I was excited about my “A black/white picture of my boys every day in Janaury” challenge! The reality of doing it didn’t always feel particularly motivating, BUT let me tell you this - the final outcome is enough to make me look forward to next January!
As with all good January intentions everything starts off full of motivation, but inevitably everyday life sets in, and it does become harder to stick to your plan. I have seen other photographers produce the most beautiful set of images after these challenges and my expectations were high, so when my sky high ambitions began to dwindle into everyday “oh no I have forgotten to take a picture today, quickly do one” it wasn’t always a fantastic feeling. My expectations definitely lowered throughout the month, and I must admit I began looking forward to the end of the task. The end result is far more a set of snap shots, than a set of great art.
However, when I finally loaded all the images to go through them and collate them, I was blow away by the story I have created from a dark and somewhat uninspiring January. I have this amazing log of my boy’s activities, and I was thrilled to find there is a lot of just laughing and messing about in our family, much more that I realised… I love how it includes so many little details of toys, clothes, and activities they are into now.
There is something amazing about creating real images of my own family, as the perfect contrast to the idealistic work I create for customers.
I feel August could be a great time to do this challenge next… a month with lots of light would be a treat as well!
These are images personal to me, and I love the story they all tell, but I hope you might enjoy them too. Next job is to work out what format to print them in x
Evidently, this is my mum, but M is nearly in the corner, and I have no pictures of my mum, so I am sneaking this one in. We were in Denmark for New Years, so this is January 1st. I know this is the chair she sits and reads in every day, and she is smiling because she is watching the boys play on the WEE - I love everything about this picture.
We spend a lot of time in airports every year, the boys have traveled to Denmark with us since day one.
First day back from holiday the boys are always super busy rediscovering their own toys.
Coming home after first day back at school. This picture is quite random, but I have had a new car since, so I like the little memory of my old car!
M&S are always putting on shows that we have to sit and watch, this was one of those. M is wearing his crayon outfit that we made for world book day last year.
It was a hot chocolate and Toy Story 3 kind of day.
Fresh home from A&E! He fell out of S's bed and needed a bit of glue at the back of his head...
First day without stabilisers - big milestone!
Because I have started journaling, my oldest has started too, how sweet is that?
New winter coat!
We made cheesy straws and played games after school!
Bring on spring, so the skateboard can move outside...
One of the days when I forgot to take a picture until bath time...
I think there is an opportunity for a picture of my youngest in a box almost every day x
M got a big Lego technic fire engine for Christmas, and he then bought an engine to attaches to it, so it lights up in the dark!
When it isn't a school day the boys are allowed to wear dressing gowns downstairs.
Bedtime....another day where I had forgotten... I'm telling you, it isn't easy 😉
A big new PC was delivered for my husbands exhibition stand, and M was straight onto it for Mathletics!
S spending lots of time on a friends birthday card, adding glitter, glitter and a bit more glitter!
New window seat is finished and S loves sitting there with his sticker book.
A proper dad moment, "boys why don't we paint this box like a buss?" he then gets all the paint out, leaves the project, nothing to protect the table and no one does any clearing up after - sounds familiar ;o)
aww this is blurry and not good in any way, but this was one of those super rare Sunday mornings where we just snuggled up and no one got dressed till nearly lunch... and I like that I am almost in the picture...almost... sort off...
We invented a new game for practicing school spellings in the bath - if he get's it right he can squirt water on Chris... M loves it, Chris not so much.
New presents from Far.
S wasn't actually invited to be in the picture, I only wanted M, but I like it now.
I LOVE this one, I was tickling him and just watching this image I can hear him laughing - the best sound int he world!!!
On the days when M has clubs after school S is a bit lost...
first time at Fine Shades woods with both boys in bikes - amazing, did the walk in half the time, bigger walk next time!
M had a play date and S was climbing the monkey bars, probably feeling a bit little and left out...
Back on the new window seat.
M had the Christmassaurus (great book!) for Christmas and we have been reading a chapter every night, except the ending got too exciting and we had to read the final three chapters in bed early morning before getting up.
The truth is...
The truth is I edited 66 images from this challenge, not 31... it was bound to happen, you can’t photograph two boys every day and ever only pick one image! Here are a few “bonus” images, because I did want some “proper” portrait images as well, I couldn’t entirely let go of my idealistic side, even for just 31 days 😉
