Happy Mothers' Day, and little challenge for you all!
Happy Mothers Day!
Today is the day that we celebrate our Mothers. As I write this, my smalls are still fast asleep, so before I get told off for working on a Sunday, I need to let you know the results of my Mothers Day competition, and let you know about another little one that I’ve decided to run!
As you know, in January I ran my Celebrating Mothers competition. The entries I had were just so lovely, and such wonderful stories to be told meant that I had the impossible job of choosing a winner. So one was chosen at random, and below is one of the images taken from that session. We’re in the process of designing artwork now, so once we’ve finalised the session, I’m going to write a blog post all about the lovely Emily and her two little girls. Such love, and exactly what I intended to capture to celebrate motherhood.
Yesterday I started writing a blog post about the importance of printed photographs. Most of us are lucky to have smart phones in our pockets, and we capture the small details about our daily lives digitally, pretty much every day. But how often do you actually look back at those images? If you’re anything like me, we think we will, but all of a sudden you’ll get the notification to say you’re out of memory and need to upgrade your storage!
We have times in our lives when we’re with the ones we love, and we want to capture the moment. For me, it’s often on a Sunday morning, when we all pile into our bed, the boys play on whatever device is nearest to them, I get to read a magazine and Daddy bear snoozes. To me, that is my happy place. Taking a selfie of that is bloomin difficult, but the happy memories looking at that slightly blurred and wonky photo always make me smile.
So yesterday when I was out, I decided to buy a photo frame. It had to be the right one of course, so I dragged my lovely friend all through Peter Jones before I found the perfect one in Zara Home. Simple, elegant, and holds a 6x4 photo. And I’m going to give it to one of you.
In order to win this, I need you to look through your phone, and choose a photo of you and your family that makes you feel happy. Or maybe you might even take it today! And get it printed out. For once this isn't about this quality of the print, it's actually getting a physical copy of that digital image that's important. Most supermarkets have a little kiosk now, and I know our local Boots does. Or you could get it ordered online or through an app. And maybe print a few others while you're there. Print it out as 6x4 size, this frame is a plain white double mount that takes a 6x4 photo, to be displayed either way around. Then comment on my post, and message me a photo of that print, and I’ll draw the winner at random next weekend, so you have time to order from an online printer too. I won't be sharing your photo with anyone else, I promise, I just need to know that you've done it!
So just make sure you do it! Set a phone reminder if you have to.
Yes, i’m a Professional Photographer, but even I don’t have time to document every key moments in our lives with anything other than my smartphone. And those little moments are the ones that we can look back on to carry us through when we’re faced with a challenge. Make us remember why we’re doing this. Blurred, wonky and all, that’s life!!
Although, apologies for my wonky picture of the photoframe. It's 7am, raining, and I only have my phone to hand 😊
So go and print a photo, and maybe a couple to stick on your fridge too, and check back in with me as soon as you’re done. Don’t overthink this*, just look back through your smartphone and choose an image that makes you smile.
Happy Mothers' Day.
With love, Rachel x
Ps. This competition is open to ANY of my followers in the UK, not just Mothers, and including those of you in the industry. We're just as bad as everyone else! If you’re not in the UK, you can still print yourself out a photo or two anyway and pop them up somewhere you’ll see them everyday. You won’t regret it, I promise!
* thank you to the Professor for pointing out importance of keeping it simple. I recon that's a blog post for another time!
