A few years ago, I was hanging my favorite photographs on a wall gallery I created in our hallway.  My husband walked by, stopped to look at the photos, and as we reminisced about the memories reflected in those photos, he suddenly exclaimed, “Wait, you are not in any of these photos!  I am not ok with that!”  He was right.  He was in a lot of the photos with our boys, skipping rocks, fishing, playing on the beach.  But I was not in any of them.  I was there, but there was no proof I was there!  I was hidden behind the camera.

Suddenly it dawned on me that if I didn’t start including myself in these photos, my boys, even my grandchildren, won’t see me as I looked throughout the years. They won’t see how my appearance changed as I got older.  They won’t see the joy I had during our family adventures. They won’t see the way I interacted with them when they were young.  They may forget I was even at certain events if I am not in any of the photographs, and that would leave a hole on our family’s history.  When time starts to steal their memories of how much I loved them, they would not have the photos to visit and SEE the boundless love I have for them.

Mamas, you know what I am talking about.  We too often find ourselves behind the camera, painstakingly documenting the moments but leaving out a crucial part of the whole picture, ourselves!  Moms must step out from behind the camera and into the picture as part of the family, part of the adventure and part of the memory. Mothers are the heartbeat of the family.  Why take so many photographs of the family without the heart of it all?  You should document the vital role you play for those in the family.  The images with you in them will be the visual diary of the love you poured into the family not only during the extraordinary times, but also in the everyday as well.

 Photos are not only for the living but are also a legacy for those not yet born into this world.  Including yourself in not only the family photographs but also the everyday photographs ensures your children and future generations will know you even if they did not meet you – the way you looked, the way you interacted with your family, the way you smiled and laughed, the color of your hair and so much more.

Photographs give your children and all those who come later the gift of knowing you and remembering you long after you are gone.  If your children are anything like mine, they love flipping through photo albums asking questions about how you used to look, what you used to wear, how you used to hold them and play with them.  I know you mamas, you would give your children anything.  One of the most precious gifts you can give them is the gift of seeing you interact with them throughout the years.  When you are gone and their memories fade, the photographs will help them remember you were there, experiencing it all with them the whole time.

Give yourself the attention and appreciation you deserve.  Seeing yourself in photographs will show you just how wonderful a mother you are!  Seeing yourself as a mother in photographs helps you appreciate the beauty of motherhood and all you accomplished.  So next time you are capturing the smiles and milestones of those you love, make sure to capture yourself in the moment as well.  Here is how:

• Almost all smart phones and cameras these days have a timer or a remote.  Get a stand for that phone or camera and start setting the timer.  You don’t have to get your kids to pose for the photo.  Just set up the camera to photograph them playing naturally.  Set the timer with enough time to let you get into the frame and play with them.  It is that easy!
• Hand the camera/phone to someone else.  Yes mamas, I have trouble giving up control as well, but it will be worth it!  Just hand it over, let go, and focus on your children while someone else takes the photos.
• Treat yourself to a professional family photography session.  Even better, look into adventure family photography.  This is a photo session in which you are on an adventure with your family that is professionally documented. The adventure can be big or small.  The adventure does not have to be in the outback or exotic – just think of it a play session with your kids!  You focus on having fun with them and someone else captures it for you.  It is a great way not only to MAKE memories with your children but also to CAPTURE those memories as part of your family’s time capsule.

By getting in the photographs, you are creating the most precious gift of a lifetime for those you love.  As I love to say, raise them wild.  But also make sure they can pull out the photographs and see you right there with them.