things are about to "get real"

Inspired by Erika Ray's "Let's Get Real" breakout session, I've been taking a renewed interest in photographing my own life. I've joined a blog circle of other moms (both hobbyists and professional photographers) who plan to continue this practice of "getting real" with our photography and our lives, sharing a post on the 8th of each month.

Pictures of ordinary moments. You know the ones--a mountain basket of laundry as a backdrop, someone (besides you) is in desperate need of a haircut, and you haven't showered yet this week this morning--but none of it matters for five seconds because you're in it, and it's your life, and damnit if it isn't just a little bit beautiful just the way things are.

There's this thing that happens in those moments when you can embrace your life and stop wishing it were something else. It's a mixture of freedom, peace, and fuck-off-it's-my-life-sucka. That little inner seeker who knows exactly the right thing to say to make you wish for someone else's mess? She shuts the hell up, for part of the day anyway.

Like a lot of other things in life (like ya know, all of it) the trick is in the perspective--in seeing through the mess to the moment you want to keep. Which (maybe you've already noticed) is kind of what I'm about. Not that I needed one, but I guess it's also an excuse to keep spamming you with out takes from our life.

Check out the rest of the blog circle by clicking over to Catherine McAteer (and end up back here if you like).