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{If you missed the post about taking better Every Day photos, go check that out so you understand why I’m posting these interviews}

 

For those of you landing here for the first time, I’ll be posting interviews from some amazing people talking about why every day photos are important to them as well as sharing some of the photos of their “every day”.  All of these people live intentional and deliberate lives and they make an effort to document their days and tell the story of their family through photos.  They’re all the real deal and I’m excited and truly humbled they agreed to do this (they’re busy.  Like, really busy).

You can see the earlier interviews by clicking on their names:

Courtney Slazinik from Click it Up a Notch, Chari Pack from Persnickety prints, Natalie Norton and Becky Higgins.

 

I’m so excited for our last interview.

Chris Jones from Mitchell’s Journey.

I’ve been following Chris for a while on Facebook and Instagram.  His family story is incredible and his love for his family is tangible.  He takes incredible photos and tells amazing stories with the photos he takes.  His photos make you feel something.  Not just see something.  It’s a gift.  His perspective on the importance of photos is incredible and heartbreaking.  If you don’t know about Mitchell or his story, I highly recommend following Chris on his journey to tell his son’s story.  I’m inspired every time he posts!

 

Here’s what Chris has to say about every day photos.

1.  Give me a quick synopsis of your “story”

I am the father of a young boy who, at the age of 3, was diagnosed with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, a catastrophic muscle wasting disease that is fatal.  He passed away on March 2, 2013 at the age of 10.

I began taking photos long before we discovered Mitchell’s diagnosis, but upon learning his life would be cut short, I began to see moments differently.  I stopped taking photos of what things looked like and focused more on capturing what life felt like.

I live in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I have a wife and 4 children and am blessed beyond measure because of them.

2.  Why are every day photos important to you?

Everyday photos are important to me because they capture the substance of life as it truly is.

Looking back, the everyday photos I was once tempted to think were nothing special are really quite special.  Such photos are reminders not only that we lived, but HOW we lived.

 

3.  What is one of your favorite every day photos and why?

This is an impossibly difficult task because every single “everyday photo” is my favorite.  Each of them leave breadcrumbs of the life I lived and the people I loved with all of my heart.  I take over 200,000 everyday photos a year and there are so many to choose from.

 

Here are just a few:

*Nat and Wyatt walking.  I love this photo on so many levels.  It was Mother’s day and after celebrating we went on a family walk.  My youngest son, Wyatt, was in his monkey pajamas holding in his arm the oversized card that was given to his mommy.  The way Natalie looks upon our son with a soft smile and the look of love and admiration on his face brings me to tears every time.  An ordinary moment that is more than ordinary.

*Mitchell was on his Make-a-Wish trip when his legs gave out and he fell on the concrete.  His sister quickly ran to him and began to lift him from the ground.  While this photo reminds me of the tragedy of my son’s condition, it also reminds me of the beauty of spontaneous acts of love and service.  That is what life is all about.

 

*I took a photo of Natalie pushing Mitch on the swing one summer afternoon in our back yard.  This was our life back then.  Simple.  Peaceful.  Though I was tempted to ignore this moment, in my heart, I am so glad I captured it.  It’s an imperfect photo of a perfect moment.

*This was Christmas morning when Wyatt decided to make a fort in a toy box.  This was an every day moment that is every bit awesome.

*When I look at this slightly 0ut-of-focus image of my oldest son, Ethan, I am brought to tears because I am reminded of the sweet soul that he is.  As a young boy he worked so hard to make great crayon drawings.  His tiny hands gripping the crayon and the look of intensity on his face…this was our life.  And I love every image of it.

*My mother and her sister who is struggling with cancer walking down my driveway.  They are fiercely loyal and loving sisters to the end.  An ordinary moment that is not so ordinary.  The way they hold each other makes my heart sing.

 

*This is how little Mitch used to stand as a little boy.  He would reach behind him and clasp his hands or fidget with his shirt.  A treasured breadcrumb of a little boy we adored.  Without this photo, we would have all but forgotten the tenderness of our child.

*This photo ranks among my favorite because of the sheer serendipity of it.  Mitch itching his nose, grandpa helping Ethan climb the fence so he could pee in the background and Natalie giggling in the background.

*The head hospice doctor listening to my son’s failing heart.  Little Mitch would die a few days later.  The look of seriousness on the doctor’s face scared me and I wanted only to freeze time like I could freeze a moment in a photo.  I could not and that broke my heart.

*My dear wife sitting at my son’s place of rest wishing only to hold and love him once more.  Those moments we visit in our minds and wish to visit again in our hearts are never portraits but rather every day moments.  The stuff we took for granted.  Often, the stuff we never photographed.

