Who wants to be in my Capturing Joy photo club??? I’ll answer for you, all of you do! One of my goals for 2016 is to share more of my photography love, and I thought this would be a fun way to get others involved, too. Do you remember almost 4 years ago, I shared a post about the importance of moms getting in more pictures with their kids? Well, it’s still a passion of mine, and something that NEEDS to be done more by EVERYONE! {Obviously if you don’t have kids, this applies to be in more pictures with your loved ones: parents, grandparents, nieces, nephews, friends, etc. It’s about a history of YOU!}
The good thing is, that most of us carry around smart phones, and can take a selfie, and that TOTALLY works for this purpose! However, I’m going to help with a bit of creativity beyond the frame filling selfie, with weekly prompts to help you all think outside of the smart phone box. This idea will mostly get executed on social media, on Instagram and Facebook, because I want to see what YOU share, I’m crossing my fingers that MOST of you out there reading this (that want to follow along) are on one of those two platforms! Twitter can also be used, because it’s all about the #hashtag, I just don’t use twitter a whole lot, and might not see it. So are you IN?!? I hope so! Read on…
Let’s talk for a minute about the importance of moms being in pictures.
It’s worth a little conversation. Don’t you want your kids to have tangible lasting memories of you loving on them? Yes, yes you do. Do you think in 20 or 30 years, your kids are going to care what you are wearing, that you haven’t lost the baby weight, or that you’ve got gray hairs? No, no they won’t.
My friend Jessika was telling me the other day this:
My grandmother’s advice when I had my son was that I needed to be sure I was in pictures, no matter how I felt or what I thought about myself/hair/outfit, etc. or I’d regret it and my kids would notice years later “especially when you are gone, they’ll wish you had”. Somehow thinking about it as disadvantaging them made it stick with me.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Don’t you be the one disadvantaging your children…{winky face emoji}
When they are seen or displayed, it boosts the kids self esteem, and they will LOVE being a part of this with you, a prompt to play with the kids!
Ok, so here are the details of the weekly challenge!
- Each weekend, I will share a prompt on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter.
- You then have that full week to use that prompt, and post a picture.
- Make sure you tag me and use the hashtag #CapturingJoyPhotoClub
Instagram:
If you’re on Instagram, just post a picture, tag me, and use the hashtag #CapturingJoyPhotoClub (it’s a tad long, but after the first time typing it in, it will be remembered).
Facebook:
If you are on Facebook, there are 2 things going on:
- I’m going to post a thread on Wednesday nights on my Capturing Joy Facebook Page to urge you to share your images, but you can always post them anytime on your feed. I’d love you to share with your friends about the challenge and invite them to join!
- I started a private facebook page called: Capturing Joy Photo Club that anyone can join, but it’ll be kept closed to discuss all things photography. I’ll have guests come on, and open discussions about everything photography related.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>ASK TO JOIN THE PRIVATE FACEBOOK CLUB<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Of course, you can play on both Facebook and Instagram, as I will (do you ever share from Instagram to Facebook? I do it all the time!)
Questions???
Sometimes, it seem easier to post pictures of ourselves when we let others know that we are a part of a “challenge” not just wanting to show off. Admit it, it’s a fear in sharing pictures…I get it.
Say something like, “I’m joining the @capturingjoyblog weekly photo challenge to get in more pictures with my kids! This week, the prompt was “bubbles” so here is a picture of my kids and I playing with bubbles! #CapturingJoyPhotoClub
If you blame it on a “challenge” people don’t see it as self promoting. And seriously, I like to see MY friends in pictures, not just their kids all the time. Go on and inspire them to get in more pictures with their kids, too!
Here is a sneak peek at the January weekly prompts (I’ll post them each week on social media):
So be thinking this week, and share a picture of you and your kids (or other loved ones) in the kitchen baking, or dinner prepping.
Now, how do you have pictures taken of you and your kids without your arm outstretched??
- Pass your camera off to your spouse, friend, mom, etc. I do it ALL the time (even if they are annoyed)
- Ask a stranger when out in public, I do it all the time!
- Selfie stick–love these bad boys! (affiliate)
- Mini tripod–holds my phone perfect and claws onto other surfaces. Most smart phones now have a timer option.
- Full sized tripod–for SLR cameras, I use the self timer all the time
Try not looking at the camera, be candid! That image above of me and my kids? It was a “posed candid.” My favorite… Â “hey, husband, I’m going to cuddle and hug and laugh with the kids, snap 10 pictures, of us not looking!” They have to be trained…
When you post on Social Media, I promise, I will “like” everything I see (if I don’t like, I didn’t see it), and those that really blow me away will definitely get my comment love, with features on my facebook page.
***I’d love you to share this to get others involved!!! The more you see how others participate, the more you will get ideas!***
If you love Pinterest, and want to see the Photography Inspiration I find, follow this board:
Follow Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke’s board Photography Inspiration on Pinterest.
