Documenting Us
May 30, 2012
I was mama of two. A budding photography business, a booming blog for women – life felt crazy but manageable. I was getting my figure back after baby #2 and though I had my daily complaints, life was… good.
I began to realize that my life is far more about the process, the journey, than it is where I’m headed. The here and now. The diaper changes and bottles, the sessions and endless late night editing. I wanted to capture it. Sure I was shooting my own kids but I was always on the other side. I was documenting them, but who was documenting us?
That’s when I decided it’s time to turn that camera around. My very best friend of decades happens to be a fantastic artist and she graciously came into our home and did just that. Documented us, our life, the beauty in the chaos. We spent a few hours doing just what it is we do! Stories, snack time, trip to Starbucks, the park and bedtime. She simple followed us around and I look back on these images, three years later with such a softness in my heart.
The me of 2009 feels like a completely different person, yet I’m not. I’m me. My kids are my kids. Yet it’s true, we’ve changed and evolved so much, I’m just immensely happy I chose to freeze time that summer evening.
My goal was to do this each year. We made it a few years and then life… happened. I vow though to do it again. To pick up this summer where we left off. I’d encourage you to do the same! Even if it means you ask your sister or best friend to snap iPhone photos of you and your people. It will be worth far more than you can ever imagine.
–
Angie
See more from Everyday Storyteller –Angie Warren here.