4.  What type of photos do you wish you had more of from your childhood?

This is such a great question.  Personally, I would trade every single family photo taken in a studio, with hair perfectly primped, necks wrapped in turtlenecks and ugly sweaters and those awful corduroys my mom used to make me wear…..I would trade all of that (every single one) for just one photo of my life as it actually was.

That great American tradition of family portraits is in many ways our greatest American tragedy. We trade the illusion of moments for actual moments.  We stand in front of canopies, under a tree, or in a field next to a vintage chair…color coordinated and dressed in our Sunday best.  Sometimes we mix it up and wear casual clothes–as though we accidentally wore the same matching white t-shirts and jeans.  Those portraits become the storefront of family tradition and they are about as meaningful (at least to me) as a thinly veiled advertisement.

However, the real canopy of life is never staged in a field or in a studio.  The real canopy of life is camouflaged by the ordinary and mundane moments we so often overlook.

When we reminisce on our lives, we don’t say to ourselves or others, “Hey, remember when we stood in that studio or under that tree and took those family photos?”  We don’t say, “Remember that time mom told us to stop and smile in front of the camera?”  We don’t seek those photos out because they are not real and in no way represent our actual lives as we lived them.

I wish I had more photos of me playing in the sand or in mud puddles.  I don’t want to see photos of me smiling into the lens…but rather the look on my face concentrating on the thing I was doing.  I wish I had photos of my mom holding me as a toddler by the window on a summer afternoon…wiping away my tears after scraping my knee.  I wish I had photos of my dad in the garage tinkering with tools or just sitting on the porch reading a magazine.  I wish I had photos of the blanket forts I used to make.  Not just the outside…but the stuff we did inside.  I wish I had photos of the Star Wars bases I made out of shoe boxes and tape.  I wish I had photos of making dinner as a family and those nights we ate scones and had syrup all over our faces.  I wish I had photos of my empty bedroom with toys on the floor and homework on the bed.

I wish I had more photos of my life, unrehearsed.  Ironically, the photos that were taken in the 70s and 80s that may have seemed like accidents back then are more treasured to me than all of the “hey smile for the camera” shots combined.

I want dirt and tears.  Cuddles and cries.  I want to see the life I lived through my childhood eyes.

 

5.  What is one tip or piece of advice you would give to help people take “better” every day photos?

It is precisely the moments you don’t think about capturing that are the most valuable.  If ever you’re tempted to not take a photo because the moment seems ordinary or routine…capture it!

Don’t ask people to stop what they’re doing and smile for your photos.  Take photos like a paparazzi.  And when you’ve taken 100 photos, take 200 more.  Let your knees and stomach be your friend.  Get on the floor and take photos from the angle your children see things.

Whatever you do, don’t capture photos.  Capture moments.  Moments unrehearsed.

 

Thank you SO SO much Chris.  Perfectly put in every way.

You can find Chris and more about his story and the incredible photos he takes here:

Mitchell’s journey on Facebook

Miles for Mitchell on Facebook

Speech by Senator Matheson about Mitchell

Videos on Vimeo

Instagram

 

To learn how to take better every day photos of YOUR family story, check out the EVERY DAY PHOTOS GUIDE.

{If you missed the post about taking better Every Day photos, go check that out so you understand why I’m posting these interviews}

 

For those of you landing here for the first time, I’ll be posting interviews from some amazing people talking about why every day photos are important to them as well as sharing some of the photos of their “every day”.  All of these people live intentional and deliberate lives and they make an effort to document their days and tell the story of their family through photos.  They’re all the real deal and I’m excited and truly humbled they agreed to do this (they’re busy.  Like, really busy).

To read the 3 previous interviews by Courtney Slazinik, Chari Pack, and Natalie Norton, just click on their name.

 

And now, my new friend.

Becky Higgins.

I first learned about Becky when I heard of Project Life and started using it to document our family story because it was the perfect solution for me.  And then she came out with the Project Life app and it was definitely a game changer.  Because I could document my photos with my phone.  In the palm of my hand.  Away from little fingers who like to destroy things.  (I still use the physical product and the app, but it’s nice to have options).

I met Becky in person last November when she was in Utah for the Pinners Conference and put a call out on Instagram for some helpers.  I called my husband home early from work (seriously) and went to meet (and help of course) this woman who built a company from scratch.  She was gracious and kind and I could tell right away she was the kind of person who gets things done.  As was her entire team.  Solid group of people working for that company.  And they’re led by Becky who is truly good to the core.

