as cliche as it sounds, your baby’s first year will go by in the blink of an eye. as mamas, the thought of our little one growing so quickly begs us to do one thing…grab the camera. we naturally want to remember every moment, every change, every facial expression. it can be a little overwhelming to think about the list of pictures we want to take with our sweet babies during their first year, but there are really only three that you simply must take. everything else is just a beautiful bonus!
need some help photographing your little one? check out my 10 tips for photographing your own newborn.
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Baby’s First Year: 3 Monthly Photos You Must Take
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the goal of taking monthly photos of your little one during your baby’s first year is to document their growth. they just change so much in such a short amount of time and every month our little ones are completely different little humans! to make it easy on yourself, take your baby’s birthdate and circle it every month on your calendar. for example, if your baby was born on the 5th day of the month, put a circle around the 5th day each month on your calendar to remind you to take out your camera to document these three photos.
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1. Your Baby With A Letter Board
this amazing letter board was sent to me by Letterfolk and, let me tell you, it is a must have when documenting your baby’s first year! not only are you taking a photo of your little one, but by incorporating the letter board you are documenting that month’s milestones all in the same photo. i love that these letter boards are interchangeable and can spell out new things every month. you can completely personalize them to say whatever you want, and with the white letters contrasting so nicely to the dark board, the boards photograph so easily and beautifully. not only does the letter board display your baby’s monthly milestones, but it can also be used for other things like birth announcements, motivational quotes, weekly dinner menus, etc.
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2. Your Baby With Onesie Monthly Stickers
i really like using monthly onesie stickers because, honestly, they are just adorable and so very easy. i purchased the floral watercolor stickers by Pinkie Penguin to document my little girl’s first year and it makes for a really easy picture setup. every month, i simply put her in a white onesie, put the corresponding month’s sticker on the front and take her picture. because i want all of my monthly pictures to look the same, i make sure to use the exact same backdrop each month so that the only thing that is different every month is her and how much she is changing. to really document your baby’s growth in a photograph, try placing the same stuffed animal in the picture each month to show how your baby proportionately measures up each month compared to the object.
after all 12 photos are taken, place them in a frame together to display your baby’s first year. i purchased the Pearhead Photo Moments Frame for this photo project.
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3. Your Baby In Your Arms
one of the easiest ways to document your baby’s growth is by getting a photo of you holding them in your arms every month. while the first month will find them cradled so small in your arms, the fifth month will find them bouncing on your hip! and by the end of the first year, they will barely want to be held in your arms and will be on the move. by holding your baby in your arms each month you are providing a reference. in each month’s photo, you are showing just how much your baby is growing and changing simply by showing not only how big they are getting in your arms, but how they are interacting with you as well. this is a great way to create scale in your images, as it will show just how much your baby is growing compared to you each month.
while there are so many photos that you are going to want to take during your baby’s first year, the monthly photos are going to be what really document the developmental, emotional, and physical changes in your baby. having a goal to take at least these three photos every month during your first year will help guarantee that you are not only documenting their growth, but that you are sneaking in some time to grab your camera.
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for most photographers, the act of shooting is the easy part and the editing tends to be the struggle. if you are like me, you take way too many photos and when it comes time to narrow down and select which ones to edit, it can be an overwhelming process. last fall season, while pregnant and utterly exhausted, i photographed 74 families which meant…tons of editing behind the scenes. and while the actual task of editing was easy for me, choosing the photos to edit was more difficult. it became more important than ever for me to become very efficient at quickly choosing the best photos to edit, if only for the sake of time.
through a busy workload, i learned how to not only quickly choose the photos to edit, but to edit them quickly. which, if you think about it, gave myself a pay raise because i found a way to do more in less time. if you find that you are spending too much time editing, check out these 5 tips for choosing good photos to edit to help you spend less time editing and more time photographing.
need some help learning how to edit in lightroom? be sure you read my post How To Learn Lightroom + Photoshop.
