“Run run! Get ready!!” My kids screamed as the timer on the camera counted down from 10.

“HURRY!” My oldest daughter screams. My son giggles alongside her as they strike up a silly face.

My EOS M50 begins a rapid beeping sound and flashes a yellow light before snapping this picture:

We try again. More screaming and laughing ensuing.

Rinse and repeat until we all eventually cooperate and get these gems.

At arm’s-length I was able to snap some pretty sweet selfies in auto-mode.

The goal wasn’t to get the most perfectly posed flawless pictures, but snapshots we can look back at and cherish.

Next I did something I want to push myself to do annually… And I highly recommend doing this at least once. You know those questionnaires our kids fill out around Mother’s Day? I love reading the silly things my kids answer about me. But you know what’s even better? Hearing them!

I set my EOS M50 camera up on my mini tripod and rattled off a series of Mother’s Dat interview questions. Lee Lee even got in on a few.

So this May make it a goal to get in the picture, and record some video moments with your little ones too. I promise you’ll thank me later. And if you want to use the same questions we used you can download our free Mother’s Day Questions printable here.

Happy Mother’s May!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Canon USA. The opinions and text are all mine.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Canon USA. The opinions and text are all mine.

“Stop and smell the roses.” It’s a phrase we say to remind us to press pause and enjoy the little things.

But with the hustle and bustle going on in our lives, sometimes it can be hard to remember that. I like to find tangible ways to cherish every day.

One way I like to do this is through photography. Taking some time to walk around and notice the little things you’re grateful, then photographing them, is like making a visual gratitude journal.

I pick up my camera, and snap a picture of things that make me smile. This week I zoomed in extra close to the nitty gritty details that make me smile. I used my Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 iS USM  Macro Lens and went around our home to take note of the pieces I’m especially thankful for.

Here are some of the things that came from that:

Playtime

The joy I feel when I watch my son play. He’s such a silly boy and from a super young age he’s always known how to push our buttons just hard enough to make me flip out while simultaneously making me laugh. He’s always been one to take good care of his toys and I’ve loved watching his imagination grow. For this image I was inside his room where there was a good amount of window light. My settings: ISO 2500 f/4.5 1/200sec

Nature

I love spring and all of the fresh color that comes with it. We’ve always enjoyed seeing Texas wildflowers while driving down the road but now we’re finding them all over our backyard. The kids and I are enjoying picking them and pressing them into our nature journals. I don’t think I ever paid as much attention to flowers as I have this year as we’ve been noticing the different details we we try to identify them.

I’m all about photographing people but small plants and animals are some of my favorite macro photography subjects. My settings for the flower inside: ISO 4000; F/3.5; 1/250 sec. Settings for the flower outside: ISO: 2500; F/5; 1/8000 sec

Budding Bravery

As we’ve been growing used to our new digs and lots more land, with that has come getting used to more critters. I’ve put on a tough face as I’ve stepped over spiders and through webs. Instead of squealing at a giant beetle crawling through the grass I instead point out how cool it is to the kids. I’m noticing as I’m demonstrate more bravery, so do they.

Lil’ J was terrified to touch this little caterpillar but after a little while she not only poked it, but held it (and proceeded to name it).

My settings for both images: ISO 2500; f/11; 1/200 sec

Baby Chub

There are very few things in life that are as sweet as the chunk on a chubby baby. And mine always have a lot to spare. I love zooming in on it and getting a crisp shot of those rolls. Lee Lee is already pulling up on things and before I know it that chub is going to melt away. I’m trying to enjoy these rolls as long as possible.

I also love capturing sweet details like her tiny toes, her nose, even her little eyelashes. A macro lens is perfect for all of the teeny tiny baby details.

My settings: ISO 2500; f/10; 1/320 sec

Healthy Happy Children

My favorite detail to capture up close are the smiles of my children. Though this isn’t quite a macro shot, I love the closeness and the sharpness of this image of my girls enjoying each other’s company and the details in their eyelashes.

