i heart faces: Best Face Photo

This weeks challenge over at i heart faces, is to choose a photo that you took in December of 2009, or January, that you feel shows off where you're currently standing with your photography skills. I hopped over to my flickr, and scanned through my pictures. The memory that I decided to use, was this one of Charlie...


Its not the best picture that I've taken, but its pictures like these that I cherish the most. The reason for my photography hobby, is to document my children's lives. I want there to be pictures for every day of every year. It may sound a little ridiculous, but what I wouldn't give to have pictures like that from my own childhood. I want to (and I want them to) remember the simple things. Like when Charlie first started pulling himself up and walking along the window sill, grabbing at the Christmas lights while attempting to take big boy steps all on his own. The lights were always on, because I'm the lazy kind of mom that would rather sit down during my 5 minute break between changing diapers than walk across the room and unplug the dang things, so he was constantly grabbing at the little bulbs, and I was constantly yelling at him to stop. It then turned into a game. Charlie would stand at the window, look over his shoulder, and once he knew I was looking, he'd start picking at the lights. When I told him "No!", he'd start stomping and giggling, which would cause him to fumble and fall, but right back up he'd get, just to grab another handful of lights, and look over his shoulder at Mommy again.

Visually, I take better pictures when I'm surrounded with better light. I take better pictures when I'm in a better mood. I take better pictures when I really try to take a better picture.

Realistically, I take better pictures when my heart is present. I take better pictures when my camera settings are wrong and my angles are sloppy. I take better pictures when I'm documenting my life, rather than trying to take a picture.

*sigh*

Oh little Charlie. You and that window sill.