Get In The Picture

Guest post by Laura Hana

Look back through your archive of photographs. In how many did you make it into the frame? I’m in less than 10% of all our family photos because I’m usually the one behind the camera taking the photos. Does this sound familiar?

A study by the Photo Marketing Association in 2007 discovered the majority of digital camera users were women. If Vancouver moms are busy taking the photos, who is taking photos of them? Here are some ways to help you get back into the picture.

Hand the Camera to Someone Else

It sounds simple enough, but in practice it may be harder to do because we forget to, we don’t want to bother or because of any other number of reasons. No matter what your reason is, make the effort to pass the camera onto someone else and step in front of the lens. Just ask your spouse, friends, kids or passerby to snap a few of you with your family.

Create a Self Portrait

When there’s no one around to hand the camera off to, try a self portrait with the kids. You can use a timer or remote to trigger the shutter while the camera is on a steady surface or tripod. Use a wide angle and shoot at arms length or get a self portrait monopod. There is a neat device from Sony called the Party-shot, which will automatically take candid photos for you, so you can be part of the fun you’re trying to capture.

Hire a Professional

The best way to get quality images that will last you a lifetime is to hire a professional photographer to do your family portraits once a year, for Mother’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries or just because. Why not? You deserve it!

Photographs are one of the best ways to revisit the past, so make sure you are part of it. It is not likely that young children will remember a lot of the fun times they’ve had with you while growing up, except through what they’ve seen in photographs. If you’re usually the one behind the camera, make an effort to switch sides once in a while and get in the picture!

Laura Hana is a Vancouver wedding photographer and one of Vancouver’s 50 Essential Portrait Photographers. She is the founder of the OAC Photo Club and Dolcepics.com.