Inspired by a friend, I have recently (and for the first time) taken a serious effort to grasp self portraiture. Ummmm well actually the way that sounds is like I am attempting fine art…okay let me rephrase…I am making a serious effort to get IN the picture. I have big goals of being in ALL the pictures this year (ok not ALL but sooooooo many, so very very many!) and though I am just learning the art in the past two weeks I am entirely enthralled and over the top excited by the possibilities!

I am having fun with not so candid pictures like these ones but something else I am doing that is sparking something up in me, is setting up the camera to capture the family doing regular family things (playing, painting, dancing, baking…all the things!) but with me IN THE PICTURE. Present and accounted for. Not just with promises of “yes I was there, I took the picture” no no, you can see it with your own eyes kids…mom was there. Mom was part of it all not just a faint and fuzzy memory.

I am doing this in part for my own entertainment but in the grand scheme, I am doing this for my children. I know, with all of my heart, that one day when they are grown adults they will be so thankful to have these memories and  cold hard evidence that yes, I was there too.

Starting simply enough, as you can see, I decided to practice on myself (booooring!) but then quickly realized that…wait a minute! This is my opportunity to get me some pictures with my kids! and am I ever glad the (ahem, obvious) thought occurred to me because I am in LOVE with these pictures, like…IN. LOVE.

They were all very gracious to oblige me for a few minutes each and I couldn’t be more thankful. I mean….just look! perhaps…just perhaps….I will manage pictures with all three of them together. Imagine for a moment…my husband too..??? no no….lI shouldn’t get ahead of myself….

It just hit me while going through these…each year when I do my (very much loved) mother’s day sessions, I sigh just a little, wishing I could hire myself to get those same loving shots of me with my kids (I tried handing the camera to my husband once…) and now…hey….turns out I CAN!

Oh, there WILL be more. Much much more.