Picture Perfect or Not, Get in Front of the Camera

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Photos with a mother and her family.I have loved photography for as long as I can remember. To me, there is something magical about capturing and, if done well, evoking the mood or spirit of a moment, demonstrating in two-dimensional form some aspect of an individual’s personality or offering a different perspective on a scene.

For whatever reason, I didn’t translate my love and respect for the medium into an active hobby until my second daughter was born. Since then, it has become my frantic attempt to capture, savor, and memorialize every moment of my girls’ little lives.

Because I am always behind the camera, however, I am conspicuously absent from most of my photographs. Recently, I have been reading many posts on the photography blogs about challenging yourself to get in FRONT of the camera. 

Aside from being the family photographer, I know there are many other reasons that mothers especially often shy away from getting in the picture.

  • “All of my pregnancy weight has decided to congregate in my face. Why have just one chin?”
  • “I’m still wearing my pajamas, the ones I have slept in for the past three nights.” 
  • “I haven’t washed my hair in…what day is today?”
  • The bags under my eyes contain all my worldly possessions.” 

Well, like it or not, our little ones aren’t going to remember us nicely made up, hair perfectly done, and dressed to the nines. No, they likely will remember our soft but warm and comforting bodies, our smiles and laughter, and perhaps the whole family wore pajamas all weekend. Here are some tips to get in front of the camera.

1. Pass the Camera to Someone Else

It seems obvious, but go ahead and relinquish control of that camera for a day or event or a few minutes, and let your significant other or a friend shoot away.

2. Take a Selfie

One of my favorite photos, which is not even a technically good picture, is a selfie that I snapped while holding my daughter as she was drinking her milk. Try it while snuggling or cuddling with your little ones. Chances are you will love the result.

3. Take Advantage of the Self-Timer or Remote

I decided a long time ago that I like more natural lifestyle photos, and using the self-timer on my camera or a remote allows me to capture myself interacting with my girls more naturally. So, set up that camera self-timer, pretend it’s not there, and let it do the work for you.

4. Get in the Picture Without Getting in the Picture

If you are not quite ready for the plunge, consider cheating by having only a part of you in the photo. For example, your little one’s fingers wrapped around a strand of your hair or your little one reaching up for you.

In years to come, you will treasure the fact that these memories were captured and the proof that you were there.

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Kara
Kara, her husband, and two little girls M and Z live in the idyllic town of Rowayton. She was born and raised in West Virginia and, although she has lived in the New York metro area for over fifteen years, is a mountaineer forever (Go ‘Eers!). In addition to being a mom to M (born in 2011) and Z (born in 2013), Kara is a full time attorney working in Manhattan and a hobbyist photographer. When not battling Metro North, she enjoys practicing her photography skills, reading the latest best-sellers, trying new recipes for the girls, getting outdoors whether running, hiking or snowshoeing, and competing with her husband for the self-proclaimed title of “Efficiency Expert.” If you can’t find her doing any of these things, she most likely has fallen asleep on the sofa while attempting to watch the latest “must see” movie.

6 COMMENTS

  1. I love this post! I made my husband take photos of Laila and I at the park on Saturday, and they are far from perfect, but they’re so “us”.

    • Jana – That is awesome! I’m so glad that my post encouraged you to do that. I took my own advice and snapped a few selfies with my and little Z too!

  2. Jana – That is awesome. I’m so glad to hear that I encouraged you to do that. I took my own advice and snapped a few recent selfies of me and the little one.

  3. I have to admit- I am hardly in any of my oldest son’s pictures the first year of his life. I did take pictures of him everyday and selfies aren’t really my forte. I am going to make getting in front a priority! Thanks for the inspiration!

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