This is the 5th post in a 31 Day series: Creative Inspiration. Check out all the posts here.
Every month on the 5th of the month I host a FAMILY x 12 Blog Hop. The purpose of the hop is to support each other in taking at least one family photo per month.
(To read the story behind this blog hop, scroll to the bottom of this post.)
Here is my family photo for the month:
Our family takes bike rides just about every weekend. So I thought it was fitting for us to take a family photo with our bikes.
Just before one of our rides, I made sure to remind my husband that I was going to be doing this (hoping he would remind me as well as be mentally prepared for all that a family photo entails) I remembered to bring down the tripod, set the self-timer to take ten photos in a row, and we were done. I ran the tripod back up to the apartment and off we went!
SELF TIMER TRICK
Whenever I use the self timer for a family photo and it is daytime, I turn on the flash so everyone can tell when each photo has been taken (even though it was too bright out and the camera was too far away for the flash to make a difference in the photo). This really keeps the kids' interest and gets them to effortlessly look at the camera. One of our best family portrait sessions, was at the Great Wall when I first discovered this trick. At that time, each time I set off the shutter button, I changed the number of photos the camera would take which kept them interested and engaged. It became a game and they looked straight at the camera with bright smiles on their faces.
THE HABIT OF TAKING A PHOTO EVERY MONTH
Besides the obvious, taking a photo every month helps keep, in the forefront of my mind, the importance of taking informal family photos. This guarantees that I don't forget to take family photos at other important times like graduations or holidays. Or on exciting family vacations (see my blog hop story below).
And as we all know, time is fleeting and we can never have too many photos of our whole family together.
If you want to join us for the blog hop next time - November 5th - please send me an email and I'll email you details along with a reminder email before the end of October! There is a link with my email on the right side of this blog.
To see anything about FAMILY x 12 on my blog, click here.
There's plenty of more family photo INSPIRATION to go. Melissa is next on the blog hop. The rest of the participants are listed below. Be sure to come back here should you get lost along the way. Thanks for stopping by and come back tomorrow for Day 6 of my Creative Inspiration Series.
Melissa http://www.melissagross.blogspot.com <--- Go HERE next.
And watch my 31 Days series for more Fun Family Photo ideas!
STORY BEHIND THE BLOG HOP
The reason I started this hop is because I realized after a trip to Singapore and then a trip to Kyoto, Japan, that I never took a family photo during either amazing trip! How could that happen? Then, I saw a post on Tara Whitney's blog last December that she made a goal to take a family photo once every month in 2010. Her photos were wonderful. Many are just her family hanging around the house. I don't think any of them are formal and posed but they are all very fun. I was so INSPIRED and knew I had to try this. I was lucky that some blog friends wanted to play along. They have guaranteed that I won't forget my goal. And the month when I did forget, I cheated! As long as I take a photo at a time when the month hasn't ended some where in the world, my photo still counts.
Because the most important thing is that we get more family photos. The time that our loved ones are with us is fleeting, so capturing ourselves together as we are now, is priceless.
31 Days of Creative INSPIRATION Series (Links to all posts in the series up until today.)
Day 1: Design Your Own Cupcake
Day 2: Storytelling Sunday
Day 3: Scrapbooking (Week in the Life Album)
Day 4: Everyday Photojournalism (Project 365/Project Life)
Day 5: Family Photo Fun - FAMILY x 12 BLOG HOP
Day 6: Self Timer Madness
Other topics in the works for my 31 Days of Creative Inspiration Series:
Photography - I answer the question, 'How do I know if I should buy a DSLR camera?', Find out who INSPIRES me; Photography Pet Peeves, Family Photo Fun ideas from around the web.
Recipes - my husband's delicious salsa, HealthIER (Yet Still Delicious) Recipes
Scrapbooking - My favorite mini album, 30 minute scrapbook challenge
more Cupcake Ideas, craft ideas...
AND LOTS, LOTS MORE (I'm posting for 31 Days straight, remember?!)
And to find more than 700 other blogs participating in the 31 Days series, go here. There is a huge variety of topics to choose from.
Great photo Margie. I'm glad you remembered to get one with the bikes since that's something y'all do so often! Thanks for hosting the hop.
Posted by: Melissa | October 05, 2011 at 06:30
Love this photo! I plan on getting one of those small tri-pods that can be wrapped around something to have in my bag. (I don't remember the name of the tri-pod, but hopefully this made since.) It's great to capture the little things we do as families that are so easy to miss. Thanks for hosting this blog hop!
Posted by: MonicaB | October 05, 2011 at 08:39
The gorilla pod - does that sound right? I bought one (knock off) at one of the markets here in Beijing for $3, but I havent used it yet.
Posted by: Nihao, Cupcake! by Margie | October 05, 2011 at 09:10
Fantastic photo Margie - I failed again to get a whole family photo - but 3 out of 4 isn't bad. Youngest son now has his own camera so I might make him in charge of next months photo!!
Posted by: Jo | October 05, 2011 at 22:39
You have a good captured.This is a memory that will be forever cherish.
Posted by: Account Deleted | May 04, 2012 at 07:08
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