#ShowYouWereThere round up

‘Show you were there’ round up (week five)

by with 7 Comments PhotographyShow you were there

April is here.  Which means that my month-long project to get in a photo every day is over.  Which also means that these weekly round ups will be much less about me, and much more about photos shared by other people using #ShowYouWereThere.

Each week from now on I’ll be sharing my favourite photos from the instagram community, along with one photo of myself.  I want to keep some momentum going from my challenge, and I think knowing I’ll be writing this post every week will push me to make sure I do get in a photo every week!

So here we go, these are the photos that have caught my eye and made me smile over on instagram this week:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BST0i7AgcrX/

 

 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSReEMNhqyd/

 

A big thank you to Susie from This is me now, Katy from Hot pink wellingtons, Cath from Passports and Adventures and Sarah from A Mother day for sharing your gorgeous photos with #ShowYouWereThere.

It makes me smile so much when I look at instagram and see people using #ShowYouWereThere, and I really hope you’ll keep joining in with this.

Now for my turn.

I think this is my favourite photo of me from this past week.

Me and my girl, a quick snap taken with the camera set up on the kitchen work surface.  Sometimes I stress about getting in these photos, thinking it’ll take ages to get everything set up, and to get a ‘good’ shot.  In reality though, it doesn’t always have to be stressful.

Sometimes it takes seconds.  

Show you were there round up 5

 

I would absolutely love to see more and more people joining in and getting in more photos with and for their loved ones.  

Please do share your pictures on instagram using #ShowYouWereThere, I love seeing them all and choosing my favourites each week to feature here on my blog.

a month of photos

A month of photos 2017 (#ShowYouWereThere)

by with 12 Comments PersonalPhotographyShow you were there

So that’s it.  We’ve reached the end of March, which means I’ve reached the end of my month-long challenge to get in a photo everyday.  I started the project in 2015, and then did it again last year.  Each time pushing myself to be in a photo every day for the whole month.

I chose March mainly because that’s when Mother’s day is, and this seems like a nice way to celebrate that.  Making sure I exist in photos for my children.

I’m really pleased that I’ve managed to do it again for a third year, and that there’s quite a nice bit of variety in the photos that I got this time round.

So here we go, prepare yourself for a whole bunch of photos of me: 

a month of photos 1

a month of photos 2

a month of photos 3

Every time I do this challenge, I find that is just that, a challenge.

Some days I really struggle with it, trying to find different photos to take, when our daily routine is pretty much the same day after day.  I want to keep things interesting, and not just take the same selfie over and over again.  And honestly, it can be hard work at times to find a new way to get in a photo, or an interesting moment to capture.

Looking back at the photos I’ve got from this month though, I’m really pleased that I pushed through.

It’s interesting though, how different these photos are from the ones I took back in 2015.  That first year the photos were much more ‘real’ I think.  Most days I set the camera up somewhere, started the timer then just jumped in to the scene and captured a real moment.  This year, there are some like that but also a lot more posed portraits and detail shots.  I think I like the mix I have this year, but maybe next year I’ll try and get a few more of those documentary style photos again.

 

#ShowYouWereThere

Now that March is over, I won’t be pushing myself to get in a photo every single day any more, but I will be aiming to do it at least once a week.  I’ve finally properly started a little instagram community aimed at getting more parents to be in more photos.  And I’m really thrilled that it is slowly starting to pick up.

People have been beginning to use #ShowYouWereThere on their photos and I’ve been featuring my 4 favourites from each week in a round up post here on the blog.

Going forward, I want to make sure I have a photo with me in it to share in my round up post too.  It means so much to me that my husband and I both exist in photos for our children.

Will you join me?  

Push yourself to get in more photos with, and for, your loved ones and then share them with me on instagram using #ShowYouWereThere!

 

Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday
me and mine featured

Me and mine – March 2017

by with One Comment PersonalPhotography

I did it, I finally did it!  

After writing last month about how annoyed I get with myself for leaving taking our family photo until the last minute, I made a point this month of taking one when we had the chance.

We were at Brynmill park, just a standard weekend trip out for a scoot around and a breath of fresh air.  It was dry, the sun was even out.

So we set the camera up on a wall and took a quick family photo.

me and mine

I’m so happy we did it!

And I really love that this month’s photo is from the park, because it feels like March has been all about the park!  We’ve not really been to the beach at all this month, choosing instead to pop the scooters in the boot of the car and head to Brynmill park.

I’ve felt really proud watching the children scoot around.  Nerys has got such confidence on her scooter, it’s brilliant.  And Rhys has just tried so hard with his, he’s really perservered with learning how to balance on it and pick up some speed.

The thing that makes me smile about this photo though, is that Steve and I both said afterwards that we didn’t feel self-conscious taking it.  In the past I’ve felt really quite shy about setting the camera up in public and posing for pictures.  I’m not sure why, because so many people do it!  But this month we just went for it, and you know what?  No one batted an eyelid.  Shows how much of our worries are just in our heads!

Now, having moved past that concern, and broken the cycle of leaving family photos until the last minute, what are the chances I can be this organised again in April?  And I wonder if maybe we’ll get a shot of us outside without winter coats and hats on!

 

The Me and Mine Project
living arrows

Living arrows 2017 – 13/52

by with 11 Comments PersonalPhotography

Do you ever have those times when you look at your child and realise they’ve suddenly grown a few inches?!

We had that recently with Rhys.  One day I realised that his school trousers had become ankle-swingers, seemingly overnight.

