Random thoughts on photography. Sometimes I think about the space that fills a photo. The actual square footage. Whether it be a 4×6 or a 8×10, that is relatively a small area to tell an entire story. And it’s only reflective of one of our senses but in actuality, you are attempting to tie in all your senses into one picture. Photography is a strange beast. Like a mirror. Everyone sees something different. Sometimes you are attempting to capture an emotion. Sometimes to conjure one. Sometimes to build a graphic. Sometimes to hold a precious moment in time. Some photos are meant to be part of something bigger….an accompaniment to the main event. Sometimes photos, when paired together are stronger side by side than their individual parts. Some photos, when paired together create a more offensive scene….or can create a sense of balance that would be missing. I think we are all photographers….memory gatherers of some sort. People say that they aren’t photographers, but I beg to differ. We just don’t always have a print or a file of that particular memory. It’s in our minds. Our hearts. The fondest things in life and the hardest times. The moments that struck us with such force that they are permanently etched in our vault. The things we see clearly in our past, even with open eyes, the moments we save, filed in our emotions, our familiar smells, that sweet tune that makes us remember. We remember…much like a photo…or a series of them…a sequential art of imagery that is engrained in our brain. I remember my first camera. I remember the first photos I ever took. I remember looking at the pictures and knowing that they were merely a slice in the time that I stored away mentally. It’s strange to me to still have those memories – my grandmother’s house, a Christmas tree and a grouping of porcelain dolls, the smell of nut roll and peppermints, my uncle’s smile. It reminds me to take more photos…because the things I remember are the things I take pictures of. Not so that I can access those physical snapshots….but so that I can access the memory of them. One day I want to do a series. A series of series. Of where I live. My favorite town. My children’s shoes. The jobs my hands do. My mother’s face. My father’s posture. My bed. Moments when I cry. Strangers’ everydays. Splashes. Light. Reflections. Doesn’t that sound fun and amazing and just worthy of remembering?! I considered not posting these photos because they aren’t anything in particular. Just a day. Just a strawberry picking adventure with my sister and our six kiddos (with one on the way….her not me!). Cole was in school. The day was very damp and overcast. The strawberry special was pick two get one free. Buckets were given to each little. There were mushy lanes, dirty hands, a lot of “no don’t throw the strawberry! no don’t eat the strawberry!” and it was just plain simple beauty. It’s the kinda day I will remember just simply because of these pictures and a day that could have been forgotten….but I chose my camera 🙂 
Such fun cousin time! I literally just got back from Kroger where I saw your sister with her whole family..I was a little star struck! Like celebrity sighting through you! I would have said something but we were both moms on a mission. Love your posts and reminders to enjoy these little kids while they are little, even when the days and nights can be long!
So beautifully written Katie. I am terrible about bringing out my camera. I need to remind myself to do it more often.
Gorgeous kids, sweet memories, AMAZING strawberries! But my favorite thing… LJ’s boots! I must have his salamander rain boots! Do they come in Women’s size 8??
Beautiful shots. Those berries are huge!
I am in the process of doing a month long series of my four year old’s sock choices because I don’t want to forget this phase. I will if I don’t document it!
http://365project.org/egad/365/2016-05
I think photography is so important!!
Haha! Next time you have to say something! She is so funny and sweet 🙂
xo – kb
Haha! I got those at Target last year and have been WAITING till he could fit in them! He is so happy in those dang boots 🙂
xo – kb
SO CUTE! I love that!
xo – kb
Lovely. We used to pick blueberries from a nice aloe gentleman. He always said he should weigh the children before and after. Lol.
Love it! Such gorgeous memories (and a reminder I really need to do this with my brood!!!) love the red boots, great coordination with the strawberries, I’m impressed 😉
lovely
What camera do you suggest for beginners again? I know you posted it in an old blog but cannot seem to find it! Thank you 🙂
If you are looking for a DSLR that is for beginners and can help you learn how to utilize different lenses – I definitely recommend the Canon Rebel. It’s the one I started with and it’s a great camera for the price!
xo – kb
Hi Katie, I usually hesitate on bringing my kid out when it’s so muddy out there… If I do I end up shouting so they stay away from dirt but thanks for reminding me that it’s the MOMENT that counts! 😀
I still don’t receive bowerpower in my mailbox even after filling in my email a few times in the pop-up. And the pop-up is still there. Do you mind adding my email manually? Thanks!!!!!
Do you know that not only are there ad popups but now you have video ad popups too? Getting really hard to read this blog. I find myself who used to be a daily reading to a once a week at best. I know it maximizes your traffic to have one post per page, but with the constant ad popups, it’s so frustrating…
Your sister has a 4th one on the way? How did I miss that?
These pics are awesome. I took my 6 month old blueberry picking last year, and can’t wait to take him again this year now that he’s more interactive and will love it!
Can you screenshot them and send them to me? There shouldn’t be any popups.
xo – kb
Sure Joan. I will do that!
xo – kb
katie, I love that you stop to appreciate photography for all that is. As a trained photographer(what does that even mean, other than I went to school, haha) but photography is really so much about documenting. There are so many photographers that use their skills for sheer documentation and their artistic views come through in HOW they document. A pretty picture still requires the person to document that moment and thus compose as they choose. good for you for recognizing both the art of documenting but also appreciating the value it has in our recall. as always your children are beautiful 🙂
you are so well spoken! I think that the more I learn about the impact of photography in our lives, the more I love it. If I could go back and do it all over, I would totally take a photography class 🙂
xo – kb
I love this! I think those simple days/activities are always my favorite. I started documenting my evening walks with my daughter (#walkswithcora) and it has now become my favorite thing to photograph ever.