Photographing Kids

I really wanted to videotape the birth of my son. Ok, well, I didn't want to personally videotape it, but I definitely wanted it recorded. The hospital didn't allow it, though, which was just fine with my partner, who is probably the most private person I know. But I was pretty bummed. I mean, it's not like I was going to put it on Facebook (well, probably not) but I did want it for posterity. (As it turned out, posterity was the last thing on my mind during those excrutiating last few moments of labor. I didn't even wait for the doctor to get in the room before delivering my kid, let alone think about turning on a camera.)

Afterwards, though? Zoom, click. Getting weighed, getting washed. Suctioning, diapering, swaddling. Footprinting, measuring, sleeping. We have photos of all of it. (We even have a photo of the placenta, but please don't tell anyone; it's kind of weird.)

Anyway, I really, really, really love photographing my kid. I love the act of it -- setting up the perfect shot, finding the perfect light, capturing the perfect expression.* And the only thing I love more than photographing my kid, is looking at the pictures later. I can easily spend long stretches of time when I should be grading, cooking, or being otherwise productive just poring over photos of his tiny little newborn toes or the shaky, blurry video of his first solid food. I'm sure I have way more photos than a mother really ever needs. But I'm also sure I am glad to have them -- and so are my parents, my partner, and even my son, who lately really enjoys re-living our adventures via iPhoto.

So, I encourage you: take photos of your kids. Take more than you think you'd want. You don't even have to be any good at it. Just capture it. I think you'll be glad you did.

What about you? Are you a "photo-taker?" If you have older kids, how do they feel about having their pictures taken?  Comment here or continue the conversation over at my personal blog: http://mamahearsawho.wordpress.com/

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* For the record, I try to not make him feel like he's constantly on display. I generally avoid "say cheese" and use my super zoom lens as much as possible so I'm not right in his face.