Have you found yourself spiraling down a rabbit hole of comparison over something you saw on Facebook or Instagram?  How can someone seriously always have such a neat house!?

I know I find myself comparing way more then I’d care to admit.  We all do it, so what could possibly be the harm in it?

The rabbit hole of comparison leads to feeling like you’re always behind.  It leads to feeling like, life is to hard or challenging and everyone else is cruising through life.  It leads to life passing you by at an alarming rate with paralysis to do anything about it.

When I photograph our life, I see these moments of bliss and contentment I didn’t know existed.  I see my silly girl doing what a 3 year old does best.  I see my life as chaotic yes, but beautiful and perfect just the way it is.

Amy is a busy mom of three girls just 18 months apart.  Most days she’d say she’s just surviving and hoping she makes it to bed time.  But she also knows these days are passing by and one day very soon those little feet will grow into young girls feet and then teenage feet, and adult feet.  The days of them little are numbered and she doesn’t want to waste them fretting about what could be.  She wants to soak up her life right now.

As we sat down to do Amy’s interview, I could feel the tension relax.  I saw her eyes light up when telling stories of her girls.  I saw her feel so much love well up with just taking time to reflect on her life.

In those moments I saw her falling in love with her life.  I saw her feel grateful for the challenges and the blissful moments.

This is Amy’s Mamahood Story.

To learn more about Mamahood Sessions CLICK HERE

Are you ready to fall in love with your life?  Email now to set up your Mamahood session.

A friend of mine, let’s call her Margo (only because I LOVE that name) came to me the other day and was almost in tears.  She said, “every time I take a picture it ends up blurry, or cluttered, or my sweet boy has some ridiculous look on his face with an eye half closed! What am I doing wrong!?”

Nothing.  You just need a little guidance and a few tips to help smooth out the easily mis understood parts of taking a picture.

When I first started out, I would almost never have things in focus.  I cut people’s entire heads off.  And most of the photos were way to bright and over exposed.  BUT we all start somewhere.

This is a challenge for moms that want to take better pictures of their daily life.  It’s a challenge to not just capture a snap shot, but to tell your story and remember those little moments that make your heart lead for joy.

There are several aspects that go into a good picture, I’m going to only focus on ONE aspect for this challenge to make it easy to digest and learn.  This one aspect is what I believe to be the most important part of taking pictures.  LIGHT.

Without light, you have no picture. period.

For 1 week, I’ll be sharing daily tips on a different kind of light, where to find it, how to use it, and secret tricks to make it work for you.

I want you then to find that light in your own home or life and capture a little piece of your story.

Where will you be share your tips?

In the Facebook Group, Mothering from the Heart.  Click the link to join to the group, it’s totally free and a great place to find other awesome moms just like you.

Where do I share my pictures?

In the Facebook group.  I’ll be sharing my own daily photos as well.

What if I miss a day?

No problem, just jump back in when you can!  The tips will remain up in the group.

Do I need a big camera, or can I use my phone?

Both!  The tips are geared a little more towards a big camera, but I also give tips on using your phone.  I use my phone a lot, so any camera will do.  I also know it’s not always easy to get the pictures off your big camera and on the computer.  So use whatever camera you want and works best for you.

A Photo A Day Challenge Details.

• Each morning, starting WEDNESDAY JULY 27th, 2016 – WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3rd, 2016 I’ll post the days lighting challenge.
• Comment and ask questions on the post.
• Post your daily photo to the Facebook Group
• Friday August 5th, I’ll pick a winner from those that participated.  The winner will receive a FREE seat at the next Mom to Mom workshop, Capture Your Every Day.  The winner will be announced in the Facebook group.

So many days pass by in a blur.  Some days just feel like survival.  Some days I just want to freeze time and soak in every last detail.  I want to remember the little things about their personalities and what they’re learning right now.

Delilah loves to play baby.  She wants nothing more then to pretend cry and do all things baby.  While Crosby wants nothing to do with things that a baby should want to do.  Oh the irony.

An image can take me back to that moment where I couldn’t decide to laugh, get angry, or just document it because it was just to ridiculous.