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5 Tips For Choosing Good Photos To Edit
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1. Don’t Look At Your Photos For 24 Hours
when i get home from a session or when i finish taking personal photos, i always import them into lightroom right away because i am excited to see how i did. but once i import the photos and take a quick look, i wait 24 hours before actually choosing what photos to edit. why? because it is helpful to step away from the photos and take a break from them. it helps clear my mind so that, when i do look at the photos again, i am looking at them with a fresh pair of eyes. sometimes i am overly critical of myself, especially if the photo session was stressful or if photographing something was harder than i thought. giving myself some time between photographing and editing can really help me look at my photos with a fresh perspective if i allow myself a day or two. when i give myself at least 24 hours away from the photos, i always look at them in a new way when i return to my desk because i am giving myself some time to recharge. maybe it is that old saying, “absence makes the heart grow fonder”?
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2. Choose The Photo That Tells The Story Best
photos are all about storytelling. you are communicating through your images. when you are trying to decide what photos to edit, choose the photo that tells the story the best. maybe it is the dramatic light or the emotion conveyed within the photograph, but whatever it is make sure you choose the photo that really achieves the art of storytelling.
while preparing our nursery for our baby, i noticed that our puppy liked to spend time sleeping in her nursery. every time i walked past the nursery, there he was fast asleep in the empty room. when i brought my camera out to photograph the moment, i photographed him from a variety of angles because each angle told a different story. while the close up portrait of him on the right is darling, it was the doorway photograph on the left that told my story the best. think through what story you are trying to tell with your photograph and choose the photo that achieves your story the best. that is the one you will want to edit.
3. Just Choose the Best One!
i know this sounds obvious, but just choose the best one. sounds easy, right!? choose the photo that requires the least amount of editing, or the one that you nailed the best straight out of camera. discard the overexposed, underexposed or blurry images and focus on the ones that show your best camera work. of course, most photos require a little editing and that’s okay. but if you are stuck between two images, choose the one that you achieved the best in camera because it will require the least amount of editing, which means the final photo will be better since you aren’t messing with pixels too much.
are you shooting in manual mode? did you know that taking control of your camera settings allows you to create the best photographs? if you are struggling with manual mode, check out my post Manual Mode Confused Me, Until I Read This to learn how i finally conquered manual mode and immediately began taking better images.
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4. Use Color Coding In Lightroom
color coding in lightroom was a game changer for me, when it came to culling my images. you can color code your photos in the develop module of lightroom. when i begin looking through my images, i start by going through my lightroom catalog and color coding every image that i like red. after i have made it through all of the images, i immediately delete everything that i didn’t flag red. after that, i go through one more time and down select my images by color coding my very favorite images purple. again, anything that isn’t purple is deleted. from there, i edit the purple images. color coding is a great way of quickly picking your favorites to focus on, while deleting the rest so they don’t distract you. i am a big believer in deleting images that i don’t edit. i don’t keep any unedited images. what’s the point?
5. Choose Quickly
here is the thing. i have been known to sit at my computer and compare two images that are practically the same for an embarrassing amount of time. as artists, we are very critical of both ourselves and our work. while one person may see two images that are exactly the same, they are totally different to us and we struggle with choosing the best one to edit. here is where you need to trust yourself and put a time limit on culling.
once i open my lightroom catalog, i give myself 60 minutes to choose my best images from a session. literally, 60 minutes. putting a time limit on myself prevents me from overthinking the process. it allows me to trust my gut instinct so that i don’t spent too much time comparing and overanalyzing photos. i go through my images very quickly, tagging my favorites using color coding. the quicker i go through the images, the better my editing output becomes because i am placing trust in my creative eye. your eye knows the best. your eye is naturally going to be drawn to the best image because what truly makes a good image is the way it attracts the viewer’s eye. don’t overthink it! go with your gut and trust your artistic eye.
