5 simple steps to document your days - using your iphone.
Photos are meaningful, but your presence is the most important thing of all.
I created this guide to help you use your camera more intentionally, so that you can stay grounded in the moment while still documenting your story with beautiful photos.
This was made with photos I took when my daughter and I went blueberry picking together for the first time, but these 5 steps can be applied to any day, event or outing you'd like to document.
Think about getting these 5 shots:
ONE
what are you doing?
Get a photo of your people doing the fun/ important/meaningful thing! In this case, the actual picking of the berries, but this could be going down the slide, riding the bike, making the painting, etc.
TWO
noticing the small things.
Whatever catches your eye, a curl, the way a gift is wrapped, a paint splat on the floor, a beautiful plate of food- whatever it is- get up close and snap that pic.
THREE
where are you?
Take a bunch of steps back and try to fit as much of your surroundings in the frame as you can. This is always one of my favorite shots because it gives your series of photos a sense of place.
THREE
portrait
this doesn't mean saying, "cheese!”
I tend to take these on the fly, mostly because I want to capture natural expressions. I do understand that old habits die hard, so if you must- try asking your subject to sing a favorite song or yell something silly like, "Boogie-Woogie!" Snap at least a handful so you have a variety of expressions to choose from.
THREE
get in the frame
If you are reading this, chances are, you are the person most often taking the photos which means you are WAY underrepresented in your family's photographic history. Use the self-timer option on your phone, take a selfie or ask someone nearby to take the photo... read this article on my 3 simple steps to getting in the frame.
"because YOU were there too."
Final Steps
I want to urge you to take these last steps. You can do it later in the day by replacing ten minutes of mindless scrolling with time dedicated to your own camera roll. I promise you that your future self will thank you!
A. Revise.
Let's keep only the best photos from the day. I like to do this by using the favorite feature on my iphone. As you scroll through, click the heart icon on only the best one of a group of like images. If you are like me, this may take a few passes to really pare down.
B. Trim the fat.
After you’ve combed through and “favorited,” go back to the grid view. You’ll see tiny white hearts on the images you just favorited.
Now click “select” and only select those that DO NOT have that heart.
C. Tidy up that camera roll!
Once all the non-favorited images are selected, click the trash icon, and then choose 'delete.'
I like to go down to 10 images or less, but of course, this will vary depending on your event and family size.
*10 is the magic number for the perfect Instagram carousel post. 😉
Voila!
You are now left with only your best images in a nicely varied, tidy group of photos that perfectly document your day!
one more thing
When your toddler is clearly breaking the rules in front of the rules… TAKE THE PICTURE!
-Seana
Tag me on instagram: @seanawilliamson in your photos if you use these tips!