Check me out–this is the third post in a row for anyone and everyone! I’m going to talk today about the importance of documenting the details. Details that tell a story, or say something about you/your family. Line up all your shoes and take a picture. Snap a shot at the back of your kids head as they watch their favorite movie. A close up of the cake at a special event. But do all this in a creative way (thinking about all the lessons we’ve learned thus far). Don’t just take a picture of the cake, but get at an angle, crop creatively, using the rule of thirds, blurring out some of the other details. If that’s too much, just capture the details.
Do you think that down the road it will be fun to see what you had in your pantry or how you have arranged your kitchen cabinets? Have you ever thought to take a picture of that? What fun to look back on! I’d love to see the pantry shelves of my grandmother when she was a young mom like me.
Do you want to see my pantry??? I feel so exposed, but here we go…. As is (12:48a.m. Wed.) and even with a flash.
Don’t hate me because my pantry ROCKS. I completely love it, and it is the one place my daughter likes to show everyone when they visit our home because she loves to see the jaws drop and the gasps of air flowing from the mouths of said visitors. I know, its ridiculously cool. One of the top 5 reasons we picked this house. My hubby even temporarily parks his baby in there.
What about my spice organization done my my lovely sis in law, Kim? She labeled them on top and the sides for me.
What about gathering your childs favorite toys in a pile and snapping a shot there? Photograph the MESS that is your childs room, or the organization you are so proud of.
With people, you don’t always have to get their faces…
As I went to check out a comment from an Idea Room reader, I found I really enjoyed her photography. Rhonda Steed hails from Canada (Southern Alberta), and I thought she had great posing examples on her blog. For some reason, this image below just really struck me in a senior session she took. The simplicity of the ring, and they way she has her hand gently wrapped on her waist is so delicate, so sweet. I’d like to think the girl photographed would like to remember the details of her favorite ring (I’m guessing) years down the road.
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Debra Eby says
Such a great idea, definitely plan to implement it! I'm always challenged by your suggestions and try to do the "homework" every week. Btw, as someone who's still grappling with the technicalities of photography, I always return to your tutorials to help me understand my equipment.
I love your Post's!! I'm so excited cause i did this one before i you told me to!! It's on this post http://thewolseycrew.blogspot.com/2010/08/playing-little-catch-up.html about halfway down. My Little guy loves the movie car's and I don't really like movie stuff for there room so i took a picture of his favorite car with him blured and blew it up for his room! Love love love your stuff. Thanks for all the great tips!
Thanks for some great suggestions!
This is one of the reasons I became a photographer. At my wedding I had the CUTEST center pieces and I have absolutely NO pictures of them because the photographer didn't take any photos of them. I am still sad to this day. Now I try really hard to remember those details I would want to remember down the road. Thanks for the reminder.
I love capturing details. I'm still working on paying attention to them, but I'm a firm believer that it's the little things in life that makes everything so wonderful. Thanks for the post!
Great post. Great blog! I have had readers comment to me about taking all of my food shots up close. I do it because I want the reader to see how the finished product really looks! Up close and personal is how I love to see food. Ill be back!
PS – I now have a true case of Pantry Envy!
Great ideas! Thanks! I am so glad we have digital cameras now so we can just snap lots and lots of pictures of these kinds of things but we don't have to develop them unless we want to.
My mom recently found a stack of photos of the house I grew up in. They were for insurance purposes, not artistic, but my sister and I loved looking at them and remembering the orange countertops in the kitchen and the clothes in our closet. We also were in several shots, including one of us snuggled up reading a good book in bed. I plan on doing the same for my house. I know my boys and I will enjoy remembering the details of their home too.
just stopped by to say that I LOVE love LOVE your blog! Lots of sassy ideas! I would love it if you would add me to your blog list… you are already on mine! :)
…visiting from Sassy Sites!
(cause your blog is a sassy site!)
ah thanks for the shout out!! Great post (and seriously I WANT a panty like that!!!!!)
Are you in Austin or Illinois? I am in Austin melting away so I hope you are in Illinois where it might be cooler! Have fun!
By the way, LOVE the pantry. If only in my dreams!
as always love your posts! here's a fun tid-bit for ya: my friend Melissa was telling me that she found a "fun blog" and that she loves the photography tips that "kristen duke" posts — i told her we were friends in H.S. and she was like NO WAY! how funny! So, in case she never posts a comment, I'm letting you know that she totally appreciates your helpful tips!!!
Fun Tips. Sorry I can't help but hate you a little. My gosh you can park a bike in your pantry, JEALOUS!!!!
oh man, i am super jealous of your pantry! I have taken photos like this before only because I used to be really into scrapbooking and I did a double layout page titled "all around the house". I took photos of every room, toys, the family car, dishes in the sink, the bathroom, toothbrushes, the pet turtle, our computer…all kinds of stuff…it was really fun!
/Debra–glad my tutorials have been helpful and a good reference!!
The Wolsey's–you read my mind.
Kitty Talk==sad about the lack of detail pics at your wedding, great that you have turned it into something good!
si–looked for your blog and no link, please share.
tami–agreed, details are much more realistic with digital
elizabethe–that is such a cool story! i love old ;pictures of details people thought were unimportant at the time. orange countertops sound kinda fun!
rhonda–love your stuff
Rushell–I live in austin
shari beth–i love random coincidences like that…thank you for sharing…tell your friend to come out of hiding and say hello
whimsical princess and bonnie–crazy lucky with the pantry. i think we all need those "around the house" pics
I do love your pantry! GREAT blog! Great ideas! :-)
Thanks for this reminder Kristen!!….I try to remember to do this….for example, we went bowling on Mother's Day (I still haven't edited most of those pictures lol) but I did get some fun shots of all our bowling shoes lined up, and the balls in the ball return…as well as shots of each of us bowling, and jumping when we'd get a strike!! It was a fun way to document the day!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tidymom/4598152155/
I have a question: what sort of flash do you use? I mean you can't always be using only natural light. If you are in need of some artificial what do you use. I have a Nikon d70s and the flash attached is just way to harsh. Thanks for any advice.
Love the pantry too! Ahh . . .
Did she make the ring? I have been looking for supplies to make a large ring like that!
OMG – I love, love, love looking at photos of the details. I always look at the backgrounds in photos people take – what's in the background can be incredibly interesting. And I adore looking at old family photos and remembering things like toys and couches and clothes. It makes the memory of people no longer with us more complete, somehow. And yes, I've been a little obsessed with documenting things for my newborn son so he will have photos of what his nursery looked like and toys he played with and what his grandparents' house looked like.