Teaching your children GRATITUDE through photography.

I just love when I can sit here in silence while BOTH my kids are sleeping. MMMM.... so refreshing to just be alone for a few moments before these two wake up and life gets hustling and bustling again. We all need a little moment right? I can actually hear my thoughts in my head.
Well...I have a thought I have been wanting to share for some time now and that's teaching children how to have a grateful heart.

Want to incorporate gratitude in your child's life? Give them a camera.

Ask them to snap shots of things they are grateful for and see what they come up with. Heck- do it yourself and see what you come up with! If they are too young to really get what gratitude means- tell them to shoot things they love and that make them happy. Most kids can understand that. 

Babbaco has their gratitude boxes you can buy which includes this camera. Little man snapped shots last week...

And I am just DYING to see what is on this camera! With being sick all week we haven't left the house much and I haven't made it to drop off this disposable camera! Sheesh-I forgot what photography was like back in the days when you had to WAIT for your photos! It's so hard!!

Anyhow- we are going to paste his photos in a little mini gratitude journal. So, get a camera and start letting them take some photos. I will show you what we come up with once the photos are back!

besitos 

xo

Living fashion fantasies through others...

When I was in junior high I thought it would be fun to be a fashion designer and perhaps even model some of my own clothing. I used to be tall... until I stopped growing at 14. I think in a health class in 7th grade I may have uttered that dream out loud to a class to only get snickers and joking comments from some of the class clowns in the class.

Needless to say, I never admitted that dream out-loud again...not to mention- sewing nor height ever entered into my life. But I still appreciate fashion. And I love taking photos of it wherever I can.

The artistic element of expressing something in 3D is exciting.

 Here are just a few photos like I promised from the Fashion Show but you can see more over here at TrulyModlyDeeply if you want some more.

Check out this hair!

xo

Talking Photography at Evo

Much traveling this summer has left little time for some blog love... BUT...with so much needed break- I AM BACK and feeling more energized than ever!  I'm ready to share great photos and stories that have come my way.

Most recently, I had the honor of attending and teaching photography workshops at the Evo Conference in the beautiful mountains of Park City, Utah last week. Being new to the mommy blog world- it was quite a fun experience being surrounded by social media power houses tweeting and instagraming their experience of the conference.  Together these women came to enjoy a weekend full of great company, empowering speakers, fun activities, amazing sponsors, and delicious desserts. Who could as for anything more?

Well, besides blue wigs and superhero capes...

and maybe mickey mouse. 

Little man couldn't believe his mom was so lucky. 

I just adore teaching! 

The topic I was asked to speak on was "Getting your Camera off AUTO and onto MANUAL."

Sounds scary for some I know... but I am here to tell you to DO IT- take off those training wheels! Remember that you are in fact smarter than your camera and that it's not as scary as it may seem. I dare you...double dog dare you. 

Why do such a thing you ask?

#1 reason for me is to become a more mindful photographer.  You will become in tune with your surroundings and subject and begin to feel instead of just looking through your viewfinder. 

Questions to ask yourself to evaluate as you set your camera settings is: Is your subject moving quickly or standing still? What is the quality of the light like? What are you wanting to portray in your photograph? What story are you telling?

After our presentations- we were able to take a group out to downtown Salt Lake City and downtown Park City to practice some hands on. We gave them the assignment of looking for lines and circles in their surroundings. 

Here are some I snapped along the way. 

"Don't forget to get down on the ground- What does the world look like from that view?"

  

"Pay close attention. Lines and circles could be right under you."

 Someone asked how to get blur in the background. 

"I like to open up my aperture which means lower the number. Remember: The LOWER the number- the MORE light is let in. So, an aperture of a 1.4 let's in MORE light than a 7.1."

"Look up."

"Or right in front of you."

 

More lines and circles

Don't be afraid to take photos of random scenes. Each tell a story and leave the mind thinking and feeling something about that scene. For instance, in this photo- I am left wondering what the waiter by the door is thinking and who left their bikes out, what is that man looking at on his phone?

Hope you had a great week!

Look forward to an amazing product review coming up next!

besitos, 

xo

P.S. I have to give a shout out to my friend Kris who came out with me...well actually drove and assisted me as I was sluggish and loopy from pulling an all nighter the night before. 

Friends don't let other friends drive drunk  sleepy.

 Kris- you rock.

So glad you are home.

Little man and I have been looking forward to today all week. It's because mister comes home from  being out of town!

It's like Christmas.

 Little man has been asking about him the entire time he was gone. 

Welcome home- it's not the same when you are gone. We love you.

Besitos, xoxo