6 Activities to Document over the Winter Months

There is always a mad rush for Fall photos - and I get it, Fall is probably my favourite season too. The beauty of the leaves changing never gets old. But as Fall goes on and Winter settles in, there are still tons of opportunities for great photo sessions. 

I put together some ideas of activities in and around the home to help inspire you on what to capture this season right in your own backyard;  whether with your own camera or by hiring a professional photographer to document them for you. 

Build a snow fort, snowman, or make snow angels: a classic family activity that you have to do at least once each winter. 

Snowball fight: action shots and flying snow always makes for interesting shots and lots of laughter.

Sliding or skating: if your kids are lucky enough to have a rink or sliding hill in their backyard, how can you not want to capture that? 

Bring the fun inside: I love that in-home sessions can be done year round. Think about those rosy cheeks as the kids come in from the cold, hot chocolate and spending time relaxing together.  

Family game night: Does your family have a competitive streak? Winter is often when the board games come out in our family and is such a great tradition to capture.

Baking/Cooking: With the change in seasons, often comes new favourite dishes. Document the making of a winter meal or dessert. Especially around the holidays - this is one you won't want to miss capturing. Think about taking photos of hand written recipes, key ingredients and ask family to help prepare.

I hope you will take the time to document some of your family's moments this winter. One of the great things about in-home sessions is that there is no timeframe - you don't have to wait until the leaves are at their best or reschedule because it's raining. There is such beauty in the simplicity of everyday moments and these happen year round. 

First Birth

I still find it hard to believe that I had this amazing opportunity to shoot such an intimate and life changing experience. A big thanks goes out to Stacey and Cory who trusted me with these moments. I will remember it always.

I spent some time with the family the day before Piper joined this world while Stacey was in labour. The following morning I was asked to make my way to the hospital. I fought the early morning rush hour traffic to get back to the hospital, scrambled to find parking, ran through the hospital and when I approached her room, I was told by the nurses that she was delivering right now. I literally walked through the door and had time to grab my camera just as this tiny miracle was born. Not long after Piper was whisked away to be monitored and assessed as she needed some help breathing. That wait between the delivery and seeing Piper again is difficult to describe. As a mom, I can only imagine how that felt. When she finally made her appearance, so tiny, so vulnerable - I was so happy for Stacey to see her baby but also a little heart broken for her that she couldn't just hold her in her arms right away.

The one word that comes to mind when I think about Stacey is strength - from beginning to end. I think baby Piper was lucky enough to inherit this trait.

Savouring those Everyday Moments

It's no secret that more time with those we love is always what we will want more of. In a fast paced world where we are stuck in front of screens or long lists of 'to dos", it's easy to get distracted or think we have all the time in the world. It struck me this weekend that my daughter will be starting school next year which means I won't be able to just pull her out of daycare when I want and spend time with her. The reality of being a photographer means that lots of weekends are split between work and family time. As much as I strive to carve that time out, I'm realizing I have to be more conscious about it. Small things each day can make a difference to maintain those connections. I've put together a list for myself of how I can be more present and savour that time with my family. Simple ideas that I am starting today. I'd love to hear from you if you have any tips that you would like to share.

Go Offline

I was one of those late smart phone adopters. Up until a year and a half ago, I didn't have a cell phone or even a tablet of my own. I had my computer and that was it. I never expected to be in the position I am now where I don't know how I got by without them. As much as these devices are convenient and often necessary for business, they suck away your time and your attention. You hear yourself say 'let me just check one more thing' and then realize you've spent an hour doing nothing of real importance. Turn off the devices for one full day - no checking of emails or texts, no surfing the internet, no photos. Just be truly in the moment.

Have a Real Conversation

At the end of some days, all I want to do is turn my brain off or use that time to check a few things off of my to do list. Life gets busy and sometimes, it's sad to say, I realize I haven't even had a real conversation with my spouse or my kids beyond the "how was your day?" question, the answers to which rarely tell me much anyways. There are some great journals out there (even for kids) that have questions in them for each day of the year or think of your own. Ask each other the question and actually listen to the response. You can also simplify this exercise and ask the same question each day: "what was your favourite thing about today?". Not only does it help to focus on the positive but it may start those interesting conversations that go deeper.

Undivided Attention

Multitasking is a myth. You may be able to do two things at once, but doing them both well is often just not possible. Something is always sacrificed. Give 15 minutes of your undivided attention each day to each of your children. Forget the dishes, that stack of laundry or that report you need to write for just 15 minutes. 

