I’m the picture taker in the family. Are you? Between my iPhone, DSLR and snappy camera, I always have some device in hand recording precious moments. While this results in gorgeous photographic memories for my husband, daughter and rest of family, it means I’m usually not in the shot unless I beg my husband to take one.
The resulting images are predictable. One toddler who hates being photographed, combined with one husband who hates taking photos, and the photos are usually blurry, forced, or feature one very angry toddler.
I absolutely love photography. One of my biggest joys is in capturing moments for those whom I love. I also would like to be captured in moments too, however. When my daughter is older, I want to be able to hand down images of her childhood with us all enjoying life together, not just pictures of her with everyone else.
I want her to see herself and her mum, smiling, having fun, playing games and goofing around. Just the simple daily lives we lead that are precious to me, but that she won’t remember. So, what’s a mum to do? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and have been working on ways to include myself in the picture in ways that are natural but still telling our story.
1. The selfie
My daughter is 3 and now enjoys a good selfie. While she dislikes having her photo taken as a general rule, she adores when we take selfies together.
2. Little rituals
Our daily family rituals include babyccinos made by Daddy, and ice tea drunk by Mummy.
3. Activity shots
Ask someone to take a photo during a “Mummy & Me” class. Cute shots guaranteed when a certain someone doesn’t notice the camera is on them.
4. My shadow and me
My tiny sidekick loves shadows and is delighted when the sun is in the right spot to throw her shadow long and forward.
5. While you were sleeping
I spend a lot of time strolling my child to sleep when it was the only place she would nap. When she was finally down I would reward myself with a treat, like this delicious ice cream.
6. Toddler portraits
My budding photographer enjoys pointing the camera back at me now. While she is slowly learning technique, the results are so entertaining, and I adore seeing how I look through her eyes.
7. Make them laugh
When I ask my husband to take a photo with me in it now, I try and make a game of it for my toddler to get her over the hating to pose mood. In this one, we were dancing around the room and I pulled her down into a backbend just as my husband snapped the button.
What about you? How do you like to sneak into the picture?
I think this is something most mums struggle with Christine, but don’t realise a lot of the time. This post has reminded me to jump in more photos with my girls x
Thanks Sarah – hope you managed to jump in a photo today with your girls?
I am also the one behind the camera, not because I don’t love being in photos but because it’s something my husband doesn’t usually think of. He lives in the moment where I like to capture it. He is more than happy to take some snaps if I ask but he is not very good (horribly awful actually) he doesn’t zoom, focus, etc.
Lately the only ones I get of me with the kids are selfies (these I am not good at and always cut half my head out) or the husbands or kids taking turns at playing photographer.
My husband doesn’t think about it either – they sound very similar! Good luck with getting better pics. Persistence is the key for me – and good lighting to make the photos better quality. Try for bright light so even an iphone photo turns out well.
Yeah he goes for quantity in hopes that if he takes enough there will be one decent one I can use. Lol
Haha! Well that’s something positive! What about setting up the scene for him and then jumping in so all he has to do is pretty the button? Take all the hard work out of it 😉
Your photos are always amazing Christine. We did a lot of selfies when she was a baby and would stay still, now a lot of them are smudged. I guess thats why I take so many photos of us together when shes asleep because they wont be smudged and I can get myself in the photo too. The majority of photos I take now though are just her or her and daddy. I like the shadow idea, shes really intrigued by her shadow at the moment.
Thank you so much Toni! I forgot about the sleeping photos – probably because my child is such an awful sleeper that I’m too scared to try incase I wake her up 🙂 The shadow idea is fun! Persist – keep yourself in the picture 🙂
This the birth of my last baby when I came very close to dying I realised that I wasn’t leaving many photos of myself behind. Since then I have endevoured to be in lot so of NICE photos, and getting healthy is really helping with that. 🙂
Wow Christina, I didn’t realise you’d been through so much. Really glad you’re ok and you’ve been getting into as many pics as possible – your kids will love seeing them later on, I’m sure.
Oh yes has been a massive journey and very great for blood donors, and skilled medical teams. I was on life support for 5 days, and used all the available blood in my State 134 units of it. It cost over a million dollars to save me. So now taking life by the horns and living as much of it as I can. Loving these tips.
Wow, that’s amazing. I’m so glad to hear you pulled through and are doing ok.
Great tips Christine! Totally beats my passive aggressive plan of getting the husband photography lessons for Christmas (joking!!!… sort of)
Haha! I do like your plan though Joy!
hardly ever in the photos. the only ones with me in it are the selfies with the kids i guess those ones will mean the most. love the whilst you were sleeping ones lol that could have been great. x thanks for sharing with us for sunday brunch xx
Thanks! I have a lot of selfies too – a bit blurry and grainy, but a lot of love behind them.xxx
This is such a good reminder, Christine. I am embarrassed by how few pictures I have with me and the kids. Mainly because I loathe having my photo taken. But that’s not going to capture memories of mum for the kids, now us it?! I need to stop being so self-conscious because it’s not about me!!! x
Thank you Bron! Yes, stop being self-conscious and get in the picture! I’m sure your kids will love looking back at the photos of you and them together later on and think you looked absolutely gorgeous.