A little while ago, I posted a photo of Teddy and I at the beach while we were on holidays. I shared with everyone that I was at first hesitant to post the photo because I didn’t like how I looked. The out-pour of support and comments from mothers and women all over the world was insane. So many people who sympathised that they had felt the same way. Mothers who said they didn’t even have photos of them with their kids because they were so self-conscious about how they looked.

The image was picked up by both local and international media and the barrage of comments and stories from people was huge.

One woman from America shared her story. She had just lost her two adult sons in an accident only days earlier and she too had felt the same throughout her their childhood and shared that she had barely any photos of her and her children.

 But now it was too late.

She urged all mothers to not worry about how they looked and with her courage to share her story in such a time of pain, reminded us all why it is so important to get in the frame with your family.

You see, photos don’t just act as a tangible good you get to set as your phone background or hang on a wall.

They are memories. They are apart of history that helps put together a story – your story!

Your mind can only store so much. A photo can provoke so much more from a memory than the mind alone would. Furthermore, for generations to come people can live on through their photographs. Something I know is so important to me.

My grandfather, who I was so close to and who passed a few years ago – we have a photo of him from his teenage years and time in the army. This is a young man I never met but get to relive his story through these photographs and my daughters who were too young to remember meeting him can see him, grow up with him and get to know him through those photos!

I know that as mothers, we are always the one behind the lenses. And don’t get me wrong I think all photos are important whether it be of your kids, your husband or the whole family. But make sure you are getting in that frame as much as you can.

I know it might seem impossible when you have a husband about as handy as a drunk octopus with a camera, but I have a few tips to help you!

• Don’t worry about how you look. Just take the photos! It doesn’t have to be one you post online and show the world. But trust me your family doesn’t care, they just want the memory!
• Don’t be afraid to ask! If you’re out and about, on holidays or even just at the park. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to take a snap! Hey, even offer for them if they’d like one for themselves. If I ever see a family at the park taking photos, I ALWAYS ask to take one for them. Pay it forward!
• Make it easy. I have always loved photography and have a number of cameras including a large DSLR. But this isn’t always a handy camera to whip out especially when your out and about. My go-to and most used camera is the Olympus OMD-EM10 Mark III. It is is a mirrorless camera that fits easily in my handbag and is lightweight and super easy to use! Perfect for families too as it has 5-point stabilisation for taking shots on the go.
• Invest in a tripod. I have a small handheld, which is always with me. I also have a large one, used for more staged photos. Don’t be afraid to get it out and take the shot! Don’t worry what anyone else thinks!
• Utilise features like a remote control. The Olympus OMD EM-10 Mark III has built-in WiFi, so you can connect to your phone and use that to take your photos!

I hope that these tips have been helpful! If you had any of those doubts I mentioned earlier, to push them aside and take the photos!! You will never regret it I promise!!