choosing the best images to edit can be a little stressful because it’s personal! as artists, we are emotionally attached to our images and have a hard time deleting them. but, delete! choose your best images, and don’t look back on the ones that didn’t make the cut. whether they didn’t initially catch your eye or your camera skill prevented them from being the best, say goodbye to them and move on. trust me, developing a quick editing routine will not only save you time but it will make you a better photographer as you learn how to critique your images quickly and learn from your technical mistakes.
need help learning how to use all of the amazing buttons in lightroom + photoshop? check out the two books that taught me how to confidently edit in lightroom + photoshop in one month!
please note: be sure to purchase the book that matches your version of software.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 Classroom in a Book
Abode Photoshop CS6 Classroom in a Book
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Thank you so much for this! I couldn’t agree with you more. Taking the photos is so fun. While I do enjoy editing, the culling gets my every time and I end up with a HUGE backup! I love your idea about color coding. I am going to try that. I’ve tried the flagging method, but it just doesn’t work for me. The color coding however I think will stand out much more to me visually. I had no idea that was even there!ReplyCancel
it seemed like the months of waiting for baby to arrive simply took forever. i was so anxious to meet our little baby that i was counting the days, and they went by at a snails pace. but once she was born, my goodness did time start ticking by so incredibly fast. all of a sudden she was born and then she was a week old in a blink of an eye. seeing just how quickly the first week with her passed by, i quickly grew anxious about getting out my camera to document everything about her before she grew even more. being a professional newborn photographer, i felt so confident that i could take beautiful portraits of my daughter and it was the last thing i was worried about. but boy was i surprised when i learned that photographing your own newborn is so much harder than photographing for clients.
the good news is, after a little bit of stress and a lot of photographs later…i have countless photographs of my daughter that i will cherish forever. but i learned a little bit along the way that may help you when you are photographing your own newborn, so be sure to check out my 10 tips below to help make your experience a success!
taking photos of your own kids is a great motivation for you to finally learn manual mode! be sure to check out my post, Manual Mode Confused Me Until I Read This, to learn how i finally conquered M mode!
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10 Tips For Photographing Your Own Newborn
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1. Have A Photo Checklist of What You Want
i am going to tell you right now, organization is going to be your friend here. you are going to be emotional and exhausted after having a baby, so keeping things organized will make it a lot easier for you. before you pick up your camera, make sure you write a list of photos that you want to take. this will not only help to ensure that you don’t miss out on any photos that you really want to take, but it will also give you a sense of direction once you grab your camera. plus, once your baby is ready to be photographed you are going to want to spend all of your time clicking your camera, instead of thinking up pictures that you want to take.
need help deciding what pictures to take of your newborn? check out my 10 Tips For Photographing a Lifestyle Newborn Session to be inspired.
for even more inspiration, check out my newborn portfolio on pinterest to pin some of your favorite images to try with your own newborn.
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2. Don’t Take All Photos In One Day
the best thing about having a new baby is, they are yours! you get to see them every morning and tuck them in every night. knowing this, give yourself a break and the gift of time. because i was used to the pressure of having to take all of my client newborn photos in a two hour period, i was really stressed about getting every single photo that i wanted the moment i picked up my camera. it wasn’t until my husband reminded me that i can take as many pictures as i wanted, anytime i wanted, that i realized i could take my time. while you want to be sure to take as many photos as you can during the first few weeks to capture their newness, be sure you remember that there are many days that make up a 3 week time period and you don’t have to take every photo in one sitting. set your camera down and take breaks.
3. Ask For Help
whether it is asking someone to help you keep your baby calm while you take pictures or handing them the camera so you can get in front of the frame too, be sure to ask for help while you are photographing your own newborn. being a new mama is tiring and, at times, a little overwhelming and others are more than willing to help you out. be sure to accept the help, even if they are simply holding the list of pictures you want to take and are crossing them off as you take them.
