Project 26 | Post 23 | Me and Mine

I adore this Me and Mine project.  I am so thankful that every other post in my Project 26 is one.  I take photos of my children often.  I have millions of photos of them.  No lie.  But there just aren't many that include me.  In fact, our last two beach vacations.... there isn't one single photo of ME being there.  We managed to go on vacation TWICE over two years and not get a photo of ME.  Not cool.  But thanks to this project, Little Buddy and Little Lady will have visual proof that I was there.  Really, truly there.

My favorite Finding the Light workshop started back up this fall, and I was getting my shots for that week's assignment.  We were outside and playing, and Little Buddy asked if he could take some pictures.  OF COURSE YOU CAN!!!  I put on my 85mm since we were outside.  I tied my camera strap in a knot, like usual.  Switched it off back button focus.  Turned it off rapid fire shutter (he'll take 123243232 of the same shot if I don't).  Set it on aperture priority. Set the aperture.  Locked the focal point.  Let him go!

I wish I had had my iPhone this day.  He copied everything I had done.  He laid on the ground and shot.  He laid on the slide and shot.  He instructed us.  It was a proud mommy moment.  We had fun.  I'd give anything for some photos of him being a photographer.

What I wasn't prepared for was how GOOD he would do.  I love his little budding artistic eye.  We've never told our children to smile at the camera.  Until the workshop, I'd never instructed them for a photo, period.  I capture what naturally happens - no pretense.  He has no "rules" in his mind about what photography should be.  No "rules" about composition or light or anything.  What he knows is what he sees of what I shoot.  And maybe I'm reading into things, but I see my own influence in his captures.  I just adore these.  Shot on October 11, 2012.



That's the real me, folks.  Not anticipating photos.  Not one bit of photoshopping on me, either.  I resisted the urge to smooth the skin, take away the zits, lessen the eye bags.  This is who I am.  Real me.



What is with all of my pre-pregnancy shirts now being way too short.  I'd never wear this shirt in public.  That right there on the right is why.
















Did Little Buddy not do amazing??? I cannot wait for the day I have a better camera, and I can let both of them free to use the D90 to nurture their artistic sides.

I do not do this project alone.  Next in my group is one of my favorite fellow photographers: Jayme Franklin.  She's a fellow scientist/artist and she takes gorgeous images.  Can't wait to see myself how she captured her Me and Mine.


Little Buddy shot these with my D90  Nikon 85mm f1.8