Why do you take pictures?

I know that we all take them...especially now with iphones and ipods and ipads and the like...

For heavens sake, we even take pictures of our FOOD...

why?

What is the motivation behind it all? 

I"ll tell you what it is for me...it's about relationships...it's about capturing a moment in time...something that someone else can relate to...it's about making sure that I never forget a stage in life or a an expression that will soon be outgrown...it's about making a connection with people whom I care about...

I take at LEAST one picture every day...it helps now with all the technology that we have...but, even without it, I have my camera at the ready...my days go by so fast...I can't remember what I had to eat last Monday for heaven's sake...and I don't want to miss anything...

My longggggggggg awaited 2012 Family Book arrived today...

To say that I was excited is an understatement...OH MY GOODNESS!!!  I have an actual book that compiles all the memories into one spot for the year...I've got my daughter's basketball games, and biking riding skills alongside first days of school and vacations this summer...

 

If ever there was motivation to take those pictures to the next level, it is with this...

My girls and I sat and looked through this thing all afternoon...My crazy, affirmation loving self, even brought the book to the girls' school and begged the secretary to just look through it with me...

Why?  Because again...photography connects me with people...not only with the people in the pictures themselves, but with the people around me who "see the stories" that those pictures tell...

What are your thoughts about picture-taking?  About memory-making?  I know that not everyone is wired like me...but, I would venture to say that most parents have a desire to "hang onto" those moments that go by so quickly...and often, that means slingin' a camera over your shoulder to make sure you get those sweet moments captured for all to see:)

That said, what are y'all doin' with those photos?  Are they still on your hard drive or CF card?  I know that it's a big decision to choose pictures to put on your wall...it's all the enlargements and canvas choices...I get that...

Don't get me wrong..I LOVE taking pictures of families, even though I know that it makes it rough for them to choose which pictures they will use for their home decor...but, what I REALLY love to do, is help parents be able to capture memories for their kids (and for themselves)...

I have some Click It Classes coming up here in the next 2 weeks...just short, simple classes to teach you photoshop...ways to make the photos that you already take, POP...so they can stand alone...so that when you make the time to put those memories all in one place, you can "tell a story" with ease...

Snapshops are going to be scheduled here soon too...for those that want to learn how to "see life through the lens" and then make your camera do what your mind's eye sees:) 

Don't put it off...I've got one going into middle school next year and the other two in elementary...the youngest beginning kindergarten...life isn't going to slow down...it's just going to get faster...

Shoot me an email at ctphotomemories@gmail.com if you have any questions...

I'm going to go sit with my cup of tea now and look at my book again:)  Have a great day!