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4. Make Sure Your Baby is Fed and Well Rested
remember that you are mama first and photographer second. this means that, in order for you to be behind the camera, you need to make sure your baby is prepared to be independent from you for a short while. making sure your baby is well fed and not overly tired will help to ensure that your baby remains calm while you are taking their pictures. even easier, wait until your little one takes a nap and then take a bunch of photographs of them while they are dreaming away.
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5. Don’t Overdo It
i would never tell someone that they are taking too many photos, but don’t feel like you have to take a million. when my little girl was brand new, i felt so overwhelmed at the thought that i wasn’t getting enough photos of her. my nights were sleepless, which meant my days were full of feedings and napping and not a lot of photo taking. when i was talking to my friend and stunning photographer megan cieloha about how i felt a little scared that i wasn’t getting enough pictures, she told me something that i will remember forever. she said, “it only takes one picture to take you back to that moment.” um, yes. yes, yes, yes. please take as many pictures as you want, but don’t feel that you have to. it only takes one picture to take your memory back to that moment, so as long as you have at least one…you are golden!
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6. Keep Your Camera In Nursery
this was a game changer for me. once i began leaving my camera in the nursery, i started getting more and more photos. let’s be honest, your baby is not always going to be photo ready or in the mood to have the camera in their face. more often than not, they simply want to be cuddled by their mama. but every once in awhile, they are in a happy mood and that is when having your camera handy will be really beneficial. whether it is right as they are waking up from a nap or after a diaper change, grab your camera real quick to take a couple photos and then set it back down to go about your day. remember, any photo is better than none.
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7. Photograph Now, Edit Later
i will be the very first to admit that i currently have 9,129 unedited photos in my daughter’s lightroom catalog right now. but hey, i have the photos. don’t stress about the editing, just get the pictures. you will always have time to edit down the road once your little one blesses you with naps, so for now just focus on the photographing aspect and save the editing for later.
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8. Don’t Forget You
some of my very favorite photographs of when i was a baby include my mother in them. i love those photographs because i can see what she looked like in the days after birth and during her first days as my mama. be sure to get in the frame too. i know, i know…you are tired. trust me, i was exhausted in the photo above. but i wouldn’t trade a million dollars for that photo because it takes me right back to what i was feeling and experiencing during my first few days as her mama. so use this as an excuse to put on some makeup and curl your hair, then get in the photo. better yet, stay just the way you are and capture real true honest moments, makeup-less and all.
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9. Be Patient
it’s going to be okay, mama. there are going to be moments when you get all of your photography gear out, only to have your baby scream and refuse to cooperate. i’ve been there. i even cried about it a little. until my darling husband reminded me, yet again, that there is always tomorrow. be patient with yourself and with your baby. you are both going through a lot of change during the first few weeks, so don’t let photographs add to your stress. set your camera down and try again later. stop when it gets stressful because if you don’t, you will look back on your photographs and associate stress with your pictures. when you look at your pictures, you will remember how stressful it was behind the scenes, and you don’t want that. take a deep breath, take a break, and try again tomorrow.
10. When In Doubt, Hire Someone
if i were to do one thing different, i would hire someone to take my newborn photos. not because i don’t have faith in my photography, but to minimize the stress and pressure i felt to take them during those first weeks when i was so darn tired. listen, you are going to be in survival mode and may not have a desire to pick up your camera. instead, you are probably going to want to spend your free time napping or showering. so hire someone. hire someone to take those initial newborn photographs that capture their newness so that you have those photos. once you have those, any photos you take in addition to that is cake! don’t feel like you have to do it all. your job is to be mommy, so it’s okay to let someone else be the photographer this time.
photographing your own newborn can be a little overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be if you keep these ten tips in mind. just remember, you don’t need to take a million photographs to remember how you felt during those first weeks with your baby. make time to pick up your camera when you can, but more importantly, enjoy every moment with your little one because they grow in the blink of an eye. so cliche, i know.
for more tips on how to photograph your own newborn, be sure to check out some of my favorite books that inspire my newborn photography!