 

I would like to preface this and point out that all of the photos Becky is sharing today were taken fairly recently with her iPhone 6 plus.  You don’t need a big fancy camera to take every day photos. I also have a 6 plus and the camera in that phone is far better than any point-and-shoot I’ve ever owned and can take some pretty decent photos.  ANY photo is better than NO photo so use what you have.

 

Here’s what Becky had to say about the importance of every day photos in her life.

1.  Give me a quick synopsis of your story.

I’ve been scrapbooking for 20 years and spent a good chunk of that time being creative with my approach to layout design.  I published 9 books on the art of scrapbooking and loved inspiring others along the way.  As my life became fuller and busier, I became less interested in being artistic with my pages and more interested in keeping my process as simple as possible, so that I would actually get more scrapbooking done.  What I really needed in order to simplify my scrapbooking efforts didn’t really exist so I createdProject Life® as a solution to my own problem.  I felt that if it was helpful to me, it would be helpful to others.  Five+ years into this, Project Life can be found in thousands of stores across the world, and it is also available in digital formal.  The Project Life App is revolutionizing the way people scrapbook now, too.  I pretty much love my job.

2.  Why are every day photos important to you?

Birthday parties, holidays and travels are so fun to document which is why people tend to take more pictures of those events.  To me, the everyday moments…the seemingly mundane stuff of life…is really more of a representation of who we are and what we are about.  Stories really have a way of unfolding when we capture glimpses of personality, messes, and ordinary moments.

3.  What is one of your favorite every day photos and why?

This picture that my dad snapped of me and my little brother doing the dishes is magical to me–not only because it represents children working together (what’s not to love about that?)–but because it’s us doing something.  There are plenty of posed pictures of smiling faces looking right at the camera.  I love those too.  But I’m really a sucker for the pictures that show action so you get a stronger sense of real, everyday life.

4.  What type of photos do you wish you had more of from your childhood?

I treasure pictures that demonstrate relationships.  My dad got some great pictures of family interacting with one another (me with my grandma, two of my brothers together, my mom spoon-feeding my brother)…and it makes me crave more pictures like that.

5.  What is one tip or piece of advice you would give to help people take “better” every day photos?

There’s something pretty neat that happens with a unique angle.  Put your camera on the floor, or hold your camera straight above what’s happening and experiment a little with that so you can see those results, and see how you like it.  Also–natural light.  Whenever possible.  Indirect light coming in from a window or an open door can be the prettiest, most flattering light.

THANK YOU Becky.  Becky wears a million hats so I sincerely appreciate her taking time out to do this for me.  She is certainly self-less and dedicated to helping people preserve their memories.

 

You can find Becky on Instagram @beckyhigginsllc

Her website and blog here (really great stuff on there)!

And Facebook.

And you can find the Project Life App in the iTunes store (and they’re working on the Android version–it’s coming).

 

To learn how to take better every day photos of YOUR family story, check out the EVERY DAY PHOTOS GUIDE.

{If you missed the post about taking better Every Day photos, go check that out so you understand why I’m posting these interviews}

 

For those of you landing here for the first time, I’ll be posting interviews from some amazing people talking about why every day photos are important to them as well as sharing some of the photos of their “every day”.  All of these people live intentional and deliberate lives and they make an effort to document their days and tell the story of their family through photos.  They’re all the real deal and I’m excited and truly humbled they agreed to do this (they’re busy.  Like, really busy).

To read earlier interviews by Courtney Slazinik or Chari Pack, click on their name.

 

And now here’s my friend.

Natalie Norton.

I first found Natalie on her blog when her infant son was fighting for his life after contracting whooping cough.  He didn’t survive.  I had just had Carter and he was a hard, HARD baby.  I read Natalie’s blog each day and sobbed and sobbed.  And became grateful for my baby who cried all.the.time.  Because he was here.  And he was alive.  Natalie’s story and strength were a HUGE source of inspiration for me during one of the hardest years of my life.  I later attended Natalie’s first Breathe Intensive and it changed the trajectory of my life.  I have since done some business coaching with her and I now consider her a dear friend.  She’s truly one-of-a-kind with a heart of gold.  And this photo slays me every.single.time I see it.

Here’s what Natalie has to say about every day photos in her life.

1.  Give me a quick synopsis of your “story” 

I’m Natalie.  I’ve got an amazing husband, 7, yes SEVEN, remarkable kids–4 I baked myself, 3 came as unexpected (and miraculous) bonuses and 1 is waiting for me in heaven.  I’ve been a professional photographer just shy of a decade, an author/coach/public speaker since 2010, and a lover of life since forever and ever.  It’s great to meet you!

