Such a lovely morning yesterday catching up with old friends. It is so good having time to catch up with people and one of the many benefits of not working. I'm happy to trade less money for fun times laughing with special people especially when small girl was at forest school and babe was asleep and adorable. Time to chat, listen and laugh about your wrinkles is pretty rare when you have small attachments.
As I was leaving one of the lovely ladies said let's take a picture of you and your babe. Handing her my phone she used her amazing artistic eye to capture that moment in time. The result is my favourite photo of myself in years. Although we have thousands of photos hardly any are of me, I am much more comfortable behind the lens. Maybe I am trying to fool myself I still look like I did twenty years ago, avoiding the the reality of the lens. I have been waiting to look better before I felt happy to capture myself. Must be the fact I am nearly forty (huge gulp at getting so old) but I am finally realising if I wait until I am totally happy with what I think I look like it will never happen.
Having been sadly reminded of the preciousness of life by an untimely death of a beautiful friend in a tragic car accident recently, I have made an effort to overcome my reticence in front of the lens and feature in a few family snaps. Knowing that if anything ever happened to me, a photograph would be very precious to those left behind.
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| Same image as above but cropped and changed to b & w. |
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| Not such a good angle |
The angle of the phone was very kind and my haggered post natal body nicely hidden beneath my beautiful babe. I look so much better in the picture on the left simply because of the position of my head (nicely hiding my chin and ageing neck!)
As I looked at the photos and actually liked what I saw, I remembered an article I read in a magazine recently. It was the story of a photographer who felt her mission in life was to take a portrait of real women to show them how beautiful they were. I cannot remember the full story or which magazine it was from (it was in an pile at the doctors) but I was struck with the way a beautiful photo had raised the self esteem of all these women. They all reported at how good it made them feel to see a nice photo of themselves.
What an amazing gift this photographer was giving when she showed these women what she saw when she looked at them:
Self esteem is priceless.
Get someone to take a photo of you very soon, just give them your phone or camera and see what happens. Maybe not a toddler or small person unless you want a close up view of your stomach! Remember it is all about the angle, if the person taking the picture is higher than you and the camera looking down, it is so much kinder. A simple edit can change the effect too, I did this on my phone but it is easy to do using something like pic monkey. Such a fun way to spend a few moments.
Seize a moment today, maybe shared with someone you love, and find someone to capture it. Who knows, it could be a very precious memory to them one day.
What is your favourite photo of yourself and why?
It's a lovely photo. I absolutely hate having my photo taken, that's why there aren't any of me on my blog, in fact, hardly any of me ever get taken. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend, how dreadful.
ReplyDeleteUse your new camera Jo and ask one of your children to take one - for them! x
DeleteWhat a beautiful and joyous photo. I don't like having my photo taken either, but recently had to have it taken for a new passport - strangely enough I actually like that photo of myself. I was stunned that I look years younger than I did on those that were taken while we were on holiday last year.
ReplyDeleteThe news about your friend is dreadful - life is so very precious and fragile.
A good passport photo - you did well!
DeleteGrace, it's a beautiful photo, really genuine and happy. I hate having my photo taken too and that's why I'm anonymous on my blog which is ridiculous really.
ReplyDeleteSally x
It is ridiculous but I think we all feel the same!
DeleteWhat a beautiful photo - you look so happy and so pretty! :-)
ReplyDeleteI usually hate photos of myself. If I ever want a good one, I drive Simon nuts, making him take stacks and stacks. Then, hopefully, there will be one or two nice ones. And, you're right! It's definitely ALL about the angle!!!
Carly
x
Thank you and it is totally all about the angle.
DeleteWonderful post and such stunning photos of you, you just see your pure joy shining through. I love it.
ReplyDeleteI have a lovely friend called Karen Walrond who is a photographer, blogger and author and she has written a book ;the beauty of different' and it is all about capturing the beauty in people. I wonder if it was her you read about. http://www.chookooloonks.com/
Mich x
Thank you for such kind words, it wasn't your friend but I now want to read her book and I love her philosophy.
DeleteIt's a gorgeous photo - you look beautiful! Jx
ReplyDeleteIn this photo I do not sure I usually do but thank you.
DeleteI LOVE that first photo! I too am very camera shy....yuk, hate photos of me but, you have got me thinking here. x
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how we all avoid the camera!
DeleteThey all are beautiful photos, I love the black and white one.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I hate pictures of me, but I think you focus on the bad things when you look at yourself, I think we all have lots more good bits than bad, I will give it a go and look for the good... and try a better angle :)
What a beautiful blog, I'm so glad you visited mine because it led me to yours.
Emma x
Thank you, have fun playing with different angles (get the person taking the picture to stand on a chair)
DeleteYou look fab. Great hair, smile and I love the polka dot dress, bright cardi and flower in your hair. You look so happy with your baby. Claire xo
ReplyDeleteThank you xx
DeleteLovely photos, your darling baba looks snug and content :0) I have a few pics I like but one of them is an image of my son and me. He wasseven months at the time. He's looking confident at the camera and I'm looking at him with all the love I have for him in my heart, it came through in the image.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the love coming through, baby photos are special
DeleteWhat a wonderful photo of you and your beautiful baby. I'm similar in that I tend to stay behind the camera, but you're right - photos hold precious memories, and we shouldn't let our insecurities about our appearance stop us from recording our joyous moments with loved ones.
ReplyDeleteThanks for finding and following my blog, and for leaving a comment about my rainbow charm packs - I will be cutting more, I'll save one for you! If you're on facebook that's an easy way to chat to me about buying my vintage fabric, but if not then asking a question on my blog, or an email to rainbowvintagehome@googlemail.com, will always be answered. I'm glad to have found your lovely blog. Rachel x
Have followed Rachel - hope you get a photo with your small ones soon x
DeleteWhat stunning photos! They are all beautiful. I completely agree about leaving photographic memories and am always snapping away. I wish I had a photo of my great grandparents, I dont even know if one exists but I would have loved to have known what they looked like. My favourites of me are ones of me with my grandchildren, they light up my life.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThank you Anne, such a precious comment about your grandchildren. What a beautiful way to view them x
DeleteWhat a lovely happy photo. Im the same and have hundreds of pictures of the kids but hate having my own picture taken and have very few of myself. Your so right though, its important for them to have some to look back on. Im so grateful for all the pictures I have of my mum and nan when they were younger and should really make more effort!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your lovely comment over on my blog earlier. The little scrabble shelves were just screwed on - though im sure there must be a better way. x
Inspired by you have hunted out scrabble shelves and been placing them around my girls bedroom this morning! x
DeleteLove this photo and may I say...."WHAT WRINKLES?" You look radiant and beautiful. I love what you are saying in this post. My younger years were all pre-digital and we "saved" precious prints for the kids. I am sad that there are so few of me with my babies...especially now that I look back and see how young and thin I was - ha! Thoughts of your friend's untimely death are precious - you are right. How our loved ones would love to have a photo of us from a day our hair wasn't "just right" or we felt fat. It is the person - the real you- that they see. I needed this reminder...thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou can enjoy taking lots of pictures with your new gorgeous grandchild, what a blessing x
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely photo :-) I am the same about photos of myself and only just recently commented to my husband that when we go on holiday in a couple of weeks I want him to be the main photographer and not me as there are just so few photos of me and my children. Love the philosophy and you are so right about self-esteem!
ReplyDeleteHopping over from R2BC
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