Photographing your Children Inspiration [Day 27]

This was an interesting task!  To initiate a messy activity the children have never participated in.  Well at least not with my permission ;-)

Well there's painting - I leave that to kindy.
There's cooking - they do that occasionally (or at least lick the beaters).
There's eating chocolate - doesn't fit under the 'never' heading.
There's eating.  Ditto to above.  Would you believe??

So with two grumpy kids not wanting to participate (interesting, since they wouldn't normally pass up an opportunity to get dirty...even the girl), Master 8 was all for my suggestions.  We headed down to the creek to mud paint.  Was hoping for two to join in and it could have been a mud war...but in the end J was happy as, well, a pig in mud!

And with his innate artistic flair, all mud painting was done methodically (even though the J is back-to-front!).  He LOVED rubbing it in to his hair and losing the blonde.  Briefly.

Day 27:  Initiate a messy activity that your child has never participated in before and capture the moment when your child is most engrossed in it.

Photographing your Children Inspiration [Day 26]

Okay, well lets pretend yesterday didn't occur.  Not that it was a bad day.  Not at all.  But I didn't take yesterday's photo...so if we pretend yesterday didn't happen then I haven't missed a day at all!

Now that we've cleared that up!

Today I have to shout a big 'thank you' for being inspired to take today's photos.  The kids & I used to take the dogs for a walk nearly every afternoon...but a lapse of energy and motivation has meant it has been a few months since we've gone.  But today's inspiration was just what I needed to get out there again.

Not that the inspiration is to take the kids and dog for a walk!  But I knew it was the perfect family outing to shoot.  Where we walk/ride to the gully and the dogs swim and the kids skim rocks.  It's an exciting part of our day.

Of course none of the photos are staged.  At all.

Okay, maybe a little.
A little synchronisation.
Or a lot of trying a little synchronisation.

Because our normal walks consist of about 500 metres (give or take a few hundred metres!) between the first and last creature walking//running/riding.

And no.  They don't normally walk/ride along holding hands.
They are normal siblings.
Hold hands, hug, be nice etc.  All foreign concepts!
As is me trying to only post one photo :-)

Day 26: Out and about.  Capture a family outing in one photograph.

Photographing your Children Inspiration [Day 25]

A multitude of reasons nearly stopped me from being inspired to take this photo...but not long before bed time I decided to quickly take a photo.  It's just taken me a little longer to post it!

Technology certainly can be a wonderful educational tool...making learning fun and interactive.  All my kids love playing games (educational and otherwise!) on the iPad :-)  This is Master 5 playing Letterland.

Day 25:  Take a photograph of your child learning

Photographing your Children Inspiration [Day 24]

I knew that today's photo would occur.  Sometime.
It normally does most days.  Sometime.

Honestly, if I'd bought bandaid shares all those years ago I'd be a millionaire!

Today Miss 4 came hobbling in from the pool with a sore foot.  By the time she picked the bandaid she wanted (we were all out of Dora ones, so pirate's are suitably girly...right?) and got to her room, she couldn't find the imaginary sore.  Anywhere.  On either foot.  So I decided that her knee would be more 'photogenic' and found a sore there.  It was a terrible one.  That hurt.  A lot.  Look at her poor, pained expression.

Then her sweet surprise when she stood up and said, 'Look mum, my foot's all better now'.  The magic of bandaids!

I think she might have been enjoying the breaking of my number 1 bandaid rule.
"No blood, no bandaid".

Day 24: Take a photo of your child being comforted, comforting another or self-comforting.

Photographing your Children Inspiration [Day 23]

Spent most of today excited and pondering my 'grateful' project...so was just a quick last minute thought for this challenge.  Back focussed tomorrow :-)

This is the 3 munchkins reluctantly doing what mum asked.  Only standing there as they are assured promises of a reward!

Our house...still with renovations to complete.
One day.
Maybe.

Day 23: Take a photograph of your child outside of your house.  Make sure you fit a lot of your house in.

365 Days of Grateful

I can't believe I'm going to do this.

But I am.
I will.
I will succeed.
Oh yes I will.

After lots of encouragement and inspiration from wonderful photographers I decided to also do this challenge.  I found the 52 one difficult because a week would go by, then two..and I just couldn't motivate myself.  But one thing doing the daily inspiration of the children has done, is made me realise when you are thinking about it EVERY day it is easier.  Though admittedly 365 days with no inspiration guide to follow will challenge me more!

I was going to wait until I'd finished the one of the children, but reading (and reading) posts and others motivation I couldn't sleep last night.  And thought...what better day to start than the 1st of the year, even thought it means that for the next 38 days I will be undertaking 2 personal projects.

My conditions to make it possible:
a)  'borrowing' a few rules off other talented photographers (one lens, only natural light)
b)  there won't be a full post to write with each photo
c)  I will take the photo each day, but I will not put pressure on myself to post it each and every day

Let the gratefulness begin...


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5/365:  Grateful....that hairspray removes pen from cream lounges!

4/365:  Grateful for the effort J put in to finding out my favourite colours and making this for me (that Christmas is well and truly over doesn't matter one bit!).

3/365:  Evidence that lots of (little) people live in our house.  Grateful that we have clothes to wear.  And also grateful when it's all folded!

2/365:  Somehow the felt pens were found.  Grateful she didn't draw on the walls.

1/365: Grateful for...inspiration at any time of the day (or night).

Photographing your Children Inspiration [Day 22]

A sleepover at grandma's saw the long awaited arrival of her getting chickens!

Miss 4 is so excited that apparently she checked for eggs so many times she barely gave them a chance to lay!  Maybe giving them some time to settle in will make the next visit even more exciting :-)


Day 22: Visit grandparents or relatives and capture your children with them