[Casual Portraits] Back to School + The Reason I Got Into Photography

in #photography5 years ago (edited)

School's in

While the afternoons are still warm, tinged with New York's very own brand of late summer humidity, the mornings are cooler, and the leaves are beginning to change color. And that means the new school year has begun. Sigh.

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Today marked my first first day of school that left me with no more babies at home. That's right— all three kiddos are now fully school-aged, and that means this mama's heart is swole as all hell, brimming with mixed emotions and tears.

I'm not crying, you're crying!

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P.S. If I ever decide to go another direction with my career, I guess I could always kickstart a brand new genre of casual and candid lifestyle school portraiture, eh? 😄

How and when I got into photography

I always could appreciate a nicely composed, quality photograph, and I even took film photography and darkroom classes way back in High School. But to be honest, I kind of skated through that elective. (Read: did not excel.)

The foundational knowledge I'd learned in photography class did not stick with my 16-year-old self and would remain dormant en la cabeza until inspiration arrived alongside with my first muse, a few years later.

If I had one of the photographs I took and developed handy, I'd insert the scanned version here. Next time I visit my parents, I'll need to check if any still exist. 🤔

Fast forward to parenthood. Like a helluva lot of other #momtographers out there, brand new motherhood filled me with a desire for LOTS AND LOTS of cute, bokehlicious photos of my spawn kid, bathed in natural lighting (ideally golden-hour, but I'll take what I can get!).

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And so, I learned. And practiced. And learned some more. I've bought and sold quite a few cameras, lenses, and accessories along the way. And oh, I've still got so much to learn and too many techniques to still try.

But I got what I wanted out of that first digital SLR (a dinky but trusty ol' Nikon D50, most often paired with a 50mm 1.8): a deep abiding love of photography and enough photos to fill a dozen wedding dinner slideshows for each of my kids' future weddings. I can see it now— their wedding planners and media teams are going to love me— ha!

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So cheers to motherhood for many things, and today, I tip my hat to you for playing a crucial role in leading me to photography and the creative catharsis this artform provides. And the memories I get to freeze in time and cherish over and over again? Priceless.


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This reminded me of my childhood when I was always waiting for the School bus to come pick me. Cute children and nice Photographs

Nostalgic, isn't it? 😁

Thanks for the kind comments!

Dear its the same here with 13000 photos on my phone and even more on other divices! The kids know that they better pose or mum is mad hahah
Thanks for this great blog and even nicer new tag

Oh man, yours still cooperate for photos ... regularly? It is understood in my home that these kids feel they did me a solid by cooperating, since it was the first day of school and all. 😅

Since my oldest kid hit 10 years old, I'm generally only able to get candids of all three of them. (The younger two see their older bro refusing photos, and they're like, yeah, I'm going to do the same.)

I remember my first day in school long ago, was a bit afraid, but soon got on okay

It's funny how we all end up with our favourites lenses, isn't it? A 50mm prime is mine, too. It's also a great lens for teaching photography to the kids with! My youngest (10) will occasionally go out on a photoshoot with me, and my oldest boy (17) is taking a photography class in school. That 50mm is prime (pun intended) for them!

50mm was my favorite for such a long time, and it's definitely still in the top 3 for full-frame! I also adore 85mm, and while I don't have the 24mm focal length available right now, I loved shooting that wide angle, too.

Edit--
Awesome that your kids are getting into photography, too!

aww so glad your children inspired you to get back into photography. Your work is great!

Thanks for the kind words, @sjarvie5! I've still got to get on that new month challenge you tagged me in! 🤔

I was thinking you totally did it with getting out and taking pictures of your kids for school. It defiantly helps to have cute models to take pictures more often!

I loved this! First let me say what handsome boys you have! I bet it’s a different feeling seeing all of them off to school now. I love your photography! It’s so bright, colorful and clear.

I too started a love for photography when I start having children . I wanted to capture those special moments and milestones to keep forever! I used to share photos of all five of my babies here on Steemit but together my husband and I decided for safety and precautious reasons not to do so any more. I miss showing off my little cuties.

Once again welcome aboard here on Steemit and we are glad you are now apart of the @Steemitmamas! You’ll do just fine here, great post ;D

Thanks for the warm welcome, @crosheille! I'm looking forward to being part of the @steemitmamas community. :)

You are very welcome ~

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