3 Unique Ways to use Photography to be More Present with your Kids This Summer
Summer time officially marks the entry into what should be slower schedules, but ours tend to quickly become filled with adventures, activities, and vacations galore. Slow is the goal, but sometimes all the ‘adventuring’ with kids in tow can feel a bit frazzling for us grown ups.
Pssstt!! If you’re a photography loving mom, be sure to check out Beryl’s FREE ‘One Ingredient Fix’ photo mini class! Get yourself registered right HERE. In this guided class, she’ll share a key ingredient moms should add into their photo taking recipe books (no matter what camera you’re using) to capture your perfectly imperfect moments.
In the moments where I’m frantically running around the house packing pool bags, picnic lunches, or scheduling playdates with friends I sometimes need a physical reminder to slow down. That’s where my camera comes in.
Picking up a camera is my reminder to stop preparing and planning for our summer adventures and actually presently participate in them too. This summer I want you not only toting along your camera and documenting your visits to the splash pad, museums, ice cream shops, parks, and zoos, but also creating some summer activities where photography is the star of the show.
Here are 3 unique ideas for photography focused fun with your kiddos.
Happy snapping!
1) Shoot from the hip
This is one of my favorite games because the results are sometimes surprising. During this activity you and your kids are not allowed to look through the viewfinder. Hold your camera at hip level, finger on the shutter, and simply shoot. The perspective, light, and focus in these are always so unique and some of my favorite shots are taken in this way. I often surprise myself thinking nothing will turn out when I don’t look through my viewfinder, but something always does. You could even take turns doing this activity with your kids and compare/contrast your results with theirs.
2) Highlight Reel
Take a few moments to run through your childhood photos in your mind. Or pull out old photo albums and take a look through them with your kids. Find a memory or a series of photographs that speak to your heart that you’d like to recreate in a photograph in some way. Then get going with brainstorming how to make that happen. Plan wardrobe, costumes, location, posing, etc. Then have your kids step in as the ‘actors’ for this shoot and create a generational gift that is sure to make your entire family smile.
3) Photo transformations
On those hot and sticky ‘too sweaty for outside’ days, why not cool off indoors and invite your child to try this creative technology based idea. One of the best parts of the photography process is not simply taking the photos but turning them into something amazing once they’re snapped. Kids and parents alike will LOVE the online photo editor and designer PicMonkey where you can apply simple pops of color, effects, stickers, images and text for a truly creative burst. Work together to make make a greeting card, comics, a poster or a photo story.
If you’re looking for some tips and tricks come join me for a FREE ‘One Ingredient Fix’ photo mini class – Get yourself registered right HERE.
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Great article beryl!! Too funny – I’m browsing through Pinterest and this comes up through my feed and I say to mySelf “hey those look like beryl’s feet!” How random is that??? Lol!!!
Love these ideas! I think I’ll try shooting from the hip on our next trip to the park 🙂
Beryl Young, Shawn Ledington Fink 🙂