Get the Kids Involved: Photography Activities to do with Your Kids

This past weekend my oldest daughter Megan took out her photobooks and wanted me to sit with her to look through the pages. I sat with her for a while and then got up to do a few things around the house. She continued to sit there taking each book out and looking through the pages. I'm not going to lie, to see her pouring over these books of photos that I have taken of us over the years made my day.

When I take my camera out at home, I sometimes get the annoyed: "stop mom, no photos", sometimes they don't notice and other times they want to get in on the action and take photos themselves. They may take 21 photos of the same thing that are blurry and cut off but the point is not a perfect photo. My 3 year old took this portrait of me and I love it.

All of this got me thinking, I need to find ways to encourage this side of my kids and maybe there are others like me. One big thing about photography is that it really helps to develop the "observer" or the "noticer" part of people. It takes you outside of yourself to see things differently, to seek out an interesting perspective and to capture it.

I came up with a few games you can try with your kids that centre around photography. Every child is different and of course these could be adapted depending on the age and abilities of your child/children.

1) Take three photos of random objects around your home. You can do this with your child or you can do it yourself to make it a surprise, or even take turns. Use those three photos to build a story where you incorporate each object into the story.

2) Pick a theme and ask your child to go around to find and take photos of all of those objects that fit the theme. This can be as simple as a colour (find anything green and take a photo of it). You could take turns and see how each of you captured the same theme.

3) Take close up photos of various objects around the house and ask your child to guess what they are.

4) Scroll through that big photo library on your phone and find a photo of your child. Tell them the story behind that photo. You can also ask your child to pick the photo they want to hear about. What were you doing that day? Where were you and who were you with? Kids love to hear their stories and too often those photos get stuck on our phone and our kids never see them. I'm so guilty of this!

5) Ask your child to photograph 5 things they love. Get some of these printed just for them.

6) Let your child be the photographer and document some of your family time together. Ask them to take photos to tell the story of your morning or other routine.

These activities can be done indoors or outdoors and can be a great way to beat that cabin fever if you are stuck inside. They invite your kids to capture the details of the things around them. You may be surprised just how observant kids naturally are.

Do you have another game or activity to add? Let me know about it!

My "Why": Photos that Matter

I’m lucky. I have some great family photos of my childhood - holidays, family vacations, birthday parties, camping trips, but also the details: the car we were incredibly embarrassed to be seen in, the bowl cut my sister and I shared for years, photos of our childhood home. Those photos are so valuable to me. There are, however, some moments that I wish I had photos of, but that were never taken because life is busy and, at the time, the importance of those moments wasn’t as obvious.

I was a very picky eater as a child and I was very particular about where I sat at the dinner table. My chair was different than all the others around the table. It had a white vinyl seat and the wood trim was originally a bright 70s orange but my parents had painted it white at some point so that it blended better with the dining room set they had bought. I still remember some spots where the orange peeked through. There were only a few things I would eat and I remember my mom making those classic kid friendly meals for me – KD, grilled cheese, tomato soup. I had a favourite green mug for the soup into which I would dip pieces of toast. I had a plate with bunnies on it that I had to use. I would count the bunnies and get lost in the little illustrations. I loved that plate so much. This type of memory makes me feel something about that time in my life. How many photos do I have of this mug, the plate, my mom making me grilled cheese, me by her side, helping her? None.

I wish I did have those photos, for me, but also so that I could have a visual record to show my kids. I wish I could give them an idea of what our day to day life looked like back then.

There are other moments that aren’t so clear for me. I don’t remember much about my first bedroom – I think it was pink. I don’t know what was hanging on the walls. I don’t remember what blanket I slept with or my favourite toy. I shared a room with my sister and we each still have our half of the bunk beds which our kids now use. How many photos do I have of my bedroom as a child? = 0 . How cool would it be to show my daughter that her bed was once mine and how it looked in my room, sitting below her aunt’s bed.

This is why I am so passionate about the documentary approach to photography. These memories are important and they are the photos we forget to take. You may not realize how much an object or expression can trigger memories and emotions. I want to give that gift to my clients – to give them a piece of their life now so that they can reconnect with it anytime. I want the kids to remember their favourite things and what their room looked like. I want them to see the love their parents have for them in the glances and hugs. I want them to know that life was messy, full of emotion, imperfect but beautiful. Honest, raw and meaningful. I want them to see their whole family together doing what they do on an ordinary day in their own home because those little moments are the big moments. 

What moments from your childhood do you wish you had photos of? Or do you have a photo from childhood that you treasure because it tells part of your story? Share it below!