THE BEST PRESENT...CAPTURING THE LIFE OF A MOMENT

“This picture is missing something,” is what I often think after taking a picture.  In fact, I feel that the majority of photographs don’t truly capture the magic of a moment.  More often than not, I find myself reaching for my camera to commemorate something only to be dismayed when I check out the screen.

The resulting photo is cute and has done an admirable job, but it never seems to quite stack up against its real life counterpart.  I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how our eyes are way more amazing than any camera will ever be. 

Once someone knows their picture is being taken, the moment has already passed.  But sometimes you’re just sneaky enough and able to pull the curtain back a little without anyone being the wiser. 

And you’re able to capture the life of a moment.

On a cold and wintry evening a few months back after just returning to work from maternity leave, I walked into the house and stamped my feet on the rug.  The warmth enveloped me, and all I wanted to do was take off my parka and cuddle my 3 month old.  I was worried she had already forgotten about me during the day, so I scooped her up and tried to coax a smile out of her sleepy eyes.  

I eased into the rocker and after nursing her, she fell into a deep newborn sleep on me.  As she slept, I thought how I wanted to hold on to this moment, because it reminded me that she still knew me, still depended on me, still missed me.  Even though she was getting bigger, and I was away from her more, we still felt most at peace around each other.

I didn't even realize Wade was paying much attention to all this until I saw the pictures later.  His answer was simple, "you both looked so content and the light was hitting you just right."

A few days later I quietly got out my phone and snapped this special time between Wade and Everly.  He had been so thoughtful to capture a raw and unedited moment between us that I wanted the same for him.  These are still some of my favorite pictures of  them.

We take so many photos where I’m yelling at Everly to “look over here” or “smile”, but there are few photos in which we're completely unaware and just in the moment.

Taking the time to recognize one of these moments is happening and grabbing the camera to document it is the best present he could have given me.  He made my memory tangible.

So if you’re looking for that perfect gift for someone, capture the life of one of their moments, without them asking, without them knowing.  Just be sneaky about itJ