Our Family's Life Through Photography...a 52 Week Project.

Last fall I had the wonderful opportunity of taking an on-line photography class with Brooke Snow. I learned so much from her in five weeks and feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from her. Because I am such a great fan I often read her blog hoping for tidbits of insight. This past week I was doing some catch up blog reading and stubbled across this awesome idea on Brooke's blog...a 52 week project detailing our family's life through photography! (The idea actually originated from a friend of Brooke's, but it was awesome all the same). I was sold on the idea and had the perfect friend in mind to ask to join me.

Amanda and I are friends from "back in the day." We actually met each other back in our high school days while working at a local arts and crafts store together. We went to rival high schools, but it didn't keep us from growing a friendship. Over the years, especially through college, we lost contact, but thankfully we've been catching up over the last few years through blogging, a shared interest. Amanda, like I, was on yearbook staff in high school and has always had an interest in photography and scrapbooking. So, I immediately knew she was the perfect partner for me in regards to this project...and of course, she was just as excited as I to get started. In fact, she shot and posted her images before I ever got my camera out of the bag...that's the kind of motivation I need in my life!

Amanda and I around age 17.

So, although we are getting started a few weeks late, we are together tackling this fun challenge. Thanks Amanda for being my partner-in-crime for this project. I am very much looking forward to us sharing all the great photos of our sweet families.

Here's a copy of the challenge from the originator's blog, her name is Rhonda.

"...And so the Our Year in Photos Project was born. One photo a week for a year. Each capturing a specific part of our lives and of my kids' childhood that I want remembered. 

Once I started writing the idea down, I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop thinking about everything I wanted captured, everything I wished I had photos of from when I was 4, everything I wished I had photos of from when my kids were 4. So I planned out the entire year. And I am so excited for every single week.

Here's how it's going to work. Every week I'm going to post a prompt. You have to take one photo for each week. That's it....just one photo a week. This is not a time-consuming project. There will be some weeks where I take 2 photos (one of each kid) but not more than that, for this project . The prompts aren't going to be difficult - think "a photograph with my little peanut wearing her favourite shirt".

By the end of the year, I - and you too if you play along - am going to have an album of images that really show what our everyday life is all about - where we live, what we love, who we love.

Because it's just the way I am, there have to be some rules. And know these are really more for me than you, in an attempt to overcome my perfectionist tendencies.

You may not quickly change your child into matching clothes right before you take the photo because it's going to actually be printed and put in an album. Whatever they're wearing goes.
You may not rush around and pick up all the toys on the floor and put away the jackets, shoes, whatever is lying around before you take the photo. Whatever your house looks like at that moment goes.
There will be the occasional prompt that requires you to be in the photo. You may not skip over those ones. Obviously your kids know that you're there every day, but 10 years from now will they see it in the photos?
Do it. It's only one photo per week."