The nice thing about the 100mm Macro lens is it works as a wonderful portrait lens. So you can zoom in for the details of your baby’s fresh new tooth, then step back and get a beautiful shot of her whole face along with her new-tooth grin.

My settings: ISO 2500; f/10; 1/250 sec

A helpful hint: When shooting with a long lens like this you don’t need to open up the aperture as wide to get a shallow depth of field. Especially when taking photos really close. In the photo above the background behind my daughters is still blurred with some lovely bokeh, even with an f-stop of 10.

Some other great macro lens options are the EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macros IS STM Lens if you have a crop body camera (such as the Canon Rebel). Or the EF-M 29mm F/3.5 Macro IS STM lens if you have a mirrorless EOS Canon camera.

It’s not always about capturing the right image, but capturing the right moments and details that mean something to us. Take some time to think about your routines and try stepping in and capturing a closer look.

Every year I take thousands of pictures. That’s no exaggeration. One of my traditions at the start of a new year is to clean out some of the images I don’t need and free up some space on my computer.

Inevitably it turns into a wonderful stroll down memory lane and it never fails I find some great keepers that I totally forgot about. Even some I never shared with anyone.

These are 18 never before shared photos from 2018 that are making the cut as keepers. A few may even be going up on the wall!

And as always, if you’re wanting to learn how to take better pictures of your kids this year, check out my photography course Child’s Play: Simple Tips for Photographing Children.

1. Strawberry Farm

In the spring I took the kids to the strawberry farm which proved to be a beautiful spot for pictures. I used the Canon EF 24-105mm F/4L lens so I could get wide pictures of the long rows and zoom all the way in for portraits.

2. Puppy Love

I was intentional about taking more pictures of Snoop last year, though I didn’t share many. For this one I used the Canon EF 24-105mm F/4L lens zoomed all the way in to 105mm to create a more portrait look with a blurred background.

3. Big T Under the Trees

For this picture I used the Canon EF 24-105mm F/4L lens zoomed all the way out so I could stand right under him and capture this creative angle with the bright blue sky above him. I had planned to share this photo but never got around to it.

4. Mommy and Me and Baby to Be

This photo was an outtake from a photoshoot I never found up sharing. But it’s one of my favorite photos from my pregnancy. I got much bigger, but the joy Lil’ J had through the whole process made my third pregnancy extra special. I used the vari-angle screen on my Canon DSLR to position us in this shot, then connected to my camera using wifi and the Canon Camera Connect app to remotely take this shot.

5. Dashing Duck Face

Big T got some fancy new clothes and naturally he wanted to try them on and I wanted to photograph him. We stepped into our backyard and I snapped this picture really quick while he attempted to give me a kissy face. I used my Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 lens for this shot. Which continues to be one of my favorite lenses for portraits.

6. Showoffs

There’s nothing like showing off your new baby sister to all your friends. As the kids huddled around the stroller I snapped this wide angle shot from above. I used my Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 lens to snap this shot from a close distance. Since it was still pretty dark in the morning I cranked the ISO up to 5000.

7. Window Light

I love playing with natural light and shadows. My son likes to play with the blinds. We both got a little bit of what we liked with this picture. I used the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens at 70mm at f-2.8. It was an overcast day so the ISO was still at 5000. I used a pretty high shutterspeed of 1.800 because my son is a quick one.

8. Sister Hangout

About a month after Lee Lee was born Lil’ J was begging to tote her around everywhere and always ready to smile and pose with her. Well, she still is.  I used a zoom lens for this shot (24-70mm 2.8/f at 38mm) so I could switch between wide angle photos and zoom in for portraits.

9. Ready, Set, GO!

Big T knew he loved to run but 2018 he discovered a track. Daddy worked with him a lot to try to get the correct stance. I shot this at 24mm to get a nice wider angle of my little runner, the track and the sky above him.

10. Daddy’s Tricks

I didn’t get my husband in enough photos last year, and I want to do better this year. I loved this one I shot from a distance using my EF 24-105mm f/4 lens.

11. Self-Portrait

I used the vari-angle screen on my Canon EOS 6D Mark ii and wifi remote to snap this self-portrait. I shared several self-portraits last year but none like this.

