I have this phobia that when my kids are older and they are looking through our family photo albums reminiscing over all of the wonderful adventures we've went on that they will wonder what is missing. Or rather who is missing, I should say.
When I look through all of my family pictures I fawn over the sweet memories. But its just occurred to me recently that I'm not in any of them, physically at least. I'm always the one behind the camera. There is no evidence that I was even there, that I was a part of that particular family moment. All I have are memories, and those fade with time.
Think about it, in 10 years someone could be telling my children that I abandoned them and left them to fend for themselves, and that they have the motherless pictures to prove it! (I'm joking obviously, but I have pretty extreme anxiety, so random things like that often make an appearance in my worrying)
So I got to thinking of what it all symbolizes, my lack of presence in the family photos. I suppose internally I focus on myself quite a bit. However, day by day and most certainly by camera angle, my focus is on my children. And I'm ok with that, because being a mother is really the ultimate definition of who I am, I'm just not the focus anymore, I'm the one behind the scenes, making sure life is always captured for future reminiscing.
So moms, grab a tripod, a ledge, a counter, or a trusty someone to take a picture for you, and step out from behind the lens and join in preserving the memories from an outward angle.
Take a photo of yourself.
Think about it, in 10 years someone could be telling my children that I abandoned them and left them to fend for themselves, and that they have the motherless pictures to prove it! (I'm joking obviously, but I have pretty extreme anxiety, so random things like that often make an appearance in my worrying)
So I got to thinking of what it all symbolizes, my lack of presence in the family photos. I suppose internally I focus on myself quite a bit. However, day by day and most certainly by camera angle, my focus is on my children. And I'm ok with that, because being a mother is really the ultimate definition of who I am, I'm just not the focus anymore, I'm the one behind the scenes, making sure life is always captured for future reminiscing.
So moms, grab a tripod, a ledge, a counter, or a trusty someone to take a picture for you, and step out from behind the lens and join in preserving the memories from an outward angle.
Take a photo of yourself.
xoxo,
AHAHAHAHAHA, guess what I have for my personal blog's post for tomorrow? Practically the same post as this one! :D
ReplyDeleteGreat minds think alike, Amanda!! And I'm so glad you took pictures!!
I totally hear you. I never even stop to think about getting in the picture with the kids. I'm just way too busy chasing them down with the camera. One of my "I promise to do this year" things is to get a family picture...with EVERYONE in it.
ReplyDeleteI'm always behind the camera too and I miss not having some of those earlier memories documented with me in them. I'm glad I at least got the camera out, but I hear ya, I need to be in more of the pics, just to prove I was there. :o)
ReplyDeleteAll my photos are the same way. I keep "meaning to" get some photos of myself and the kids. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDelete