So Many Photos

The days of “real cameras”, disposable cameras, or polaroids have changed! We now have hundreds, even thousands of photos on our phones of everyday events.  Photos of special events, duplicates, ones to delete, ones that are Holiday-Card-worthy. Just about all those photos were taken by… YOU.

If your spouse has even half as many photos, it’s likely the same situation. One member of the family is always missing.

Beyond that, if you are like many moms, you may avoid pictures. Wait till you have your hair done, your make-up on, you lose some weight, or till you are in a more flattering outfit.

The Moments

When it comes to the special occasions, more than likely they are planned, created, and curated by.. YOU!

When it’s your child’s birthday, you are lighting the candle, cutting the cake, reminding them to say thank you to each present.

When it’s Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or Passover, more than likely you are cooking, serving, wrapping, gathering the torn wrapping, clearing tables, cleaning, serving dessert, organizing the family games.

When it’s Halloween, it’s probably you – pulling on the costumes, holding the jacket they don’t want now but will need later, yelling “Don’t walk on their lawn!” and “Did you say Thank you?”

When it’s soccer, or basketball, or dance or piano recital, or high school musical, it’s you with the camera… and the water bottle, the uniform, team snacks, the costume, the flowers. It’s you who captures the big goal or the grand finale video.  You always get the photo of the proud afterglow with the uniform, costume, team, cast, grandma, grandpa… And you were there. That’s why the photos exist.

But you aren’t in them.  In these cases, you probably have on the makeup, you did your hair, you cleaned the house, you put on a nice outfit… but did you even get a photo that you are in? Or if you did, did you get a family photo? Was it a selfie where everyone was a little askew to fit in?

When it comes to selecting a Holiday-card photo or a family photo to frame, how easy is it to find one with everyone in it (unless you are one of those organized people who plans a photographer to complete this task as a professional)?  How much more likely is it that the photo is just of the kids?  How often do you use separate photos for equal representation because you don’t even get photos of all of the kids together and looking presentable simultaneously?

Take the Photo

We can’t always solve this problem for ourselves.  I had a super cute Easter outfit on and did I get a single photo to remember how cute I was? Nope.

We can, however, solve this problem for each other!  I make it a point to, completely unsolicited, make myself the official photographer for friends’ occasions, for stranger’s family vacations alike.

Any time I am at a birthday party, not only do I take the time to get the portrait mode on and get a photo of the birthday kiddo blowing out those candles, but I also yell, “Mom, Dad, siblings!… Get in with Birthday Kid!” I force them into a family photo that may be their only for the year. It’s the photo we never get because mom was about to cut cake and dad was tying up a pinata. I’ll be sure to get it.  I always edit and text the photos later so it’s a frame worthy save without the extra work, because we all already have enough work! Ditto with any kind of party or special occasion a friend is hosting.

When I walk down the street in my vacation-worthy town and see strangers taking awkward selfies, or mom’s taking “family vacation photos” that exclude her, and I am always the one who pipes up, “Here, why don’t I take your photo, so you can all be in it!” Always.

Even when it’s a mom/child duo taking a selfie or a mom focused on capturing her kiddo in front of that historical venue, that local landmark, that gorgeous sunset or skyline, or even just with a drool worthy ice cream cone, I’m always going to offer to take a photo of them together!

At the end of the year, with this in mind, I hope we all give each other a few more bytes of photo storage that include ourselves! The right hair and makeup or not, let’s help each other get the family photos, the mom-photos that are even more proof that we were there than the fact photos were taken at all!

Happy Shutters!

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Gia Ilole
Gia is a native Californian who has lived all over the state from San Diego to Trinity County, plus Washington DC for a short time. She recently relocated to Ventura County with her family to build a compound property together with her sister’s family so that they could always share wardrobes and parenting responsibilities for their 5 combined children at home. Gia graduated from UCSB with a degree in Linguistics (which she thinks entitles her to make up words). It took her just three years, as she was eager to graduate early to go live with her long distance boyfriend and his toddler daughter at the time. That seemed to work out, as the boyfriend got promoted to husband years ago and her step-daughter promoted her to grandmother recently! Gia’s husband is from East Africa and runs their Bed and Breakfast in Tanzania from near and far. Gia is a Human Resources Director who has a major obsession with watermelon and eggnog lattes, depending on the season.

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