Independent

Canon 7D: 50mm 1.4: ISO 800: 1/250 sec: f/1.8He walks downstairs in the morning and proudly announces that he has dressed himself.

All day, I was reminded by this little triangle on his back he had dressed all by himself.   When I was cleaning up the Cheerios he'd spilled on the floor (again) while pouring his cereal by himself, I was reminded by his backward shirt that he is a little boy and very proud to be getting bigger.

I use my camera like a paper and pen to make a note of what happened today.  Something to remind me later of this little detail.  That's why I took this photo today.  I know he will start to care about the direction of his shirt some day, but today, he didn't ... and I was charmed.

Try It: Bring Your Camera

On Saturday, I went to my brother and sister in law's house.  As I was getting ready to go, I picked up my camera.  I had no specific reason to bring it, but I knew that the light in their living room is great for photos.   I thought maybe I'd get a photo like this one of my little girl.

Canon 7D: 50mm 1.4: ISO 400: 1/250 sec: f/2.0

A little later, I saw this moment between cousins unfolding, and I was happy to have my camera nearby.

Canon 7D: 50mm 1.4: ISO 400: 1/500 sec: f/3.5I was even happier to have it when this moment with my brother and his daughter quietly arrived.

Canon 7D: 50mm 1.4: ISO 400: 1/250 sec: f/2.5

I started bringing my camera with me routinely when I was posting a photo on Flickr every day last year (my 365 Project).  I learned that bringing just my camera with a 50mm lens is pretty easy.  (The 50 mm is a small lens.)  And even though I didn't always strike gold when I took the trouble of bringing my camera along, I never got any great photos when I left it at home.

So, try it: bring your camera.  You may come home with nothing, but you might come home with a treasure.

Share your treasures here.

Halfway

Canon 7D: 50mm 1.4: ISO 400: 1/100 sec: f/2.2 +baby in a carrier on my backAfter I gathered all of the groceries on my shopping list, I used to think, "Okay. Done."  Only recently did I realize that when everything is in the cart, I still have a long way to go.  I still have to wait in line, put our food on the belt, buy it, put it back in the cart ("Anyone need to go potty before we go home?"), put the bags in the car, drive home, bring everything inside, including the children, and put the food away.  While the hardest part may be done when my cart is full, I'm not done.  I've started to think of the checkout line as the halfway point.  Maybe you already realized this, but I just figured it out and I don't dread going to the store as much anymore.  

We're all a lot happier now when it's time to go shopping.

Canon 7D: 50 mm 1.4: ISO 400: 1/320 sec: f/2.2

31|40 Nap Time

Canon 7D: 24-70mm 2.8: ISO 250: 1/200 sec: f/3.2 +flash, tripod and remote

I decided to take my own advice and take a photo of something we do every day ... record a routine.  I've been meaning to take a picture of my little one nursing to sleep for months, but there isn't an easy time to take that photo.  If it's time for a nap, she's tired, and I want her to sleep.  And setting up the camera on a tripod and taking pictures isn't the best way to help her get to sleep.  But today, I decided to do it anyway.  

I intended the photo to be a picture of her, and, in some of the photos I took, you can see her better.  I took this one after I thought I was done.  I had put down the remote and I started twirling her hair, like I always do when she's falling asleep.  Then I picked up the remote and took a few more photos.  To my surprise, my favorite photo was of me - doing something I've done countless times since my first child was born nine years ago.  A routine.  Now recorded.

Dear One

Canon 7D: 50mm f/1.4: ISO 200: 1/200 sec: f/3.2

He lists the names people have for him. 

"Josh calls me Aggie.  Daddy calls me Boo-ski.  Mommy calls me Dear One."

"Dear One" is from the book we read every night, Mama Do You Love Me?

It's true. He is my Dear One.

Canon 7D: 50mm 1.4: ISO 200: 1/250 sec: f/2.5 +flash