Better “Every day” photos to tell your family story

I have a horrible memory.  Like, I can’t even remember what I wore yesterday kind of memory.  So remembering most of my childhood and life in general is out of the question.  I’ve tried to be a good journal keeper throughout my life, but photos are how I piece together my story and remember things from my past.  Words are great.  But photos are how memories come to life.  And unfortunately there aren’t many photos.  Which means there are a lot of holes.  I don’t blame my parents for that.  Back then it wasn’t really an option.  Technology, convenience, and practicality wasn’t near where it is today.

I was looking through old photos in our family albums and I started thinking of all the photos I wish I had.  There are some things I vaguely remember that I wish we had a photo of.  And what about the ones I don’t remember?  And my parents don’t either.  Parts of my story that are just…..gone.

How many times have you said, or heard someone say, “I wish we had a photo of that”?  Sometimes we’re referring to the big moments, or the funny moments, or the crazy moments, but usually it’s the EVERY DAY stuff that we wish was documented.  The stuff that was once a huge part of our day-to-day life and story.

What did my bedroom(s) look like growing up?  What was on my walls?  What was my favorite toy as a child and what did it look like?  What outfit did I insist on wearing over and over and over? What about photos of my Rainbow Brite collection, Pound puppies, Cabbage patch doll, our neighborhood football playbook, our old record player, our steal-the-flag gang, my elementary playground, childhood friends, my bike that carried me everywhere, the dirt hills we spent hours and hours playing in, where I ate all my meals growing up, my baby blanket, the inside of my car as a teenager, my piano teacher….

It’s the every day stuff.  99% of our existence that is a HUGE part of our story.  The every day stuff is what adds together and makes a life.  Makes a story.  Tells WHO we are.  Who our kids are.

I don’t take pictures because I’m passionate about photography.  I take pictures because I’m passionate about the people IN the pictures.  And the stories of their lives.

Over time I’ve learned how powerful a photograph can be.  And over time, my goal has been to tell, without words, who someone is.  Who my children are.  Who our family is.

Photography has become a tool in my life to help me be a more intentional, present, and aware mom.  To appreciate my children more.  To be aware of who they are and who they are becoming.  To document their lives.  The good AND the bad.  And to document my OWN life.  Who I AM.  Because MY story matters too.

Photography has given me more patience.  More love.  More compassion.  More awareness.  And more importantly, more intention to live a purposeful life.

That’s why it’s SO important to me.  The EVERY DAY photos.  The stories.  And why I want to share that gift with other people and help others tell the story of their lives through photos by taking the RIGHT KIND of photos, not just aimlessly taking a lot of photos.

I sat down and spent some time making a list of photos I wish I had.  I weeded through that list and narrowed it down to the every day photos ideas I personally still want, and ones I know my kids will be thankful for one day.

And now I’m sharing those ideas, tips, and tricks with others to help people document the stories of their lives through photographs.

 The EVERY DAY PHOTOS GUIDE. It includes ideas for every day photos to help tell your family stories.  Explanations on what type of photos to take, photo examples of those ideas, and specific photo tips to help you get the best photos possible with the tools and skills you have right now.  Any camera.  Any skill level.

This is a NO stress photography guide.  You can take a photo each day as you read the ideas, or you can dedicate 10 or 20 minutes one day and take several of the photo ideas at once. Or you can just hold on to the ideas in your head and take them as those every day moments happen. It’s up to you.  And you can take them with a dSLR, a point-and-shoot, or a camera phone.  This is not a “take a photo everyday” kind of project.  It’s a “document the everyday moments when those everyday moments happen” kind of project.  I’m trying to help get the ideas in your head and then when those moments happen, you can stop and take the time to document them to tell your story.

This is not just for parents or grandparents.  It’s for anyone looking for ways to better document their story through photographs.  Yes, some of the ideas will be geared towards documenting our kids lives, but this is as much about documenting our own story as it is about documenting kids and spouses.  And there will be ideas for younger kids as well as older kids.

The eBook is now available!  You’ll definitely want to check it out if you have a desire to capture the stories of your family through photos.

 

I  also recommend you read some interviews from some AMAZING people (people you may have heard of–still can’t believe they said yes to this) sharing their stories, photos, and why “every day” photos matter to them.  Just click on their name to read their interviews.

Chris Jones from Mitchell’s Journey.

Becky Higgins with Project Life.

Natalie Norton

Chari Pack with Persnickety Prints.

Courtney Slazinik with Click it up a Notch.

 

And check out all the details to get YOUR copy of the Every Day Photos Guide eBook!  Tons of ideas!  Tons of tips.  Your story deserves to be told.

For more photography ideas, tips, inspiration, health ideas, and just plain old GOOD STUFF, you can follow me on Instagram here (or search @ltross) , Pinterest here, or Facebook here!!

You can also click on the “photography” tab in the menu bar above!