Take Pictures Of Yourself – It’s Important And I’ll Tell You Why

December 9, 2014

How many of you do this? I take pictures OF my kids all the time! I take pictures of them doing their “thing”, with their friends, by themselves because they’re CUTE and even with their dad . . . but where am I?

I was always the one behind the camera (sometimes I still am). Oh yes, I got some GREAT pictures! However, when I go to look at pictures of my kids when they were little, there are very few pictures of me with them.

I used to be an avid scrapbooker and it hit me one day. I was making a page about myself. It was an assignment. Scrapbookers, like myself, LOVE making pages about the kids, family, fun times. So turn it around. Make a page about myself – something my kids will be able to look at one day and see who I was at that time. Hmmm, I ended up in tears because I just couldn’t find any pictures of me with them. I am a stay-at-home mom. All of my time and energy is spent on my kids, yet, no pictures documenting MY time with them.

So no excuses because nowadays most smart phones and cameras have an option to switch the camera which enables you to take a selfie. Depending on the situation, that will work better than not documenting a special moment at all. So USE that function!

Ok, so maybe you don’t like pictures of yourself? What does that do for you and your family? You are who you are and your kids LOVE you – they don’t care what you look like (at least not until they’re older and can tell you how embarrassed they are to be seen with you). One day, when they are older, those pictures are going to be priceless. This also applies to anyone else in your family that doesn’t want their picture taken (for me, that’s my mom – my kids grandma for goodness sake!).

Think about it yourself. Do you have any pictures of your grandparents? Or pictures of yourself as a baby with your parents? How does it make you feel to look at those pictures?

So here are my tidbits of advice:

1. Take pictures or “selfies” of yourself and you with your friends and family. ASK someone else to take pictures of you so that not all of your pictures are close up.  Now I’m not saying take selfies of yourself everywhere and make your kids and family sick with them. I’m SAYING document those special moments with your kids and family and be in the pictures WITH them – don’t be the one BEHIND the camera!
2. Take pictures with your significant other. I know it always starts out with lots of pictures when you first start dating . . . and then, like everything else when you have a family, it becomes about our kids. Make sure your kids have pictures of their parents too!
3. Whether it’s you or someone special in your life or your kid’s lives, MAKE them let you take their picture (or even 50 to get the right one) so you have evidence of them in your lives. One day, it will mean a whole lot more to your children.

I hope this helps you if you have been stuck in the same pattern that I was in for many years.  Get out of your comfort zone if you have to, it’s worth it.  

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