I have a pretty little photo book on my shelf filled with photos from 2012, one photo for every day of 2012 to be exact. Back then, I was a mom to one beautiful little girl. That was the year she mostly spent as a 2-year-old and became a big sister. Now, we have two littles, a girl and a boy. I’m hoping to have a pair of photo books on the shelf when December wraps up, a his and hers set of 2-year-old cuteness.
I love this age. It’s unpredictable, cute and honest, a little crazy and a little exasperating. Our son is no exception. In fact, he’s a little bit *extra*. Extra everything. Extra smiles, extra loudness, extra cuddly, extra active, extra wild, extra sweet. He’s a double dose, an emotional billboard. He’s changed our lives dramatically, just like his big sister did over 5 years ago. He wears us out and brings so much laughter, joy, and and purpose to our lives.
And this is his year. A photo for every day of 2015, to chronicle his twos, to make sure he and I both have a record to look back on and help us remember the things and places and quirks and moments that make this year special for him and for everyone who loves him. Meet our Josiah, and enjoy a “Cup of Jo” for every day of January.
A few words about my goals for this 365…
- To help me remember… the special things, places, traits, quirks, milestones, changes, moments that define this year and make it special for Jo and for our family. To help me remember his face. They change SO fast.
- To evoke emotion… my own, our family’s, our kids’ when they’re grown, and yours. Being a parent is supremely emotional. I want that to come through in the full range.
- To learn… to take the best photograph I can in ANY given moment, whether or not the light is good, whether or not I feel like it, whether or not I feel like I’ve taken the same photograph a hundred times. To look for the best possible interpretation of any moment and execute its capture with technical skill.
- To create beautiful photographs… mundane or extraordinary, everyday or special day. To end up with an album full of beautiful memories and at least a few real gems I love enough to print and frame.
And some behind-the-scenes, more personal commentary… (for those who really want to know)
There is a temptation with an big project like this to choose to shoot the same photographs in the same convenient spots where I know the light is good. But that’s not real life. And because my goal is firstly preserving memories, because this is *my* personal project, my goal is to make the best of the light that’s available. It’s about challenging myself to do the best I can with what’s available in the moment. I won’t chose to not photograph something special because the light or location or background isn’t ideal. I don’t want to throw away memories! Therefore, I will *not* be photographing my son only in beautiful locations, only during golden hour. It may get ugly. I still want to find the beauty.
There is also a level of vulnerability that is required when you have to share your best photo from any given day, not just your very favorite, very best photos. I want to inspire others. I want to inspire you to do your best and learn. There is beauty in the process of learning. I have always tried to share a personal side of myself to my professional audience. I LOVE photography. I love capturing faces and preserving memories and finding beautiful light and catching the fleeting moment before it’s gone. I am passionate about what I do. It’s my career AND my hobby. I don’t have to be perfect all the time. Neither do you. If I can encourage you to shoot for yourself, to shoot what you love and not be afraid that it doesn’t look like someone else’s interpretation of beauty. If I can inspire you, just a little, to LOVE the process of becoming the best photographer YOU can be, that is a spectacular bonus! Only you can be you. You have something unique to bring to the table. Discover it. Enjoy it. Share it.
Thank you for caring and reading! I hope you enjoy this project. If you are shooting one of your own, I’d love to be able to follow it. Let me know!
~Amanda
To look back at 2012 and see Adela’s 365, follow this link to your {Daily Dose of ‘Dela}. 🙂
