The Most Important Person Is Missing From Your Photos

In this digital age we moms take a ton of photos. So many that sometimes we find ourselves deleting apps just so that we can squeeze another couple pictures into the camera roll when we get the “Cannot Take A Photo” message on our iPhones. I am constantly uploading to my Instagram account as it is my favourite place to share. I share at least once a day, and simultaneously send them to Flickr, Facebook and Twitter. As a homeschooling mom, I feel that I take even more pictures than the average mom. Well, maybe not as many as the new moms with children under one, but I am a close second. I primarily use photos to document and file all of the learning that we do in our homeschool, as well as the way to remember a great outing, or an especially touching moment. 

Recently, I ordered a canvas from Canvas N Decor. While looking for a picture to print, I could’t help but notice that out of the thousands upon thousands of pictures that I have on Instagram, one person in my family was missing. Me. 

I know that this is the case because I am the photographer of my family. I am always running behind the kids saying, “Just one more… Here, where there is better light.” Sure, I take selfies, what social media influencer doesn’t? But that isn’t the same is it? I really have very few pictures of me with my kids. 

Isn’t that a sad statement? I am with my children literally 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. They are even educated by me, and yet I am in none of the pictures. 

I decided to do an experiment and search for pictures of myself using face recognition software on my computer. When I found a picture of me and my kids, it was usually from a pregnancy photo shoot.  What is even more sad is that most of these pictures were not even of my whole self, but pictures of my children surrounding my full belly. 

I also saw that we would consistently get photos taken of our newborns. However, these were mostly pictures of the baby, and our family as a whole came second. 

I decided right then to do something about it. I arranged a time for Sheri of Road Back Home Photography to come and do a session with our family. She also has young children and so when I explained why I wanted to get my pictures done, she was excited to help me get the photos I wanted. She understood how important it is for me to have some concrete memories of the good times with my kids, for me to cherish for a lifetime. 

We met up on a sunny Sunday morning at a gorgeous location and got some amazing shots. She spent a long time with us to make sure that I would have some beautiful photographs to choose from. She was able to get the kids to cooperate, which I thought was short of a miracle, and they were looking at the camera in almost every one. The kids took that direction from her so well, even when it seemed silly.  Sheri also has a Fine Arts background, and this helped her to get some great pictures that she knew would look amazing on my walls at home. To end the session we played in the playground, and she took some of the best shots of the day. I seriously could not be happier with them. I absolutely love how they all turned out. 

As soon as she sent me the finished product, I instantly printed a bunch and put them directly on my walls. I saved the rest to put on my desktop, personal Facebook page and this blog to show you just how great they really are.

I had such a great experience that Sheri and I talked about offering a special discount for my blog readers. If you are in the Calgary area you can take advantage of the deal below. Just make sure to remember when booking to use the code WITHKIDS. 

I would really like to see your wonderful pictures with YOU in the frame. Please tag me in your pictures on Instagram with the tag @learningfrommykids.

You need to get in the picture. You are just as important as those beautiful babies that you have! 

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