12. Smooches

Usually these expressions are reversed but I’m glad I have evidence of this. Our house was a mess. We had boxes and things everywhere and taking picture in our cramped space was difficult. I blurred out the background of this shot by using my EF 50mm f/1.4 lens with the aperture stopped all the way down to f/1.4. This wound up being one of my favorite photos of the year.  

13. Sisters in Shadows

Lee Lee fell asleep in Lil’ J’s arms. The moment was so sweet and I didn’t want to miss capturing it. My closet camera wasn’t one of my DSLRs but my mirrorless EOS M6 with the kit 15-45mm lens. It didn’t disappoint and did this moment justice. No flash was needed. I was just using available light from the nearby window. I love how their hair disappears into the shadows.  

14. Brotherly Love

Big brother also got in on a lot of sister love this last year. Any time I set her down and she starts to fus, he’s the first one to run over and try to make her happy. I used the EF 24-70mm f/2.8 lens to snap this picture.

15. Friends

Nothing like fall evenings with friends. I snapped this picture of the group at 24mm so I could stand close and get the whole group in the shot.

16. Delicious Baby Rolls

Every week I take a photo of Lee Lee for the ‘gram. But these photoshoots come wind up with A LOT of outtakes and behind-the-scenes chub. Here’s a look at some of that. I used my EF 50mm f/1.4 lens for this shot (as I do every week). I use my vari-angle screen to get as high as I can directly over her.

17. Daddy Daughter

Another elusive daddy shot. This one I snuck while he was watching football. I used my EF 50mm f/1.4 lens for this picture as well but at f/2 so get both of their faces in focus.

18. First Child Last Child

This was another one of those moments where my small mirrorless camera was within reach and I used it to capture a delicate moment. When I saw Snoop had rolled over for some baby snuggled I quickly snapped this with my Canon EOS M50, which also has a vari-angle screen so I could take this picture from a bird’s-eye view. It’s not the most flattering photo of Snoop. Maybe not as cute as napping puppies and babies on a bed, but I think this is as close as we are gonna get.

But then again, who knows what 2019 will bring.

Do you declutter your photos at the start of the new year? What lenses and cameras do you find you use the most?

Can’t decide which camera you want? For tips on choosing which camera is best for your needs check out this post.

And for help deciding what lens to get next, read this post.

On Thanksgiving Day my oldest daughter handed each of us a turkey hat she made herself. She stood by and waited as each of us tried them on for size. My son love his, and wore it all day.

I was decluttering some of our art supplies and beginning to pack up our house. I found a couple of giant Christmas themed coloring books and handed each of them one to work on. My son took his and plopped it on the ground and began to color.

Lee Lee has is fondly amused by her big brother, so I set her beside him while I finished taping up some packing boxes. I was trying to get as much house stuff done over the holiday weekend as I could, while my inbox was quiet.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Lee Lee kicking her little feet and watching her big brother. He noticed too and put his marker down before leaning over her for some kisses.

I dropped what I was doing and ran for my camera. I came back, thankful they were still in the same position and snapped a few shots.

The room was a mess, toys abound, boxes in the corner, but I didn’t care.

A special moment–A fleeing one–between brother and sister one Thanksgiving morning.

No staging or direction needed. No logos to line up. I was able to sit back and enjoy these two little faces I created smiling at each other.

It's so important to remember to be thankful for what we already have, while we're going after what we want.Click To Tweet

I’m working so hard to build something so great for my children. A place they can grow up with room to run and play. But as I looked at them playing with a handful of toys I had yet to pack I remembered we already have what matters most.

It’s so important to remember to be thankful for what we already have, while we’re going after what we want.

Quiet (or not so quiet) mornings, together. Surrounded by our favorite type of mess. With lots of love abound.

This is what it’s all about.

One of the most common questions I’m asked is about which camera to buy. Whether you’re just starting out or upgrading, there are so many kinds and it can be really hard to narrow down the best one for your needs. Want a new camera for the holidays but not sure which one will best fit your needs?