He really is growing up, this boy.

He’s realising that there is a whole world out there that he can learn about and he is soaking up all the knowledge he can.

He’s been reading about the solar system, and every now and then he’ll excitedly tell me about one of the planets.  He’s just like his dad, storing information away.  His memory is way better than mine!

He’s getting bolder too.  We had another chat the other day about not giving up.  About how some things can be really hard when you first try them, but the important thing is to keep on trying.

living arrows 13

This photo sort of represents that to me.

He was working his way across the climbing wall at the park, and was so determined to do it, even though it was hard.

Even though he fell off several times, he just got back up and tried again.

Those little things, they make you rather proud don’t they!

 

Living Arrows
show you were there featured image

‘Show you were there’ round up (week four)

by with No Comment PhotographyShow you were there

Week four of my month-long challenge to get in a photo every day.  And what a week it’s been!

We actually had some lovely sunny days here in Swansea this week, but have still been stuck in a lot of the time because the children caught another tummy bug.  So most of this week’s photos were taken in the house, and honestly I do find it a big of a struggle when that happens.

I’m pleased with the photos I got in the end though, so maybe I need to just relax a bit rather than stressing about the photos I’m taking!

show you were there

show you were there

show you were there

I quite like how this week’s photos feel ‘real’ to me.  

In a few of them I look tired, and my fringe is on the greasy side, but that’s just the way things are some days!  And I’m happy that I have those moments recorded, those days that aren’t quite picture-perfect.

They show quite an honest version of me and that can only be a good thing.

My favourite photo of the week though, has to be the last one of me and Rhys.  I really am lucky to have a husband who is so good at taking photos!

 

#ShowYouWereThere

On to my round up of my favourite photos that have been shared on instagram using #ShowYouWereThere.

It has made me so happy to log on to instagram and see more photos pop up when I search for my hashtag!  I really love seeing all the parents stepping in front of the camera, and would love to see more of you do it too!

Here are my 4 favourite pictures from the past week:

 

Thank you so much to Kerry from All about a mini Norris, Emma from Free from farmhouse, Cath from Passports and Adventures and Leah from Home family life.  I absolutely loved seeing your photos this week, and hope you’ll carry on sharing your gorgeous photos with me and #ShowYouWereThere.

To all you other parents out there, please do head over to instagram and join in too!

Don't have to show your face to exist in photos

You don’t have to show your face #showyouwerethere

by with 2 Comments ParentingPhotography

If you’ve spent any time on my blog you’ll most likely know that I feel quite strongly about us parents being in more photos.

There are lots of excuses people give for not getting in front of the camera more, but one of the main ones is that they just don’t like the way the look in photos.

I really do get that.  

And while I honestly believe that you should just do it anyway (because your children will just see their wonderful mum and dad in photos, and not the imperfections that you see) I know it’s not always that easy.

So, how about I give you an out.

What if I tell you that you don’t always have to show your face in photos.

You don't have to show your face

 

You can still exist in photos, even if you don’t always show your face in them.

What you can capture instead, are the little details of who you are.  The moments that mean something to you, that capture the parent that you are right now.

 

Like this photo I took last year.  You can’t see my face, but it’s still me.  Wrapped up in a cosy knitted top.  Clutching a mug of coffee.  A mug that I can’t really use now that Rhys is older and can read pretty well – it’s my ‘for fox sake’ mug, that still makes me laugh to myself now.  The little scram on my hand from the metal unit that stores our bird seed.

All those little details make this photo a pretty good representation of the me of last year.

hands holding mug

 

Try looking for those little details about yourself that you can photograph.  Maybe you can hide behind a copy of your favourite book.  Or take a shot from above of the boots you always wear on the school run.

This next picture was taken by my husband, on a walk on the beach.

Again, you can’t see my face but it’s still ME.

On the beach, where we so often go as a family.  In my bright pink wellies, with a little hint of my bright pink jacket showing.  And my jeans.  I’m always in jeans, I don’t think my children ever really see me in anything else!

 

The other thing you can try  is taking photos from your perspective.

Show yourself in photos, by using them to show your view of the world.

Your hand holding your child’s hand.  Or steadying their scooter.

don't show your face

 

You could photograph your hand holding a cup of coffee, with a living room filled with toys in the background.  Your hand as you push your baby’s buggy.  The view you see looking down at all the school bags you’re juggling on the way home from the school run!

There are so many possibilities when  you start thinking about it, and start looking for ways to exist in photos without showing your face.

Now I’m not saying you can get away with this forever.

You really do need to have some photos taken of you that actually show what you look like at some point.  But in the meantime, to ease yourself in, try some of these suggestions!

 

If you do, please share them with me on Instagram using #ShowYouWereThere – I’d love to see them.

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Living arrows 2017 – 12/52

by with 20 Comments PersonalPhotography

We were all set to head out for walk on the beach this Sunday, but woke up to another wet and windy day.

So we went for plan B.  The classic back-up plan of a trip to the local park, when the rain eased up a bit.

We met up with family friends who were in Swansea for the weekend, and it was really lovely.  Their children are almost the same ages as Rhys and Nerys, and while they don’t see each other very often they get on so well when we’re together.

living arrows

This was Nerys on one end of the see saw, with one of the girls on the other end.

She had so much fun, especially as they were pretty evenly matched weight-wise, so they were able to work the see saw by themselves.  Another one of those little milestones I suppose, the first time they don’t need you to help them balance and push up and down!

 

“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth”
Living Arrows