2.  Why are every day photos important to you?

Every day photos are important to me for the same reason they should be important to each of us:  real life–the stuff that actually matters–is so.very.fleeting.  I know, better than most, that in the end, it’s not going to be the big, “exciting” events that make up life…it’s going to be the moments in between that will come together to create the beautiful tapestry of our lives.  When all is said and done, those are the moments we’ll yearn for.  Those are the moments we’ll never want to forget.

3.  What is one of your favorite every day photos and why?

Somewhere, in the abyss of boxes that live in the basement of my childhood home, there’s an old polaroid of my little brother, Gavin, and I.  We’re about 10 and 6 years old, respectively.  I’m dressed up in my dad’s slacks, suspenders, and cowboy boots, and he is wearing an antique dress that belonged to my maternal grandmother when she was a child.  We’d even curled Gavin’s straw colored hair into ringlets and used lipstick to color both his cheeks and his lips.  The look on both of our faces is priceless; we were completely aware of our hilarity, and boy, were we proud of it.

My brother died unexpectedly in 2007.  I’m grateful every day for memories like these…memories I sincerely don’t believe I’d have if a photo didn’t exist to memorialize them.

4.  What type of photos do you wish you had more of from your childhood?

I’d take ANYTHING I could get my hands on!

When I was very young our family was quite poor.  (Now, that’s a relative term.  To clarify, we spent many years living hand to mouth).  One day, we were at the beach as a family, and a rogue wave came up onto the shore and washed all our beach supplies into the ocean….including the family camera.  It was years before my parents could afford to buy a new one.  I have only hazy memories from those camera-less years.  Each image we do have, whether from a friend or a formal family photo session (of which I can only remember 2 ever taking place), is absolutely priceless.

5.  What is one tip or piece of advice you would give to help people take “better” every day photos?

Stop worrying so much and just take the picture.  Years from now, you’ll care FAR more that the photo actually exists than you will how artistically remarkable it is.  Practical advice?

1.  Turn off the flash.

2.  Say “no” to “Say cheese!”–candid is always best

3.  Pics now, posts later.  Don’t get so caught up in posting images to social media in real time that you miss precious moments as they unfold.  Photograph the moments, yes, but then put the dang phone away and really experience them.

Thank you thank you thank you Natalie!  Natalie’s currently juggling the role of mom to seven kids, two of which are toddler twins.  She has her hands full so I’m extra thankful she was willing to do this!

The best place to find Natalie is on Instagram (@natalienorton).

You can also read her blog here (which I’m begging her to start doing agin).  Regardless, there’s already a ton of great stuff on there.

 

To learn how to take better every day photos of YOUR family story, check out the EVERY DAY PHOTOS GUIDE.

{If you missed the post about taking better Every Day photos, go check that out so you understand why I’m posting these interviews}

 

For those of you landing here for the first time, I’ll be posting interviews from some amazing people talking about why every day photos are important to them as well as sharing some of the photos of their “every day”.  All of these people live intentional and deliberate lives and they make an effort to document their days and tell the story of their family through photos.  They’re all the real deal and I’m excited and truly humbled they agreed to do this (they’re busy.  Like, really busy).

To read the first interview by Courtney Slazinik from Click it Up a Notch, click here.

 

Next up.

Chari Pack from Persnickety Prints. 

I don’t remember how I originally met Chari, but I’m so glad I did.  She started a photo printing business in Orem, Utah and she’s one of the best in the business. I print all my Project Life App 12×12 pages through her.  And I use her for many of my other printing needs.  Amazing quality and amazing customer service.  She also gives a lot of photo tips on her blog and on her Instagram feed (@persnicketyprints)

 

Here’s what Chari has to say about the importance of every day photos in her life.

1.  A quick peek at Chari’s “story” (I got this from her website)

After a long search for high-quality affordable printing, Chari saw a need and created her own; Persnickety prints.  Before founding Persnickety Prints, Chari helped numerous organizations increase their online presence and revenue through her creative services.  Chari’s excellent retail knowledge and expertise comes from over 10 years of service at the retail industry giant, GAP.

When Charis is not working on the next innovative business idea, she is calling a customer about their low-resolution image or driving one of her 3 boys to a soccer game, or racing her mountain bike with her husband, Jon.

2.  Why are every day photos important to you?

Photos have been important to me since I was a child.  I grew up looking through scrapbooks, filming and watching home movies.  I spent hours cutting and pasting scrapbooks together with my mom.