Your Baby in Pictures: The New Parents Guide To Photographing Your Baby’s First Year
The Design Aglow Posing Guide For Family Portrait Photography
be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials. it’s free!
need some photography tips + inspiration? check out what posts are trending below!
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I love this! It has been so helpful to me! We just had our fifth baby three months ago, and I tried to do her newborn pictures and it was REALLY STRESSFUL! I’m so glad to see I’m not alone in thinking that. It was stressing me out and keeping me up at night too. I also add these visions of all the shots I wanted to get of her, and of my other children with her, and then all of my other kids got sick and that went out the window. I had to let that go because it was really stressing me out that I couldn’t get the shots I wanted. Plus you are trying to heal yourself and I was taking care of 5 kids on top of that. It’s just a lot of pressure to put on yourself. I just kept saying to my husband that I really wished we had just hired someone. That too would be my advice to other photographers.
By the way I’m obsessed with your work! You are such an inspiration to me! Self doubt and comparison crept in and I kind of gave up my dream of photography a while ago. But looking at your work and having signed up for your emails has given me the confidence that i can do this! I am going to sign up for your 365 challenge too. I’m very excited!
StephanieReplyCancel-
Hello Stephanie! Yes, it is totally stressful and I only have one, not five! Congratulations! Remember, take what you can and edit later. My little one is just now turning three months and I am just now really getting a chance to edit, so don’t stress about editing. Next time around, I will definitely hire someone too. Have fun with the challenge, we are happy to have you joining us!ReplyCancel
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Love this post! I am a new photographer who is 6 months pregnant wondering if it possible to take my own photos. I appreciate the tips and the honesty to say you wish you would have hired someone. Out of the typical shoots during this season being maternity, fresh 48 (in the hospital) and in home new born photos, is the new born photos the only one you would choose to hire someone or is it valuable for hospital photos too? This is my first and I can’t imagine how tired/in pain I really will feel. ReplyCancel
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Hello Taryn! If you are looking to take your own photos, I recommend you check out my eBook “The First Twelve.” It goes over photographing in the hospital, to photographing your baby’s first year milestones, all the way until their first birthday! Here is the link! http://bethadilly.com/the-first-twelve/ReplyCancel
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Letters To My Little One | Three Months Old
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monday, july 18, 2016
hello doll!
oh my gosh, i love you so much. and you, at three months old, is simply the best! you are starting to take on such a sweet personality and are showing us just how beautiful of a little human you are every single day. i am convinced that God gave you to me simply to prove just how beautiful His work can be. you are beautiful, inside and out.
if i could describe your third month with us in one word, i would choose “patience.” you have developed so much patience since month number two and are becoming more and more independent. you can now bounce in your bouncy happily and watch momma make dinner, while you curiously look around and enjoy the clatter of the pots and pans. your curiosity is the sweetest thing, you are always studying faces and toys and respond so sweetly with smiles.
your smiles went from being every once in awhile…to all the time! you are especially happy right when you wake up in the morning or from a nap, and seeing you smile right when i peek into your crib makes my life have meaning. i swear my heart melts more and more every single time i see you smile and it makes me squeal in delight…which makes you smiles even more. you are accompanying those smiles with sweet baby babble and it’s the most darling sound. you have perfected yours g’s and b’s and your ooooh’s and ahhhh’s. only 22 more letters to go, sweet miss! we lovingly bet on whether you will say “mama” or “daddy” first, but other contenders are “starbucks” and “target.”
you are absolutely a lover of the bath and the warm water is something you have come to enjoy. sometimes you fuss when the water turns off, so we take our time during bath so you can enjoy every minute. after months of dry eyes, your very first tear was spotted on june 15th. i quickly kissed it away as soon as i saw it because it broke my heart. very rarely have we seen a tear since, you really are such a happy baby.
and your mommy is such a happy mommy because at just 11 weeks 2 days old, you slept through the night for the very first time! since then you have done it 3 times and we can’t believe what a good little sleeper you are. you have developed such a wonderful schedule already and we laugh because you are a little alarm clock. you are literally asleep by 9:30pm every night and wake at 2:30am on the nose. on the nose! not 2:29, not 2:31…2:30. you are the same way with your morning nap. no matter what time you fall asleep, you will sleep for exactly three hours. i now know that if you fall asleep for your nap at 10:14, i will see your sweet eyes again at 1:14. the type A planner momma in me is thrilled with your amazing schedule. you are just like your parents in that you are so efficient and organized!
watching you wake up is the most darling thing i have ever seen. i live for our mornings together when i pull you into bed with me and watch you wake up. we lay nose to nose and you start smiling at me as soon as you open your eyes. then you start babbling to me and we talk about what you are going to wear and what adventures we should take that day. i wouldn’t trade our mornings for the world, they resemble everything about happiness. when you wake up and clutch onto me, holding me tight, it makes me feel like i am the most important person in the world. it makes me feel beautiful and loved and cherished. it amazes me that such a tiny little girl can make me feel so complete.
and your daddy and i are a dream. your daddy hands me baby things before i need to ask for them, i read his mind and pack the right things in your baby bag as we leave the house…and there was that one day when you surprised us with a little spit up and we literally were tossing and catching burp clothes one-handed before it spoiled your sweet outfit. we’ve got this. someone once told us that we would be an expert with our own baby and it really just worked out that way, as we learn more and more about you every single day. we can even burp you in less than 15 seconds.
we’ve been told we are the sweetest parents to you. but it’s so easy to be because you are just the best little lady. we never dreamed of this type of happiness, this type of love, this type of fun! i told someone the other day how much fun we are having with you and they about went cross-eyed and said, “fun!? with a tiny baby!? as brand new parents!?” yep, fun. we are having so much fun. it’s as if we were meant to be the three of us all along. it’s like life before you, but better. the only change now is a little less sleep from time to time, more laundry, more things in mama’s purse when we head out the door and more shoes in the house…because i have to say your shoe closet is perfection.
if the walls of our home could talk, they would only have the most beautiful things to say. they would tell of the times when daddy turns on country music and dances with you in the kitchen while mommy cooks dinner. of the times when we lay nose to nose and smile at one another. of the times when we stand at the front door in the evening, waiting for daddy to pull into the drive. of the times when we go on morning coffee dates before spending time as a family. of the times when the UPS guy rings the bell and daddy jokes, “i bet it’s more hair bows!” and of the times when mommy can’t help but cry a little because the time is just passing too fast.
so here’s to another month of memories with you, doll. i can’t even wait to see what this next month brings and how much you will change. and i know i am always begging for time to slow down so i can remember ever moment of you being little, but i am also so very excited for every little change i see in you.
we love you so much and can’t wait for another beautiful day that will bring another beautiful adventure.
love, mama
to read more of my mama bee adventures with #babyadilly, check out the posts below!
so many photographers and parents love the idea of photographing their everyday, but they just don’t know how to do it. they are stumped when it comes to finding the inspiration and often find themselves asking, “but what do i take a picture of?” documenting your everyday in photographs is much easier than it seems, you just have to train yourself to be in the right mindset so that you are encouraged to pick up your camera every day. check out these 10 ways to photograph your everyday to help encourage your photography direction when it comes to photographing your daily life.
need help photographing the important moments of your everyday? be sure to read the everyday photograph.
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10 Ways To Photograph Your Everyday
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1. photograph a meal
whether it is breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a yummy snack…practice your food photography as you photograph what is on your plate. it’s also really fun to photograph prepping for a meal, so have fun with just photographing the ingredients too! to learn a little more about food photography, check out what 7 things i learned about food photography where i reveal what ebook will inspire you to pick up your camera every time you make a meal.
