Memories Monday - Wish You were Here?

Did you take a vacation this year? If you did, are you in any of your pictures? I hope you are, but I understand if you're not. We scrapbookers and self-appointed family historians tend to be really good at recording the lives of our immediate family (whether they like it or not), but not so great at recording our own lives or making sure we're in the shot too. I had reason to think about this lately, as I just got back from vacation. Here are my tips for making sure you're on your next vacation and in attendance at that next family reunion:

1. Put the camera down - When I first got into scrapbooking, the conventional wisdom was fill up the digital card and just delete later. The idea was the more pictures you took the more likely you were to get a few really good ones. This is great advice for a budding photographer or a scrapbook designer, but it's not particularly helpful for a birthday party guest or someone trying to actually enjoy their vacation. If you spend all of your time taking pictures, you tend not to be in any pictures (who wants to photograph you with a camera in front of your face), and more importantly you don't get to enjoy the event. So my advice, decide in advance what types of pictures you would like, focus on getting just those pictures and then put the camera down and enjoy the event.

2. Ask someone to take your picture - A lot of times simply asking someone to take a picture of you is the easiest way to make sure you're in the shot, but for some reason this is not always a natural thing to do - even around family. I'll let you in on a secret - my 5 year-old takes the majority of the pictures of me and my husband. I use a simple point and click automatic digital camera, and I have taught him how and when to use the flash, and some basic composure tips. He does a great job, and he loves it when I ask him to take my picture. So my advice, find someone to take your picture.

3. Ask for copies of pictures taken by others at the same event - Have you ever been to a wedding where the bride and groom put disposable cameras on each table at the reception? The pictures from those cameras are fascinating, because no two people view or photograph the same event the same way. While we often seek out pictures of things we may have missed from an event, sometimes it can be helpful to get all of the pictures taken by someone else. You may be surprised to find that someone was making sure you were in the shot.

So those are my basic tips for making sure you're in the shots and a part of the memories. So no one has to think "wish you were here".