right behind

That's my boy. Racing down a steep hill toward the edge of an even steeper hill, giggling all the way.

I want to give him his space to explore, but it's also my job to keep him safe and (mostly) injury-free. So there I am, following behind but always looking ahead for danger. I'm sure it's a struggle that most parents face. How do we encourage exploration while setting some boundaries? But all we can do is try our best to find the right balance for our individual children.

On this particular day, I was hoping to get a few family photos. You know, the kind where we all stand still and smile at the camera? And while we did manage to get a couple of posed shots, it's this image that makes me smile. I'm so glad my husband snapped this photo when he did because it perfectly symbolizes this stage of our lives. We are watching a baby become a boy and explore his independence, we are just along for the ride.

back to school

In my dreams I oversleep, arrive with bed head and find myself naked in a classroom full of peers. Ah, school. Ah, the innerworkings of our childhood subconscious. In reality, I was the kid eager to organize her school supplies and counted down the days til the first day of school... and the "sweater weather" that arrived soon after.

There is really only one day of the year where I make him pose. It's the obligatory back-to-school mom shot that lives in all of our childhood photo albums and (hopefully) lives in a shoebox somewhere today in this digital age.

There are reasons I don't like posing portraits, they tend to lack personality. And yet for the once-a-year-rule-breaker, I seem to like the ridiculousness of it all. I especially like how he goes along with it, and the result turns out to be more of a non-pose-pose. This of course seems to reflect the energy and butterflies and antics that come on the morning with the first day of school.

What are your childhood memories of school? If you have school age children, what sort of memories are you creating for these milestones? I'll be printing these images and tucking them into our shoebox. Later in life, he'll find them and cringe and remember his own dreams that came with today.

Share some photos with us today and if you have a back-to-schooler be sure to tag it #shuttersisters so we can all revel in this tradition!

weekending by Suzanne Scheve

 

Suzanne Scheve shoots images like this with her Canon Powershot SD1200 digital Elph and spends her weekends chilling out with her daughter, dog and camera. You can find her Suzanne (aka Manchesterlass) on her blog.

Are you chilling out this weekend? Share your weekending shot with us.

My Mug Shot

  

I love it when great things come together. Like coffee and cream. Like tea and honey. Like #mymugshot and #shotofcoffee. It seems that both Kristen Doyle (of Dine and Dish) and myself have a thing for capturing images of our morning mugs. I know there's a lot of you who join us in our passion which is why I am sharing this mug shot for my Best Shot Monday today and why I am giddy to share with you what Kristen and I have cooked up this week.

#mymugshot + #shotofcoffee = #shot4shot

This week is World Immunization Week and we thought we'd put our hastags and our shots of coffee to good use in supporting the new United Nations Foundation's campaign Shot@Life. What's it all about? It's about saving the lifes of children. It's about getting vaccines to the children that need them most. It's about compassion. It's about caring. It's about coming together for a greater good.

We encourage you to use your lenses to bring awareness to Shot@Life: a campaign that wants to put an end to the deaths of children that are caused by preventable diseases.  Your job is easy...to give kids the shot at life they deserve, all you've got to do is get creative, get social and have fun! For all the details on how you can get involved this week, take a peek on my blog or on Kristen's.

Oh, and we did say fun, didn't we? Take a look at the super-fun prizes we're giving away in exchange for your submissions to #shot4shot. We are so thankful for this stellar group of supporters!

1. Big Picture Classes is offering away a complimentary spot in my next photo workshop Picture Black & White. And by the way, 10% of your registration fee goes directly to Shot@Life! So even if you don’t win but you register anyway, it’s a win/win. YAY!!
2. We’ve got a limited edition Shot@Life Messenger bag. It’s adorable and awesome.
3. Shutter Sisters is offering up a signed copy of Expressive Photography.
4. Ephiphanie Bags has donated one of their coveted camera bags. Squeee!
5. An awesome Keurig brewing system! Super-yum.
6. Paper Coterie has offered a $100 gift card. Love their stuff.

And... Paper Coterie wants to help us thank all of you who choose to participate by givng every single person who shares a #Shot4Shot image this week a lovely photo journal. What better way to feature your own favorite photograph from the week? You help us spread awareness AND you get a gift. It's just so awesome.

Be sure to tag your images and posts that support Shot at Life this week on all your social platforms with #shot4shot and #vaccineswork.

We can't wait to spend this week with you creating all kinds of goodness.

Share with us today your Best Shot for this fine Monday and let's get this party started! 

the important stuff

I made to-do lists and ordered cakes, balloons and plates for his farmyard party. I cleaned, cooked and prepared for out-of-town guests. But as I planned his first birthday party, I truly wasn't concerned with spending a lot of money or making it "perfect". I just wanted it to be special for him and for his family that loves him so much. The decorations and presents are fun. But when his cousin walked in and showed me the origami farm animals he created for the party, I melted. I couldn't wait to take a picture of these adorable little animals to someday show my little guy what his cousin did for him on his first birthday.

It's a big milestone, although I know there are so many more to come. But we feel so incredibly lucky to have him in our lives.