How to Capture Family Memories at Home

Well… how is everyone holding up? I know our minds can shift drastically from ok to yeah I’m not so okay, very quickly. Just know, I am thinking of you! It is ok to not feel okay, and you are fully allowed to feel however you want to feel during these times. Everyone processes things differently, so everyone’s emotions will be different too. That is completely okay! There is no right way to feel during this time because let’s be honest it’s a really strange and trying time for so many right now, and their is a lot of ups and downs on the daily. HOWEVER… I do hope, you have something or someone that makes you smile. Even just for a moment. We all need some positivity right now, and something to keep us smiling and our mind from wandering and constantly thinking ‘what if’ - so let’s just pause in this moment and take a deep breath. Let’s be thankful for what we do have and remind ourselves we only have control over our actions and how we get through each day. My constant motto right now is just ‘one day at a time’.

I hope you are safe. I hope you and your loved ones are well. Please stay strong.

I also hope my post can bring you some joy today and something fun to focus on for the next little while. Keep reading, because I promise you it is fun and there is even a little contest to enter!

5 TIPS TO CAPTURING MEMORIES AT HOME

As a Mom of two little ladies, I am constantly photographing them, since they were a few days old - I’ve had the camera on them basically daily. Whether that’s my camera or my iPhone camera, I make sure to get as many memories captured as I can. You must be thinking, well you are a photographer it only makes sense. However, it’s quite funny because not many photographers capture their own family as often - we photograph others, which we absolutely love capturing and creating beautiful images for our clients, but we come home and we edit them, and put our camera away. I try to make an effort to get it out as often as I can, but as a mama, my days are busy as I imagine yours are too. So I have a few tips for you to capture some sweet memories during this time. They aren’t exactly the memories we thought we’d be creating since so many plans have changed, but they are still memories all the same and they deserve to be remembered!

1.) HAVE YOUR CAMERA ON THE SAME FLOOR OF THE HOUSE AS YOU.
This one is very important! Keep it visible so you can easily grab it for photos. It’s easy to grab our phones because we have them on us at all times usually (which is a habit I think we all try and break but fail horribly at… am I right?), however IF you own a DSLR or even a point and shoot then you know it takes better quality images then your phone, grab it. Keep it out so it’s easy to access when your baby sits up for the first time, has their first taste of solid foods, or just laughs with their sibling. Whatever the moment, you’ll have wished you snapped it quickly. Please note: if you only have your phone camera, these rules below apply to you as well.

2.) LOOK FOR THE LIGHT.
If you are up for capturing photos then play in a room that has the brightest light in your house. Backlight is beautiful, but having a window to the side or directly behind you while capturing photos will be your best friend. This will light up your subject matter and give you bright and crisp images.

3.) DON’T OVERTHINK IT.
Don’t worry about what clothes everyone is wearing, photos in pyjamas are just as cute as photos in fancy attire. Especially when you know your toddler is go to have a full on meltdown when you suggest getting them dressed, just let them be. You can capture photos, and practise your techniques, then try again another day in maybe an adorable outfit you’ve wanted a photo of them in for months now. If you are concerned about clutter in the backgrounds then focus on a part of the room that isn’t and use that as your backdrop, you know all those fancy photos us wedding photographers take? Well what you don’t see is the pile of items shoved in a corner or furniture moved to get the bride perfectly standing by the window light. So move all the things to one side if you feel you need to (you know all the other mom’s have done it too!), but besides that - just relax and have fun with it!

4.) LET THEM PLAY.
Let them be little. Just let them read books, craft, sing, dance, play outside, whatever their hearts desire. Grab your camera and just shoot photos. Don’t make them pose. I mean you will for at least one or two, cause that’s the Mom in us. BUT try and resist doing it all the time. The more candid photos the more captures of their personality you’ll have anyways, and who doesn’t want to remember those moments?

5.) SET A TIMER.
Jump in the photo - say what now! You didn’t brush your hair yet? Who cares! You aren’t wearing a bra? What will the neighbours think! You’re still in your pyjamas? OH NO! Honestly, who cares. Let me tell you the honest truth, your kids WON’T care. They will just point at the photo and say ‘mommy’ and that’s all they’ll see, their MOM. Their beautiful, loving, caring Mom who played with them that day with messy hair and baby spit up on her shirt. You don’t have anywhere to be anyways, so no need to get all fancy. Your kids will appreciate these photos for so many years to come (speaking from a childhood where I have very little family photos and I so wish I had more, especially of my Dad and I) so please, just jump in those photos. You’ll thank yourself later and so will your kids.

AND….

If you can, make sure to teach your significant other to take a photo. You’ll be the one behind the camera more often, but tell them to snap some photos of you with the kids. I literally just tell my husband whenever now, but because I have done so, he naturally just grabs the camera more often. I know they don’t usually think of it as often as us - but he does appreciate the photos too. There are some nights when our girls are asleep and he’ll be scrolling through his phone of cute photos of them. I know so many Mom’s do that with their phones, but it’s nice to see Dad’s doing it too! We all know time goes by so fast, so it’s completely worth it to have all these memories.

NOW FOR THE FINAL TIP!
If your kids are co-operative and spirits are high that day, everyone seems cheery. Dress up! Yes that’s right! I know, I know… you have no where to go, but you can have fun with it and capture some adorable photos on a self timer with everyone and maybe it’ll just turn out to be your favourite family photo. Use some books to prop up your phone or purchase a little tripod online, or use your other camera and tripod - this will help get everyone in the photo and not just be a selfie. Also, try to do some fun and silly photos - tickle the kids, do funny faces, if you have young children that you can lift them above your head, do so! Sit on the floor in front of the couch, on the couch or even snuggle on the bed in your bedroom. Where ever the most natural light is in your house - work with that space for a photo and remember move furniture if need be. Remove artwork off the wall if you find it too distracting and if you notice it contrasts with your attire. Play around with your setup, and just have fun with your family creating special memories. That’s what it’s all about anyways!

And then send it out as a quarantine postcard to all your family and friends! Could be a really cute keepsake especially for grandparents!

So there you have it! I hope these tips will help you play around with your photo taking skills a little more and also feel comfortable stepping in front of the camera. Scroll through the images below for some inspiration and don’t forget to sign up for my email newsletter for a 10-day thankful photo challenge starting tomorrow, April 21st. There may just be a prize at the end of the 10 days for those who participate (winner will be picked at random). Sign up at the end of this blog post and check your for the email tomorrow for more details (make sure to check your junk mail folder just incase).

I can’t wait to see all the photos you capture!

Xo,
Katie