Why I Photograph

I rarely complain publicly.  And don’t plan on doing so now… but I will confess a slight source of life frustration:

He’s three feet tall

Has twelve teeth

Can say two words discernibly well: “Dad!” and “Quack”.  (We prefer to think there is no connection there 😉 )

He’s boycotted naps

and Suddenly has developed a real sport of Houdini escapes from clothing.

All the professional moms out there with more than one child, or those who single parent, or those who work outside the home can now take their appropriate scoff on my seeming trial and pat me on the head “there. there.” since I obviously am clueless and don’t have it nearly as challenging as others.

But in my world, it is a challenge since its BROOKE trying to deal with things and she’s not very talented in some areas… like coveted pied piper charms that get kids to follow your every command willingly.

Nonetheless…

There are frequent moments of frustration.

Frequent moments when I’m faced with the decision of getting mad or laughing (and thus encouraging bad behavior) or worse yet, crying.  (Did that yesterday and it helped no one.)

I get mad sometimes.

I get frustrated.  Overwhelmed.  Stressed out.  Stretched Thin.

I suddenly understand my mother better, and why it truly is necessary to have a secret chocolate stash.  Or a bite of cheese.  Or a block of cheese….

And so I head to the fridge for comfort therapy —and I’m suddenly faced with a splattering of photographs plastered across the doors.

I see his beaming smile.

I see the day he first learned to stand in his crib.

I see his totally awful thrift store Halloween outfit that cried out how “not with it” I was–yet that he loved nonetheless

I see the relationship he has with his Dad

I see the joy that he brings me

I laugh

I beam

I pause

 

I feel the way I felt in that moment

And suddenly the clouds part.  The storm calms. My heart lifts. I laugh out loud.  And turn towards the little tug on my hand.

I see a three foot wonder who only wants to go outside and play.  Who sees me as his best friend.  Who teaches me how to see the world the way it was meant to be seen.

Photographs can change your moods.  Alter your perspective. Remind you how things really are and WHO people really are.  They can make you feel and see truth.

Do you print and display in your home so those moments can work their magic in your very average day?

Your hard drive is waiting for you.  There’s magic that needs to be released.

Your family will thank you.

You’ll be a nicer person.

And make the world a better place.

who knew such power existed in a small piece of paper?

Brooke Snow is a Lifestyle photographer in Cache Valley, Utah. She strongly believes in the power of printed images displayed in your home.  All over the place!  Unlikely places even!  Like above the washer and dryer!  The more places you can display your faces of joy, your moments of laughter, your meaningful moments, your memories of relaxation,… the more likely you are to feel that way again and keep your perspective on track.  We should not be privileged to these moments only through electronics.  They need to be part of our everyday lives.  Go print some photos!

Brooke teaches private photography lessons , online photography classes, as well as seasonal photography classes in Logan, Utah.

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26 Responses

  1. Okay. Funny moment. Noelle asked me what Jacob’s shirt said. I don’t have my glasses on so I worked out DAD and Me. We couldn’t figure out the middle word and Noelle suggested DAD MADE ME as in DAD MADE ME DO IT (in reference to the mess)……I guess you had to be there….cause Ben would totally never encourage hooligans. 🙂

    And YES! I love all my printed photography. My fridge, my calender, and my walls. Thank you for taking them so that I can enjoy them.

  2. I know any mom can relate. I’ve worked in and out of the home and being a stay at home mom who works from within the home is the hardest job EVER! Especially when one of your jobs is “mom” and that job comes with many hats that trump being a photographer! Thanks for the words you wrote, as I can relate to them precisely. xoxo, fellow beloved believer. 😉

  3. thanks! so needed this little reminder today. and I did recently finally print out a bunch of images & stick them into a sweet collage frame because I taught a little enrichment night on photog.
    and I DO smile every time I walk by it.
    even if I’m about to cry or scream or give up on getting to preschool on time because of the milk that just got dumped, etc.
    seeing those little faces or toes or whatever details I shot really does make me feel better.
    so well written & so true.

  4. That was beautiful! The words and pictures combined for something amazing. Thanks for the “complaint,” if you can call it that!

  5. I am totally stocking my laundry room with photos and cheese blocks for next time i hide out!

    What a cutie pie you have on your hands!

  6. Thanks, Brooke–(for making me cry!!) Just what I needed to hear. I have been getting so frustrated with my little guys–and needed a reminder. I am going to cover my fridge with their pictures. You are seriously amazing–I love your insights and words! (and pictures)

  7. loved your thoughts today. It makes it seem like we might get through potty training some day. But probably not without chocolate. A lot of chocolate. For both of us.

  8. What a perfect post for all of us who struggle with the challenge of balancing work with family and going with the flow when the kids aren’t following in line with the plan you had for the day. I love the idea of filling the front of our fridge with favorite family pics that hopefully will deter me from eating another bite of ice cream or whatever other chocolate comfort is calling my name and promising that momentary escape from my frustrated emotions! 🙂

  9. Awesome post! I can relate in every way, so much so that I experienced this very frustration, hide, cry & snack moment today ( peanut m& m’s). Then I ordered some prints for my walls and I felt better. 🙂

  10. Thank you for this post because it’s been a REALLY tough day. I’ve had a fussy baby girl all day who had a rough night and so she had a bit of an impatient mommy. I need to hang photos. I have none and agree that they can change your mood. 🙂

  11. Yes, yes, yes! That is to the power of photographs, the power of chocolate and cheese and the frustrations in our lives that can be changed by fresh or reminded perspective. By the way, even someone who doesn’t deal with little children daily but instead is a caregiver for needy parents or loose cows (my yesterday) needs to remember flashes in time when joy really was there. It’s makes me think joy and peace are possible once again.

  12. Hi Brooke: LOVED this and sooooo true. My girls are all grown and on their own so take the time and laugh. Wish I knew better when they were younger and laughed more:)

  13. i love this post SO much. every photo with you and him or your husband and him is adorable, but that one where he and your husband are nose to nose MELTS MY HEART. so so cute.

  14. Aw, this is wonderful. Printed images do more for us than we often realize! I shared the nose-to-nose image on Pinterest because I liked it so much. Also told everyone to read the message in the blog and do it! Thank you for the beautiful words of wisdom.

  15. Decided it was time to finally tell you thank you for this post. I have re-read it several times since you wrote it, and every time it has the same calming slap-to-the-face (in a good way) that brings perspective. And there are more days than I would like to admit, that I need perspective. Thank you.

  16. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I totally understand what you are talking about! I always wonder why I wasn’t bestowed with some more patience! I love going through pictures previously taken, sometimes on my blog, sometimes in an album. But I haven’t really managed to have any printed yet. Thanks for reminding me how importat it is to see all those beautiful and light moments more often!

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