Why Moms Should Always Be In the Photo

Honest moment. A brand asked me for a recent family photo on vacation. I searched and searched. I found photos of Pookah and CDub, lots of photos of Pookah. But not one photo of me and Pookah or all of us as a family. From a vacation of a lifetime. I was crushed. It reminded me that as moms, we are only too happy to point our cameras or phones at our kids. We stop and capture every grin, every milestone and every photo-worthy event. But very rarely are we in those photos.

Why is that?

Sometimes it’s because we just don’t think of it. And other times, it’s for a number of reasons you tell yourself:

• I need to lose weight.
• My hair is a mess.
• I’ve had these yoga pants on for three days.
• There is throw up on my shirt.
• I know I look as tired as I feel.
• Or my reason: I just don’t have time…

Friends, our kids don’t care! Looking back years from now, all they will see is that mom was there. As chief family photo taker, we are often behind the cameras. Documenting our families as they go on vacations, on special events and when we are living our everyday lives.  But most of the time, we are not there. We are not IN the photo. 

It’s time to change that. 

Why Moms Need to Be in the Photo

We were there too

We went to Disney, we were there at graduation, we were there when they took their first step.

You need to document your journey in Motherhood

Motherhood is a beautiful messy journey. One that we can look back on with joy. We not only see our kids grow up and mature, but the same can be said for ourselves. 

You are a member of the family

Yes, YOU. You are not just the one who takes the photo. You vacationed as a family. And went to church as a family. You even went to the store AS A FAMILY. Document it.

Girl, you are Beautiful

Even in the same clothes, you wore yesterday, and with your roots needing to be done, you are beautiful to your kids. They don’t care if you didn’t have makeup on that day. They don’t care if you are 20 pounds overweight. You are beautiful to them, and that’s all that matters.

You want to leave something of you after you are gone.

When you are gone, kids want to be able to look back and SEE you. Not just know that you are behind the camera. For generations to come, leave evidence that you were there. 

Ok but how? How do you get out from behind the camera and into the frame?

3 Tips to Help You Get in the Photo

1. Get a tripod and a  remote:

Your first obstacle to not being in your photo is : who is going to hold the camera? Should you balance it on the table and get on your knees so you fit? No, just invest in a tripod. Any tripod will do! yet. Also, invest in a remote. Most cameras these days come with an app that allows you to use your phone as a remote. No more running back to your child’s side to get in the frame in time resulting in you being sweaty and out of breath. 

2. Hand over your camera:

Husbands, sisters, friends can operate cameras. If you have a fancy DSLR and worry that they don’t know how to set it, set that bad boy to auto and let someone else take the photo. Hand over your camera on vacation. And at the park. Make sure you even do it at your backyard barbecue.  

3. Take a selfie:

Those forward-facing cameras on our phones are perfect for getting in the frame with your kid. You can see yourself and you can see if your kid has a smear of chocolate on his lip( true story).  

When our kids are 30 or 40 or 50 years old, they won’t care that we were overweight. They won’t care that our hair wasn’t perfect that day. But they will have that memory of the two of you together. they will have a photo of the love that shines through your eyes as you look at them. That’s priceless.

So get in the frame friends. Share it on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram and tag me with the hashtag #eyecandyintheframe

GET IN THE FRAME.