Capturing missing memories - 4 steps to a more creative and complete family photo collection
Do you ever look at your camera roll and realize that most photos look strikingly similar? Taking creative family photos for a diverse visual record of your kids' childhood can be challenging. You can create a more complete picture of your family life by identifying what moments are missing and creating a plan to fill those gaps by capturing more unique, creative, and real family photos. This guide will help reveal missing memories in your children's albums and create a shot list, so you can take more creative photos that reflect your unique family story.
Step 1: Review your current family photos
Before you can optimize your photo collection, take a closer look at what you already have. Set aside time to critically review the family photos in your camera roll and digital albums.
Gather family photos from every source. Do you only take photos with your phone or do you also have folders from your DSLR or professional shoots? Who else has photos of your kids? Consider the shared albums from your partner or co-parent, and any other family members or caregivers who are frequent shooters
Determine what photos to base your evaluation on. Rule of thumb: focus on the last 4-5 months. Going too far back can prolong the evaluation without adding relevant insights. Life with little changes rapidly - what you were capturing last year is likely drastically different from today!
Grab a notepad to jot down your observations. For those more prone to #momguilt and all its variants, write a positive mantra at the top of the page to keep negative thoughts at bay when you identify missed memories.
Quickly browse your collection to identify creative family photo opportunities. Scroll through your camera roll and folders relatively quickly. Set the grid view to see about 10 photos at a time so it's easier to find patterns. Resist the urge to click on individual photos (their cute smile is so tempting!) to avoid getting on the Nostalgia Train, missing Evaluation Station.
Note the types of family photos that dominate your collection. This usually becomes clear after 10-15 minutes of scrolling. Do you have mainly posed portraits or candid shots of your kids? Are most of your photos taken indoors, or do they primarily feature specific events, like birthdays and outings? What members of the family show up the most? Write down 5-10 photo types you see most represented.
Step 2: Identify where you should add more creative family photos
Camera roll fresh in mind, time to identify the gaps! Ask yourself these questions about your current family photos to find room for more creative captures:
What family events or milestones are missing?
What everyday moments with your family do you wish you had captured?
What activities does your family do almost every day but is rarely captured?
Have you captured enough candid moments and fly-on-the-wall photos of your kids?
Are there enough posed shots or intentional portraits?
Are there certain family members or friends who are underrepresented in your collection?
Do your photos mainly feature specific events, such as birthdays and holidays, or also the regular day-to-day?
What locations does your family frequent that are not showing up in your camera roll?
Are there enough photos that showcase your child's interests, obsessions, and hobbies?
Do your family photos capture a variety of emotions, expressions, and moods?
Are most of your photos taken indoors or outdoors?
What times of the day, or days of the week, feature significantly fewer photos?
Are there any photos that document your child's relationships with siblings or friends?
Do your photos highlight your child's unique personality traits?
Have you captured a diverse range of family activities, from quiet moments to active play?
Are there any photos that showcase your child's achievements, no matter how small?
Do your family photos feature unique angles and creative compositions?
Do you have enough photos of yourself interacting with your kids? (selfies don’t count here)
Once you've finished the review of your family photos, take a moment to reflect on your findings.
Step 3: Create your shot list of creative family photos
Taking more creative family photos may feel overwhelming at first. The answers to your reflection questions likely gave you too long a list.
Unless you plan to go full-time as your family's biographer, you'll have to prioritize, filter, and break this down into steps.
A shot list helps you track the creative family photos you want to capture.
Start with a shot list of about 20 unique family photos to add to your camera roll. Set a phone reminder to capture one of those family photo every day.
In less than 3 weeks from now, you'll have a more complete visual record of your kids' childhood. The process of taking more creative family photos is addictive, so you'll likely want to continue after completing your initial shot list!
Step 4: Gather inspiration for more creative family photos
While shooting your first list of unique and creative family photos, gather inspiration for the next set. Browsing photography accounts reveals what other family shots you might be missing. Go beyond the initial list and add a new layer of creativity!
As you browse for creative family photos on Pinterest and Instagram, look for images that capture moments you'd like to recreate with your own family. Especially keep an eye out for shots you identified as gaps in your current photo collection. A few deliberate taps and search queries will trigger the algorithms to do most of the heavy lifting of selecting those shots for you.
Ready to capture more creative family photos for a diverse camera roll?
Diversifying your camera roll by taking more creative family photos doesn’t doesn't need to be daunting. With a little planning and intention, you can easily capture a wide range of memories that showcase your child's unique personality and experiences. By reviewing your camera roll and regularly creating shot lists of creative family photos, your kids will be able to look back on a vibrant, diverse, and heartwarming visual record of their childhood.
