Photo Tip Friday: Get in the frame!

Welcome to the first "Photo Tip Friday!" This will be an ongoing series where I share a little tip or thought about taking pictures of your family. If you like it, feel free to share it and leave comments with your own tips.

Today, let's talk about getting in the frame! This is a bit of a hot topic in the photography world, because as photographers, we're rarely IN the pictures. However, I think it translates equally into the parenting world. Parents who take pictures of their children often aren't actually in those pictures. We get so caught up in taking pictures of their every waking moment, that we forget we're just as important to their story. I'm not talking about "selfies," although those are better than nothing. I'm talking about handing the camera over to your spouse or a friend, a stranger, or setting it up on something and using the self timer. Whatever it takes, get in the picture with your kids once in a while. When they're older, they're definitely going to appreciate seeing what you looked like. (I definitely made fun of my mom's 90s leggings, tunics, and big hair, so I know I've got it coming for me!)

"But," you might say, "I hate the way I look."

Whoa. Stop right there! I get it. I really, really do. I'm sure most of us do, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't get in the frame. Set aside your insecurities for one minute, and do it for them. Find a way to take a picture that makes you feel less self-conscious, like laying on your stomach on your bed with the kids. OR, just take it however the heck you feel like it and remember: no one is forcing you to share it! Print it out, put it in the family album, and look back at it with fondness when you're 75 and wearing a muumuu (or, light gray sweatpants if you're a man). 

Either way, find a way to get in a picture with your kids this week, and then let me know how it went. I'd love to see! (You can see mine, above.)