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2. get in the frame
instead of just taking pictures of what surrounds you, try to find ways to get in front of the camera. including yourself in your everyday photographs is a great way of bringing your photos to life and create images that others can relate to. photograph what you do every day, whether it is making breakfast for your kids, running errands, or answering email. the possibilities are endless.
having a tripod and a wireless remote makes getting in the frame to capture a self portrait super easy.
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3. keep your camera handy
one of the most important ways to photograph your everyday is by being sure your camera is handy at all times. life is so unpredictable and you never know when a great moment is going to arise, so having your camera nearby will help you capture those unexpected and true moments as they happen. i was so thankful that my camera was on my coffee table so that i could quickly grab it to capture my sleepy puppy just as the sun was shining through the window. had i not had my camera handy, i would have missed the moment or ruined it as i ran to get my camera!
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4. take your camera everywhere with you
capturing your everyday is really easy if you simply get in the habit of bringing your camera along with you whenever you leave the house. whether you are taking the puppy for a walk, heading down the street for some groceries, or are on the road traveling…bring your camera with you and document your travels. having a good camera bag will be really helpful so your gear stays protected, even when you are on the go!
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5. photograph what you are doing in the moment
it’s really as easy as it sounds. if you find yourself wondering “what should i photograph?” simply look to what you are doing at that exact moment and photograph it. yes, sometimes this means arranging things into more flattering positions and getting creative with your composition, but use your current activity as your focus and go with it!
if you need a little more help thinking of ideas of what to photograph, be sure to join in on the bethadilly challenge photography project where i give you daily prompts to inspire your photography. it’s okay to use prompts to inspire your photography because it encourages you to pick up your camera!
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6. photograph daily routines
think about the things that happen every day at your house and photograph them. it’s the daily routines that we really want to look back on and remember because they are the things that make up our life. for me, around 5:00 every day my puppies sit by the front door and wait for my husband to pull into the driveway after work. i love that they do this, so i took the opportunity to photograph it because it is something that i want to remember.
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7. photograph the things that others ignore
look for the unordinary things that most people wouldn’t blink an eye at and photograph them. whether it is a pile of laundry, a more than half eaten pie or petals falling off your flowers…learn to see the beauty in the unordinary things. get creative with your compositions and challenge yourself to make a sink full of dirty dishes or a messy floor full of toys look beautiful. trust me, it is possible.
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8. look for pops of color
one of the most eyecatching ways to photograph your everyday is to let pops of color inspire you to grab your camera. if you take the time to look around, you will notice that our world is full of pops of color. whether you find color in the red stop sign at the end of your street or your child picks out a bright yellow t-shirt to wear that day, use pops of color as an opportunity to grab your camera.
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9. get creative with your compositions
many people think that photographing their every day could be boring because their daily life is full of folding laundry, running a carpool and going to the grocery store. but even though those tasks may seem boring, you can portray them in a more interesting way by getting creative with your composition. think through your camera settings {iso, shutter speed, aperture} and try to incorporate depth of field, leading lines, the rule of thirds, or negative space into your photos when you are photographing so you can create images that are visually interesting instead of boring. getting creative with your compositions is one of the funnest ways to photograph your everyday.
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10. incorporate the seasons
there is nothing more inspiring than the beginning of a new season. there is something so refreshing about it, and it’s a natural change in our lives that we tend to look forward to. take advantage of the seasons and incorporate them into your photos. whether it is seeing the first signs of spring in the green grass on the side of the road or watching the very first snowfall of winter, get your camera out and capture what is special about the current season you are in.
learning to photograph your everyday takes a little practice, and a little thought. but the more you do it, the easier it is. and before you know it, you will find yourself naturally picking up your camera because you are finding inspiration easier and easier every day. there are so many ways to photograph your everyday, you just have to start. now charge your camera battery and keep these to tips for photographing your everyday in mind to inspire you as you photograph what makes up your everyday.
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