I’ve used a variety of Canon cameras through the years, and had a number of upgrades so I can give you a very good idea of which camera will work best for your situation. Though I’ve partnered with Canon to sponsor this post, these opinions are all my own.

I’m going to break it down based on size and type of camera and work my way from smallest to largest. I’ll also share photos I’ve taken with each camera so you can get an idea of what they can do.

Ok here we go!

Canon Powershot G7X Mark ii

Handy, easy, and great for video.

This is my smallest camera. When people ask me for a video recorder recommendation I throw this out first. You CAN use it to take photos but I use it almost exclusively for video. You don’t have to mess with changing lenses and it works great in low light. Great for shooting travel videos when you’re walking and talking. I used this for vlogging when I went to Israel and I still use this one the most for our cheer vlogs and home videos. I even used it for both pictures and video when we did our obstacle challenge.

Good idea to grab an extra battery cause if you’re recording a lot of video you’ll want to have a backup so you don’t miss a moment.

Since it doesn’t have interchangeable lenses, the zoom quality isn’t the best. If you want something that’s more versatile for both video and images I’d recommend one of the next cameras.

Mirrorless Cameras

Great for video and pictures. Very small and light (compared to DSLRs). Wonderful for traveling. Have small interchangeable lenses that fit. You can use lenses from your DSLR camera if you have the appropriate converter mount.

Canon EOS M5 and EOS M6

I’m combining these two cameras because they are very similar but there are slight differences that may make you prefer one over the other. Both are mirrorless cameras and they’re much smaller than the DSLR cameras you’re familiar with (like the Canon Rebel). They have interchangeable lenses made especially for these cameras. They’re much smaller, lighter and dare I say cuter.

The only downside I find is that there are less lens options than with a DSLR, but you can use a mount to convert your DSLR lenses to fit, and the main kit lens has worked great for me. The EOS M6 was the only camera I took on my last trip to Disney World.

They both have external microphone plugs so you can connect a microphone if you want better sound (though I’ve always used the internal mic just fine). And they both have wifi so you can easily transfer images to your phone and share online. The EOS M5 has a viewfinder so if you want to look through that to snap the image, instead of just on the screen on the back of the camera (called the LCD).

If you want to take selfies with it, or record yourself in vlogs, the screen flips down so you can see yourself. On the EOS M6 the LCD flips up, and it doesn’t have a viewfinder. I personally prefer the screen going up, it makes it easier for me to hold and easier to connect to tripods.

Canon EOS M50

This is another mirrorless camera similar to the last two I mentioned but has a few major extras that give it a leg up. It can shoot in 4k which is becoming a very popular resolution to watch on our TVs. The screen swings out to the side instead of up or down. It has a viewfinder for getting that shot just right. I also like that it’s easy enough to hand off to someone to snap a picture for you.

If you’re looking for a smaller camera to mostly shoot video with but also occasionally take really nice photos I’d recommend this camera. Absolutely great for vloggers and bloggers just getting going with photography but mostly want to focus on video. And parents who want a handy camera to toss in a small bag and use record lots of video of their kids or take pictures when you’re out and about.

It’s a step up from a point and shoot camera but leaps and bounds above a cellphone camera. But if you’re wanting to really dive into photography you’re probably going to want more lens options so I’d recommend you keep reading on to some of the following cameras.

Canon EOS R

This is Canon’s newest mirrorless camera (I’m talking brand new, just released as of when this blog was written) and some of the biggest differences between this and the others I’ve mentioned is the fact that this larger and is a full-frame camera instead of a crop sensor. In English this means you’ll get a lot more room with your lenses. If you feel crunched in your home, or like you can’t seem to get far back enough to take a picture with your favorite lens, you’ll find you’ll get a lot more room to work with on a full frame camera.

This is a big step up from the previous camera and great if you’re wanting more professional quality gear. That larger sensor is going to allow you to take higher quality images, especially in darker situations. The ISO goes up to 40,000 vs 25,600 on the M50 (read my post here for more info on what that means). Video also shoots in 4k.