Delilah whined and practically cried to be put in the exersaucer, while Crosby cried hysterically if I even tried to put him in it.  A moment I thought was comical at the time and now looking back months later, I have to admit, is still hilarious in it’s irony.

Without this photo, would I have remembered this moment?  This day in our lives?  I’m not sure I would have.  Photos mean so much more then just what someone looks like.  They record a moment that at the time can seem unimportant or insignificant.  But later, reveal something even more amazing.

I recently came across this article  .  A photo can say so much about an event or nothing at all.  It can tell a story from one side or the other.

Tell me about a moment that happened today that made you, laugh, or cry, or throw your hand in the air, or just plain made you grateful for another day with your kids.

Let’s document those kinds of moments.

xoxo – Rachael

Postpartum is raw, real, messy, floppy, bleeding, emotion, and utteryly beautiful.  Every time I photograph a mom just hours or days after delivering a perfect little human, I’m in awe and inspired by their grace and rawness.

I struggled, in a way I think a lot of moms struggle, with finding their feet and allowing time to heal and get to know the newest member of the family.

It’s hard to see myself the same way I see my clients and friends.

What I saw when I walked into that hospital room was a beautiful mama snuggling the babe that she grew in her belly for 10 months.  I saw a mama raw with emotion and feeling all the feels that come with a new baby.  I saw a Daddy so proud of his little tribe that his own heart could burst.  I saw a family of 5 that took my breath away and made me even more grateful for my own family.

Jenny gave birth to baby boy #3 and I was honored to be one of the first visitors and photograph the older two meeting their baby brother for the first time.  To have three babies in 3 years takes a strong mama and papa. And Jenny and Greg fit right in.  Their boys are hilarious, sweet, rambunctious, and perfect.

Congrats Jenny & Greg.

I plopped down on the couch, the kids finally tucked into their beds, and pulled out my phone to catch up on the day’s social media.  I can’t help but zone out for a bit while I wait to make sure Delilah is actually asleep before I head downstairs to work or do the dishes that have piled up from the day.

Instagram is a favorite and I love the pluthera of visual eye candy I get every time I open it.  I often wonder how anyone can have such a clean home or well thought out design of something so simple as still life.  It’s easy to get pulled into the world that isn’t mine and immediately start comparing.

Why doesn’t my life look like that?

It’s so easy to fall into that trap and think, my life isn’t worth photographing.  My life is boring.

Can I tell you a secret?  It’s NOT!  It’s an illusion we’ve all fallen hard for.  Myself included.  I was chatting Julie Harris and she said, ‘we have this raw, real, and authentic photo stream right in front of us, our kids.’

What were your favorite memories growing up as a kid?  I grew up on a farm and there was a grove of tall, sappy pine trees that we would build forts in and climb as high as we dared.  We’d be covered in sap by the time we came back down.  (I’m surprised my mom didn’t forbid us from climbing!) We’d have so much fun playing games and imagining a great adventure.  I can only wish we had photos of it though.  It’s forever only in my memory.

Tell me about a moment that just made your heart burst recently?  I bet it was totally out of the blue and mingled in with dirty laundry and scattered toys.  A moment that made you melt and go blind to the daily chaos around you and only see the love right in front of you.  It happens to me daily (I’ve started writing them down, put that’s a whole other post!).

Life happens in the big grand moments like birthdays and first days of school.  Life happens in the ‘never forget adventure’ moments.  And life happens in the quiet sneak up on you and squeeze your heart moments of the daily grind.  You just have to be open to seeing them.

Your life is just as beautiful as those instagram feeds you get lost in.  Your life is filled with moments that spark joy and bring you to tears.

As a photographer of life and stories, finding those little moments are what make me giddy.  Every family has them.  Every day has them.  You don’t have to wait till the kids are bigger or more whatever.  These perfect moments happen ALL THE TIME.  You just have to trust me to see them.  And then open your heart and eyes to see them yourself.  I promise you’ll fall madly in love with your life.

xoxo – Rachael

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