Celebrations and parties are a big deal. They can be a central part of your family’s story and sometimes there’s a lot of pressure to get it right, to capture every moment.
Over the years I’ve realized that trying to capture every moment and still enjoy the party is impossible. When you are the hostess, the parent, and the photographer it’s just too many balls to juggle. Plus I have four children – that’s a lot of birthdays.
Whenever I have a celebration coming up I consider the most important moments I want to remember. I love the blowing out the candles shot at a birthday party. I also like to get a shot of the birthday child with me and their dad that day. And last, the party group together.
So, that’s three main shots. A whole lot less pressure. After those three main shots are done, I feel comfortable passing the camera off to someone else, or when things calm down, doing some natural shots of the party.
Celebrations are an important part of the story, but don’t make the day more stressful and less fun by trying to photograph it all. Choose your favorite moments, then put the camera down and enjoy the party!
Challenge: Share your favorite shots to capture at a celebration. I’d love to hear your challenges.
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