Another great perk is this new camera also comes with a handful of new lenses. And if you already have Canon lenses you can use those on it with an adapter. If you’re just starting out and wanting to tiptoe into great photography with lots of lens options I’d recommend you consider one of the next two cameras.

 

DSLR Crop Sensor Cameras

These are the cameras you’re probably most used to seeing around. When it comes to pictures, I love these cameras. When it comes to video, I love these cameras. I tend to use these most for everyday pictures of my kids and creative blog projects. They have a HUGE selection of lenses that allows for a lot of creativity in the types of looks you want to go for. Make sure you check out my post on choosing the best DSLR lens after finishing this section.

Crop sensor DSLRs are more affordable cameras than the full-frames I’ll mention next.

Canon EOS Rebel T7i

The Canon Rebel was my first DSLR camera and is still the camera I recommend to bloggers and moms dipping their toes into photography with hopes to dive in. They’re the lightest of the DSLRs and they’re programed to be so user-friendly with Feature Assist, so it’s really easy to start learning the different modes and how to work a camera that could otherwise seem intimidating. It has a full articulated touch LCD and you can autofocus and track focus in video mode by just touching the screen.

I can’t say enough good things about this camera. The great thing is as you grow as a photographer and decide to upgrade your lenses down the road, you EF lenses can still be used on any other Canon DSLR you get.

Canon EOS 80D

This camera is a little step up from the Canon Rebel. Aside from size, the main difference is this camera is weather sealed and more durable, and you can shoot at a much higher shutter speed (max 1/8000 sec) so if you want the ability to freeze something moving really fast while still blurring out the background on a sunny day, this would help.

This camera also has a headphone jack in addition to an external mic jack. This can come in handy if you’re recording a lot of external audio and want to be able to listen to the quality as you’re recording. I really love this camera for video as you can really make your backgrounds disappear and focus in on your subject.

 

DSLR Full Frame Cameras

Ok now we’re rounding out the DSLRs with the full frame options. Like mentioned above with the mirrorless cameras, the full frame cameras don’t crop out as much of the image you’re shooting. This gives you more room to work with in tighter spaces. These also are great if you’re wanting to do a lot of wide angle photography, landscapes, or buildings since you’ll be able to use a wide angle lens to its true focal length.

The sensors are larger which also means you’ll usually have better shooting capabilities in darker rooms with less light.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II

I don’t like saying this in front of my other cameras but this is probably my favorite. It used to be my second favorite but lately it’s moved into first place because of the fully articulated touch screen. I use this for all of Lee Lee’s weekly baby updates and previously used it for all of my stop motion pregnancy bumpdates.

If you’ve been using a crop sensor DSLR for a while and feel like you’re ready for another step up, this camera is an excellent option. Great in low light, captures video beautifully and has an external microphone jack to take your video quality up a notch. It’s also a little lighter and more affordable than the last camera I’ll mention.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

When I am looking for my go-to camera for pictures I’ll usually reach for this one first. It’s fast, and I’m most comfortable with it. I know I’ll get a high-quality image that I could potentially print really large. All of the other cameras I’ve mentioned will produce great prints too, but you know, in case I want to blow something up for a billboard some day.

I also love that it has a compact flash card slot because those cards can save and preview my super large images super fast saving. It’s more durable, has a larger LCD (though it doesn’t flip out) and it can shoot video in 4k.

If you need to shoot in darker situations a lot and need something that works great in low light, want something with all the bells and whistles for photography, shoots 4k video this is a great option. If you want to get in front of this camera you can always use its wifi to connect to your phone and remotely control it that way (as with all the other cameras I’ve mentioned today).

So there you have it. Any questions?

Here’s a cheat sheet. You can download it here.

Which one are you gonna get?

 

Eight years ago we did a newborn photoshoot with Lil’ J and she mostly wasn’t having it. Little Lee Lee also, wasn’t really feeling like posing for photos when she was a week old. It must be a thing with my daughters. I think it’s because they don’t like to be set down. Our first try Lee Lee was awake almost the entire time. Giving us the stink eye in all her photos.

