Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Capturing the Beauty, Life, and Emotion in a Photo

In the world of motherhood, I find that it isn't too often you get to slow down and really be in the moment. A moment happens and before you even get to fully process it another moment is happening. It is kind of like running on a treadmill. You run and run and run and time goes by but when you are done you haven't really gotten to far. Still in the same place but many happenings later. I carry my camera everywhere and I have many shots of my children. I have pictures of them extremely excited, sad, mad, hurt, being brats... LOL... you get the point.

Some look at me and ask why? Why do you take a moment to snap a picture during these times. Well, I want to share a little insight into this. While I can state that my son got his knee stuck in a tree when he was climbing. Can you picture that? It made him very upset, and while we were waiting for help, I snapped a picture. Can you feel his emotions at the time? Thirty years from now I can look at that picture and remember the situation and feel the same feeling that were evoked that day.


16Image by Frozen in Time Photographers via Flickr

Or, for instance when my daughter had surgery on her tonsils and adenoids. Can I successfully pull off explaining the look on her face and how she went into the OR with Pee Pas thumb-print on her Mickey so that he would be with her when I could not? I don't think I could throughly describe the emotions in the room or the way she looked at me as they were rolling her away.






Come on, I could tell you that I make some pretty neat cakes for my kids birthdays, but you don't have a visual, right. Is this better?  My son and daughter are Irish twins and because I am insane and still chose(notice the past tense), to provide them each with a special cake, I would end up with two extravagant cakes to make and always finishing them while the party was started. This was the last year I did 2 cakes for their birthday. Now, I buy one and make the other. At least until I can find a willing volunteer to help make them. Any takers???


How about the look on your daughter's face when she bites into the juicy strawberry that she picked herself?




Your son's emotional breakdown when you tell him that his tree toad can not come in the house. LOL Yes he cried for like an hour. He really loved that toad and he still talks about him today.





This is a great photo that I really love. This is my son "riding" his trike with his treasured pillowcase in the back. He wasn't pedaling cause he didn't know how yet but it was a great photo to be treasured forever.



There are so many memories to be had throughout their childhood and some you may not be able to recall as clear. Don't feel ashamed to grab your camera when they first fall off their bike, or are in the hospital. Although I forewarn you to check if they are OK first. Catch that memory and savor it. It gets harder as they get older to capture those moments, but it is easier for them to tell the stories to their own children with some visual reminders. Hey, and you have blackmail photos for the boy/girl friends. LOL!!!


They say a photo is worth a thousand words, well, thanks to my obsession I have acquired a lot of words in just typical photographs of my children.I have shared some memories with you, will you share some with me as well? What memories have you captured to have conversations about in the future? Are they all happy or do you capture it all as a whole. This is life, it is real, and everything is not happy happy joy joy. So, live in the moment of a picture that says way more than any blog post I could write. Enjoy!!


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5 comments:

Jen said...

The photos are excellent, love all of them! Jen

Stimey said...

This is a great post. I love this. I also take a lot of photos when others might not. Raising children isn't all smiles and posed photos. We'll be glad to have the photos that show ALL of growing up when they're older.

Lora said...

You are a great photographer! The photos speak volumes, thank you for sharing them and giving us a glimpse into their everyday lives.

Unknown said...

Beautiful photos! I love to take my camera everywhere too, never know when you are going to have a moment.

Anonymous said...

If it weren't for photographs I definitely would forget about many things from my past. Good for you that you have the foresight to take your camera along at all times!