Grabbing the camera

I’ve written a post (or two or three) about getting in the pictures!  I think it’s of the highest importance as a parent to not only take as many pictures as you can of your children growing up; but also to get in the picture yourself!  Years from now our children will look back at these images and cherish the memories and the legacy that is left behind by them.

Sometimes though, it’s just so hard to remember to actually grab the camera, especially if you are using a big one that weights the diaper bag down to 10 pounds! It’s an excuse, I know… and a horrible one at that.  Sometimes I just take for granted that I can grab the camera at any time and get a nice photo, so I just forget or say I will get some tomorrow. This has been the case this past month.  After Linc’s cake smash and all the sessions I’ve had in between then and now, I just haven’t had the motivation or the memory to just grab the camera for moments with our little man.  We get so busy playing that the times goes by and it doesn’t happen.  Moments that do happen when I say to myself man where is the camera, just seem to happen so fast and are over by the time I do go grab the camera and attach a lens.  So I’m making myself more accountable over these next few months to have the camera on or around me within reach.

Otherwise I would miss moments like this…

 Right now every object that is “wedgeable” or “duckable” is the perfect opportunity to play peek a boo, or to jump out and scare mommy.  We are soo into this game now where Linc runs and hides or ducks behind a piece of furniture or a doorway and then I yell to him “where’s Linc???  Linc???” and he waits for a good beat then pops up and squeals!  We could play this for HOURS and it never gets old to either one of us.

As much as I can tell you about how wonderful this little game is, it’s just not the same as having his expression captured!  These above all other images (at least in my mind) are the ones that are most special.  Family portraits are great… portraits in general are wonderful!  It’s these small moments though, when my little one is totally engrossed in daily life/daily play that represent who he truly is… and who we truly are!

Looking back at images like these are the ones that truly make my heart swell!  (Like the Grinch!)

There are other moments too that I feel are just as important.  Moments that to many are ones that are best forgotten.  It’s my philosophy that all the moments:  good, bad, scary, ugly, wonderful and all in between, are what honestly and accurately tell our story.

Moments like the ones we are experiencing here in our house quite more often that we did before!  We have entered the “I’m frustrated because I don’t have the words to express myself” temper tantrum phase.  These are incredibly frustrating and funny all at the same time!  It’s so hard for Tuck and I not to laugh sometimes because these growing moments (as I like to call them) can happen at any time, for any reason and then magically vanish as quickly as they came.

I don’t want to just remember the good times or the pretty posed kind in our best outfits.  I want to remember ALL the times.  So I grabbed my camera, yes I am THAT mom!

So funny how that poor pitiful face can turn into such a happy ecstatic one in a mere second!

So in order to remind myself to grab the camera more often, I’m going to join in on a project a bunch of my friends have been doing for a while now called project 52.  It’s a photo a week of random suggestion that I’m going to focus on with my family as the subject, although it will probably end up looking like a lot of little man portraits since Tuck is absolutely against being in front of the camera.

I invite you to join in with me so that you can help keep me accountable!  Try it out… whether you are shooting with a camera that makes your bag 10 pounds heavier or just your cell phone.  Try to capture 1 photo a month that completely sums up your week.

Maybe I will even run a contest with it… what do you guys think?  Who would be up for joining in and posting with me a few of their portraits for a gift card to starbucks?!  I know I’d do it for an excuse to get out to starbies!

In the meantime though… just remember to grab the camera and if you can, get in the picture yourself!