But still, I was really excited to get some done, and Lindsay was just as persistent and super patient with my little one and she managed to get some absolutely gorgeous photographs of my stubborn little chunker.

The only person less excited for pictures is my husband, but he cooperated for a few, even after Lee Lee peed on him in the middle of it all.

These are truly works of art and I can’t wait to blow these up and show them off in our new home.

I hope you enjoy these half as much as I do, and if you’re in the market for family or newborn photography in the Austin area, be sure to check out Lindsay Mac.

 

So, how’s your baby fever?

 

 

Social media can be such a blessing and a curse. Very rarely is what you see, actually what you get. I’ve already shared with you the bribes it takes for me to get that perfect family bluebonnet photo. And I’ve shared lots and lots of tips to help you capture your kids being active, in dark settings, and getting that perfect family photo. But what about just keeping it real?

Trust me friends, if you ever see a spotless photo of my house on social media it’s because my bimonthly cleaners just had a visit, or more than likely, that I shoved the clutter out of the frame. I don’t mind you guys seeing my clutter from time to time but sometimes I feel this strange pressure to impress you guys. I mean what’s the deal?

That’s why I’m excited to partner with Minute Maid in support of their new campaign, “this is GOOD.” According to a recent Minute Maid Survey More than one-third (36%) of parents who post pictures or videos of their family on social media admit to staging or posing most or nearly all of them. *

If you’ve been around here awhile you’ve probably seen me at some of my worst moments. I photograph a lot of the good ones. I photograph some of the bad too, and a lot of the ordinary. But sometimes that beautiful blissful ordinary is the stuff that gets left on the cutting room floor.

You’ve seen plenty of photos of me laughing and enjoying my little boy like this:

But far less when I don’t have my hair done or any makeup on, and we’re just laying on the floor like this:

I love sharing the moments I get my kids to kinda cooperate for a cute mommy and me photo:

But I keep these photos of us totally goofing off tucked away.

There’s no hesitation to show myself running around and getting dirty with my kids on the playground…

But I’m less likely to tell you the actual predicament I find myself in lately… 7 months pregnant and watching my kid play from the car, while I take a breather.

Or show you the evidence of my trying to get my son to listen to me when I tell him to get off the car.

And carrying him away in hopes that he won’t try again.

Minute Maid has launched a new campaign: this is GOOD to encourage parents to share more of their real life moments on social media. The campaign is to help remind parents that messy moments should still have us saying this is GOOD!

Do you have a silly photo that’s been sitting on your camera roll but didn’t feel worthy of sharing on social media? I encourage you to join in on this campaign’s mission to embrace life’s real moments and share that picture. Or if you didn’t grab your camera to capture those moments, do it that this week! Life isn’t perfect. It’s messy. So let’s cherish and share a bit of that imperfect too.

Use the hashtag #thisisGOOD and tag @MinuteMaid on Facebook or @MinuteMaid_US on Instagram. Excited to see what you share!

*These statistics are a part of a survey from Minute Maid that uncovers how parents are using social media to share their family online.

Hi! Oh yes, that’s me, the mom with the camera snapping photos of her kids and husband at the beach, the Washington Monument and with the Disney characters. If I had a problem, it would be over-documenting our lives a little. But I try to be cautious not to let it interfere with our fun, and the kids adore looking back at our memories in photo books.

From deciding which camera or lenses to bring, to when and where to bring your camera, and trying to remember what pictures you want to take, it can get overwhelming.

The good thing is I’ve learned a thing or two about documenting a family vacation. Over on Alamo’s Scenic Route, I’m sharing some tips on photographing your family vacation. Check it out and let me know if you have any tips to add!

Now without further ado, here are some of my favorite family vacation photos. Most of which I snapped, but the one I’m in I was luckily able to hand my camera off to someone else so I could be in it. I definitely couldn’t narrow it down to just one, and actually getting it down to 10 wasn’t easy. The theme to all of these is joy, which I think, is quite evident if you ask me.