My kiddos are home from school for two more weeks, my husband will be working from home as much as possible, and although it’s a bit nuts coming off of Spring Break, I am choosing to cherish this rare time with all of us together without the temptation of go-go-going and doing. Like most families I know, we are so darn busy. All the time. School, work, soccer, playdates, errands, doctor visits, Target trips (oh the many Target trips). This “forced” time out can really be a blessing for our home and I KNOW it is helping our community, our neighbors, healthcare providers, first responders, and even our planet. Just hoping to do our part to keep people safe during all of this. How can we also take advantage of the extra time at home? The photographer in me has a few suggestions:
1. Use this time to organize and back up all of your photos/files/videos. Back them up on to an external hard drive, then make sure there is a copy saved in the cloud or some place like Backblaze (my favorite). Hard drives fail, friends. Don’t just have your photos in one place.
2. Do the same with the images on your phone (because you probably have more images on your phone than anywhere else!). Save them to your hard drive (which will get backed up) or put them into iCloud.
3. Don’t just tackle our digital photos, go through the prints too! How neat to take a walk down memory lane with your children. Let them help, encourage them to ask questions, show them your family’s history.
4. Take more photos! Your kids are home, your family is spending more time together than you could’ve planned for, so take advantage of the slower pace and pull out that camera. Get creative. Challenge yourself. Try shooting in a different setting than Auto, and document the time the whole world took pause.
5. Film! Try something new (or old, depending on how you look at it). It’s my new favorite hobby and I love the nostalgia of it. Have your old camera in a closet somewhere? Put some film in and give it a go. A used roll of film laying in a drawer for ever? Send it off to be processed. It’s like Christmas morning.
6. Start creating your family photo album(s)! You know you need to do it! You have the time, and it’s really so easy once you get started (especially if you conquer item number one first). My FAVORITE books are by Blurb.
7. Print your photos. Go through your favorite images and get them off of your computer and on to your walls. Order through an online lab and have them delivered straight to your door! Or better yet, let me order for you, where you will have the option for matting, framing, canvases — all delivered directly to you, ready to hang.
Photographs show us what our lives mean to us, and can provide a lot of comfort during such uncertain times. I hope this list helps to give you something fun and/or productive to do with your loved ones. If you have any questions — or more suggestions! — leave a comment below. Stay safe, friends.
