Hello there, Stefanie here to challenge you to take more photos. I love multi-photo layouts, I love taking pictures from different angles, adding different perspectives because I feel that it gives a fuller story.

Take this layout,

here I have captured our sweet semi-Siamese in two adorable poses. He struggles a bit with the heat and often will twist himself into pretzel shapes to try and cool off in the summer months, when the temperature is just right he lies normal length and when he is cold he curls himself into a tight ball and hides his face. This layout tells the story of a really warm day last Summer, but I could have easily compared and contrasted a really hot day and a middle of Winter day just as easily.

I love taking photos with my phone, people react less to a phone (especially one that is on silent) than they do to a great big DSLR. Ordinary everyday moments, but they can be quite boring and easily overlooked when exciting events occur that are easier to photograph and document. This layout features a wide variety of snaps/photos and the journaling is key to understanding why the photos matter. I do feel that it is important to highlight the real events as well as the ordinary every day, these moments easily slip away and are easily forgotten unless we make and keep records of them. In ten years time when my son will have left home, and maybe have children of his own, I would so enjoy reminiscing about a moment captured in time like this.

School time also features three photos, a close up of my daughter’s face, I just LOVE portraits and faces (other people’s much more than my own), a photo showing the context, the car and the school bags she is weighed down with, as well as the sandwich prep I do every day. Again this ordinary everyday moment has changed through the years. Pre-schoolers desire different snacks and sandwiches than high school children and even though I think I will never forget years and years of making peanut butter and jam sandwiches, when she decides that she wants ham and cheese and I make those for a few months, will I remember this stage? We go through life thinking that the ages and stages never change, until they do and then we may long for just a moment to have that time back again. Looking back fondly with rose tinted glasses at the good memories we have, forgetting the tough times and fights that we endured along the way. I want to capture the good, celebrate life, every day as well as big events and I want to do that with lots of photos and notes along the way. But remember once you have taken the snaps, put the phone down and just enjoy the moment. Live it as well as document it.