3.  What is one of your favorite every day photos and why?

I’m rarely in photos.  I wish I had more photos with my boys when they were younger.  I’m a tired, swollen mess in this one, but I’m glad I have it.  Their little innocent faces reveal so much of their character.

4.  What type of photos do you wish you had more of from your childhood?

Non-posed photos!  My mom loved taking us to Olan Mills (anyone remember them?) or Kiddie Kandids.  I don’t have many everyday photos–always posed and during an event or vaction.

5.  What is one tip or piece of advice you would give to help people take “better” every day photos?

Capture the good, the bad, and the ugly!  It’s our life story.  We certainly want to remember all of the greatness, but it’s the trials and hard times that will keep us grounded, strong and hopefully influence the generations to come to do the same.

Thanks so much Chari!!  You can check out the Persnickety Prints website and blog for a lot of helpful information and for all your printing needs (they ship for a flat rate!).

 

To learn how to take better every day photos of YOUR family story, check out the EVERY DAY PHOTOS GUIDE.

{If you missed the post about taking better Every Day photos, go check that out so you understand why I’m posting these interviews}

 

For the next five days, I’ll be posting interviews from some amazing people talking about why every day photos are important to them as well as sharing some of the photos of their “every day”.  All of these people live intentional and deliberate lives and they make an effort to document their days and tell the story of their family through photos.  They’re all the real deal and I’m excited and truly humbled they agreed to do this (they’re busy.  Like, really busy).  Check back each day for a new interview from some pretty inspiring people until the launch of the e-mail series on Sunday!!!

 

First up.

Courtney Slazinik from Click it Up a Notch. 

I originally found out about Courtney through Pinterest and have since become a huge fan of her site and was excited to write a guest post for her with some tips for using Instagram.  She is dedicated to helping women take better photos so naturally I’m drawn to her.  Here’s what she has to say about every day photos.

1.  Give me a quick synopsis of your “story”

I have always had a love of photography but it wasn’t until my second daughter was born that things started to really become more serious.  I had been asking for a dSLR for a while but my husband was convinced our “fancy” point-and-shoot was good enough.  About 10 minutes prior to the birth of our second daughter my husband accidentally dropped and broke our camera (don’t worry, my mom had one).  Like any good wife, I used this moment of guilt to get my hands on my first dSLR.

I became obsessed with learning all I could about photography so I could take better photos of my kids.  I soon realized that it wasn’t the camera that made as big of a difference as I thought when I asked a friend with a similar camera why hers looked better than mine.  She was shooting on manual mode.  I switched right away, begged for lessons from her and soon started a Project 365 where you take a photo a day for a year.

That was 5 years ago.  I have since started a photography website where I get to help other women who want to improve their everyday photos, Click It up a Notch.

2.  Why are every day photos important to you?

These are the real moments of our life.  I am guilty of throwing things out of the frame to make it look nicer but more often than not, it is photographing that simple moment that I come to treasure and love.  My kids don’t care if the counters are a mess when they look back at photos.  They just want to see what life was like when they were 2 or 3 years old.  They love looking at old photos which is why I do what I do.

3.  What is one of your favorite every day photos and why?

That is like picking a favorite child.  I have so many everyday photos that I cherish.  Not because they are technically perfect or even portfolio worthy, but because they capture that simple moment of our lives.

4.  What type of photos do you wish you had more of from your childhood?

I wish I had more photos of my mom in them.  Looking back at old albums there are very few pictures of us with our mom.  She is a beautiful woman and I would love to see more of our every day moments with her from when I was a kid.  I now try to hand my camera to my husband or pull out the tripod to capture pictures of me with my kids.  They don’t care if my hair is a mess, I don’t have make up on or I’m wearing the same thing from yesterday.  They just want to look back and see that I was there.

5.  What is one tip or piece of advice you would give to help people take “better” every day photos?

Keep your camera handy.  I keep mine on top of my microwave or on a table in the hallway.  If it isn’t easily accessible than you are going to miss those moments.  Take the pressure off yourself that the light, composition, and environment has to be perfect to snap the photo.  Yes, those things are important and as you learn more about them you learn how to manipulate those situations.  But until then please don’t let those things keep you from picking up your camera and photographing those simple moments.

Thanks so much Courtney!!  And for anyone looking to improve their photography skills, Courtney has an upcoming workshop for beginners you can check out.  I’m sure it will be awesome.

 

To learn how to take better everyday photos of YOUR family story, check out the EVERY DAY PHOTOS GUIDE.