I’m thrilled to be bringing you one of my favorite moms and fellow bloggers Shawn Fink today as the Monday Momtographer. Shawn has been called the ‘Yoda of Mamas’, she’s a contributor to the Momtographie Online course, and a past participant. I love that Shawn is a point-and-shoot mama, she’s making the most of her equipment, and she’s rocking her experience as a Momtographie alumna. Today Shawn is here to share a bit of her wisdom and tips on making mama mornings ‘picture perfect’.
There is this little window of time, if we’re lucky, in the mornings when everything is just fine.
It’s that moment when we’re all awake, ready to start the day. We’re all eager to see what will unfold before us and while some of us want to go in one direction, the others want to go in another.
That push-pull can be hard. It can be a struggle.
Maybe you want to stay in bed but your toddler wants to get up at 5:50 a.m.
Maybe you want to go for a run but your partner has to rush out to work all day.
And those mornings when we’re all feeling rushed and focused on moving away from each other — rather than toward each other — are mornings when we have to start to rethink our priorities.
That first moment of connection in the morning is truly my favorite time of the day to connect with my children — and our family.
Perhaps it’s the way the light shines in on their faces from the sun beaming through the window. Perhaps it’s all the hope that seems to radiate from their eagerness to start the day. Perhaps it’s that I just like to sit back and drink my coffee and let ease flow through my veins.
Whatever it is, it works.
I get some of my best images of my children first thing in the morning.
To do this, though, I have to be in the right frame of mind. My head clutter has to be cleared out. The house has to be in good shape. Weekend mornings seem to work best but any day of the week can work … if you get a little creative.
Here are 5 Tips to Create Picture Perfect Morning
Invitation to Play — One of the best ways to start a day is with a fun project that everyone can work together on that inspires imagination and creativity. Set up a tray with art supplies and challenge everyone to create their finest art. Leave a piece of paper with the start of a drawing on it and ask your child to finish it. Once your child is in the moment of creation, snap some close up photos of their faces in full concentration. All those colorful art supplies will really stand out in your photos and cherish memories, too.
Start a Dance Party — Music is grounding. It’s possibly the best centering tool you can ever use to create peaceful mornings. Listening to music is a great way to start your day, too. Plus, pictures of little children dancing is always the sweetest. Don’t forget to dance yourself!
Meet up with the Birds — Unless it’s freezing cold, there is no reason not to head outside first thing in the morning — yes, even in YOUR pajamas — and have a little meet up with the birds. This has been one of our favorite ways to start our days. We watch the birds. Listen to them chatter. And, if no birds are around, gaze at the clouds, search for footprints or even just take a short walk around your yard.
Stay in Bed — Now and then, staying in bed and just being together is the best gift we can give ourselves. Snuggling under the blankets. Being silly. Keep your camera close by so that you can pick it up and capture little feet under the blankets or static hair from the electricity of your bodies wrapped up together.
Game Time — On rare occasions, starting a morning with board games and coffee can be exactly what you need to recharge and get your mind off the piled up laundry that needs to be done. Children need to play games to learn to cooperate and work as a team. It also teaches patience and how to follow rules. It also makes some really fun frames for images. Hang those pictures in your family room to remind you of the fun times.
What are some of your favorite ways to start your day?
About Shawn: Shawn Fink is the founder of The Abundant Mama Project, an online community that inspires busy moms to be present, playful and peaceful. Get more peaceful morning tips in her free e-book The Abundant Mama’s Guide to Peaceful Mornings.
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Want to make your mornings, afternoons, and nights picture perfect? If you’re a mom who is baffled by the technical settings of your camera and are looking for the perfect recipe to put all those ingredients together,