Tips for Documenting Everyday Family Moments

by Jennifer Thayer

When raising a family, it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos. Between working full-time, trips to soccer practice, preparing dinner and endless piles of laundry, it can be difficult to take a step back and live in the moment. Although you always take pictures at birthday parties and family reunions, the truth is that some of the biggest family moments are actually the everyday, ordinary ones. That’s why it is so important to document family time together, so you can look back at those moments for years to come. Here are a few tips for snapping some great photos, regardless of where you are:

Invest in a High-Quality Camera

Now that nearly every cell phone comes equipped with pretty impressive lens, the camera seems to have lost its mojo. While the iPhone will allow you to take a quick snap, nothing can replace having truly great quality photos. Investing in a high-quality digital camera can allow you to take extraordinary photos at some of your family’s biggest milestones. Many of the latest camera models also come equipped with Wi-Fi, so you can easily print your photos directly off the camera, upload them to your computer, or even send them directly to a site like Shutterfly for custom prints.

Don’t be Camera Shy

It’s great to be the one always snapping photos and capturing your family, but it’s important to remember to get in front of the camera every once in a while. While selfie sticks have made this a lot easier, relying solely on that tool can make it difficult to capture the environment around you. Next time you’re on vacation, don’t be afraid to stop someone on the street and ask them to take your photo so that your family photo can be complete.

Recreate Images from Years Past

We all have family traditions like spending Christmas Eve at grandma’s house, or visiting a favorite restaurant for your youngest one’s birthday. If you’re diligent, you can create your very own time lapse through the years. Similar to marking your height on the wall, taking a similar photo at each annual event can help you capture that moment, and later reflect on years’ past. 

Get Candid

While posed family photos have their time and place, it’s important to get some candid as well. These photos give a better look into the entire experience your family is having, rather than just document where they are. Next time you’re visiting a museum or a park, hang back a bit and snap some photos of your kids exploring and interacting with the environment – these are sure to be keepers, even if they aren’t looking right at the camera. What’s more, it will prevent you from hearing “no more pictures, mom!” quite as often.

Keep a Journal + Order Your Photos

Sometimes, even photos can’t capture it all. Journals are a great way to help you remember the small family moments that you might otherwise forget. Spending just a few minutes jotting down some of the highlights of the day can help you look back on certain phases of your family’s life and reminiscence. If you can’t commit to journaling regularly, at the very least make sure you get in some pen time while on vacation – and encourage your kids to do so as well. You’d be surprised what vivid memories those words can later bring back.

Create Your Own Family Photo Book

Rather than printing out the photos individually, or letting the photos sit in your hard-drive, consider ordering a custom professional quality photo book that you can organize by family event or vacation. Plenty of websites now feature simple pre-designed templates you can drag and drop your photos into. With so many sizes, templates, and price options, you can create the perfect coffee table book in no time.

About the Author: Jennifer Thayer is a technology writer from Southern California. She is passionate about exploring new ways technology can be used to make day-to-day tasks easier. Follow her on Twitter

Photo credit: © Lee Ruk