!
At this point, we have had a lot of maternity shoots (and family photos in general), so I wanted to take this post not only to share our photos with you all, but to share some tips on how you can help ensure that you will love your maternity photos.
Do your research.
I think this is the most important thing to do if you want to end up with maternity photos that you will really like. Search Pinterest, find the photos that jump out at you, and ask yourself the following questions:
-What do you specifically like about these photos?
-What colors/lighting trends do you see in the photos you like?
-What kinds of settings are the photos taken in?
-What are the people wearing in these photos?
-Are there any poses you especially like?
Hopefully as you gather ideas and ask yourself these questions, a common thread will appear. Then your next step is to find a photographer with a similar aesthetic.
Find a photographer with a similar style.
This step was pretty easy for me, because my friend is a photographer who has a style that I love! But for one of our maternity sessions I had to find a different photographer because Danae just had her own sweet baby, so I have some experience with the search too. To find our photographer, I googled "maternity photographer" in my area, and as I searched through the results I was looking for a few specific things:
-Cost?
-How many images you will get from your session, and do you get printing rights?
-Does this photographers style match the style of photos that I like?
For me, it was important that I get a set of images in digital format that I would have a right to reprint and share online (not all photographers offer this), and it was important that the photographer's other work appealed to me and was similar to what I had in mind. Pay attention to the details when picking your photographer!
Pick your clothes carefully.
The first few times we took family photos (especially maternity photos), I was more concerned that whatever clothes I wore made me look as slender as possible. I didn't pay much attention to pattern or colors, aside from making sure we weren't clashing. But as I did a bit more research, I realized that in a lot of ways, the outfits make the photo. Choose your outfits carefully!
-Choose a color scheme. Pay attention to your inspiration photos and figure out if you like bright or subdued colors, and dark or light colors. For me, I figured out that I like our photos best if at least one of us is wearing a lighter color. Then I love to incorporate blue, aqua, or mint to add some color!
-Mix patterns and solids. Patterns can add interest to your photos. If you mix together more than one pattern, just make sure they are dissimilar - like the stripes with the geometric pattern in our photos.
-Reflect your normal style. There is no reason to completely change what you would normally wear, just for photos. Try to find items that will photograph well and are still things that you would actually wear!
-Don't be afraid to wear something more flowy for maternity photos. It took me a while to figure this out, but your clothes for a maternity photo don't have to naturally accentuate your bump all by themselves, because often your photographer will have you put your hands on your belly. So you can hold the fabric under your tummy to define your bump. This opens up a lot more clothing options!
Loosen up.
It can be hard to be yourself with a photographer that you may have never met before. Thankfully you are usually taking pictures with family members, so interact with them like you normally would. Smile, tell inside jokes, laugh, poke their stomach - whatever, just try to keep everyone loose and have fun with it! This is easy for me, because Derek and I (especially Derek) are naturally hams, but even if that's not you, do your best. Your pictures turn out better when there are some natural, candid smiles in there (this is coming straight from my dear photographer's mouth). Your photographer will have more fun with your session too, which is great for building a relationship if you continue with the same photographer after your baby comes.
Choose to love your photos.
I think so often women struggle with negative internal talk about how they look in photos, and it can especially happen when someone is not entirely comfortable with their pregnant body. I'm not saying there are not truly bad pictures that should be trashed (like those ones at Thanksgiving that catch you mid-bite), but most photos, especially ones taken by a professional photographer, are not going to fall into that category. This is how you looked when you were carrying a precious new life - this is you and your baby in this moment. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, and it's not something that can ever be repeated. Quiet that negative self-talk, recognize the beauty of this stage in your life that you have captured in these photos, and love them for that.
What did I miss, guys?
What are your best maternity (or family) photo session tips?
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