Get in the Picture
Okay, let’s admit it; we’re all guilty! We snap away at our loved ones while remaining hidden behind the camera. If we do show up in a picture, the photo is usually posed or a group shot. Candid or interactive photos of us, the family photographers/historians, are rare—usually we can only be found smiling pretty for the camera. But it’s the in-the-moment photos that show who we really are.
Getting “real life” shots of us doesn’t have to be difficult; we all just need to be willing to hand over our cameras and hope for the best. Here are five photo tips for getting pictures of ourselves in the moment. Are you with me?
 |
Supplies: patterned paper (Basic Grey, Studio Calico, Scenic Route, Anna Griffin, KI Memories) • alpha stickers (Jenni Bowlin) • library card and pocket (Studio Calico) • mists (Maya Road) • punch (Martha Stewart) • 8½ x 11 layout by Waleska Neris |
|
Click image to read hidden journaling |
|
1. Make a Request in the Moment.
It's perfectly okay to say, "Take a picture of me eating this 3 lb. lobster!" when you’re on vacation or "Take a picture of me making dinner" on a regular day at home. Why not? Your experiences and routines are important, too. For this photo, Waleska handed her camera over to her son while she was reading. He really captured her in a funny moment, and now her love of reading is documented for her family.
 |
Supplies:
patterned paper (Basic Grey, KI Memories, Making Memories papers) • alphabet stickers (American Crafts) • punch (Fiskars) • font (Traveling Typewriter font, dafont.com) • 8½ x 11 layout by Erin Sweeney
|
|
Click image for larger view |
|
2. Strangers = No Danger!
When on vacation or at an event, ask a passing stranger to snap a photo for you. (Tip: look at what kind of camera they're carrying before you ask. The nicer their camera, the more competent they’re likely to be with yours.) Erin recently took her two young daughters to the local fair and got plenty of pictures of them. But since they’re too young to be able to reciprocate, Erin handed her camera over to a complete stranger, who took this lovely photo of her eating her favorite fair treat. Erin’s advice? Don’t be shy!
 |
Supplies: patterned paper, die cuts (October Afternoon) • chipboard alphabet (Making Memories) • chipboard star (Technique Tuesday) • font (Century Gothic) • 12 x 12 layout by Paula Gilarde |
|
Click image for larger view |
|
3. Hand It Over
Assign someone else to be the photographer for the day so you'll actually show up in some candid shots every now and then. (For example, ask your best friend to photograph your child's birthday party, or ask your spouse to be in charge of the camera on the next outing—and consider offering him a per-photo reward to keep him motivated!) On a recent road trip, Paula let her friend be the official photographer. This not only allowed her to appear in the photos, but it also afforded her a different perspective on the day. The interesting photo angles also add a sense of artistry to her page..
 |
Supplies: patterned paper (Scenic Route) • die cuts (Urban Lily, KI Memories) • file folder, stamps (Lil Davis) • letter stickers, rub-ons (Making Memories) • flowers (Prima) • 8½ x 11 page by Caroline Ikeji |
|
Click image for larger view |
|
4. Fake It ‘til You Make It
Even if you weren't in the pictures of a particular event, include a recent photo of you on the page anyway, perhaps Photoshopped into a group shot in an obviously funny way. Or use digital photo-editing tricks to make a different statement entirely. This example is a hoot! Among a group of scrapbooking friends, Caroline is known for her Nutella obsession. One night when Caroline was nowhere to be found, her friend Wendy Reed uttered the immortal words preserved on this layout. When Caroline heard about it, she had to scrapbook it. Instead of staging a photo of herself eating the yummy treat, she used Photoshop to insert herself right into a gooey jar. Clever and funny!
 |
Supplies: patterned paper (Scenic Route, My Mind’s Eye, BasicGrey) • rub-ons (BasicGrey) • chipboard words (Making Memories) • felt flower (KI Memories) • 8½ x 11 layout by Celeste Smith |
|
Click image for larger view |
|
5. It’s a Set Up
Set up your tripod/timer so it catches you performing a part of your daily routine, perhaps putting your daughter's hair in pigtails or plugging away in your office cubicle. Here I set up my tripod and captured myself reading one of my favorite books of all time. I’m happy to have a photo in my album that depicts something I do every day. I was also able to control the angles, the expression on my face, and take a hundred shots if I wanted! It’s nice to be in complete control every now and then.
But Wait, There's More..
If the previous five ideas aren’t working for you, here are some other quick tips that might be more up your alley:
- Take a self-portrait using a webcam, the long-arm method, or by shooting a picture of yourself in the mirror.
- Go to a photo booth in your area.
- Make sure you include meaningful journaling so your perspective is still included, even if your face isn't.
- Hand the camera over to the kids for a day.
- Create an avatar that looks like you on facecyourmanga.com or mywebface.com or similar (or have your kids try it and see who gets the closest to you).
- Have each of your kids draw a picture of you, and then include them on a layout next to an actual picture of you.
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.”
–Henry David Thoreau
Did You Know?
In Quick & Creative Quizzes by Wendy Smedley and Angie Lucas, you’ll find lots of fun quizzes that will help you capture unique perspectives for your scrapbook pages. They're the perfect companions to creative self-portraits!
