I have admired other photographers’ 365 Projects for several years but always found an excuse not to start my own. I worried about not having enough time, running out of ideas, not being creative enough, disliking the images that came out of my camera. And then I realized that having those fears were the exact reason why I should start. So I did.
I post my 365 Project images daily (okay, well almost daily) on my Facebook page, but thought it might be noteworthy to recap my top five images from each month here on the blog. First, it’s nice to see them all in one place; second, the image quality tends to be better than on FB; and third, as amazing as it sounds, not everyone is on Facebook. No one should be left out, right? 😉
So here’s January’s Top Five, in no particular order.
1. Brothers
I won’t begin to tell you quite how long it took me to capture this image or how much bribing I had to do, but I honestly don’t even care. Not only is this one of my favorite images of my children, but it’s one of my favorite images EVER. I recognize my bias, but gosh, don’t they just look beautiful here? So peaceful and serene. The most uncanny thing though, is how much this portrait actually sums up my boys. M, on the left, is quiet, thoughtful, more serious, emotional and with C, you can just see that hint of mischief in his eyes, the slight jokester grin. Yet within all of it, there is a tenderness and gentleness about them, and that is truly how they are.
I blew it up to a 20×30 canvas. 🙂
2. Breakfast
I love this image because of two things: first, it captures a part of our morning routine. Second, I love the juxtaposition of their legs and feet. It’s just how I see them now … little brother and big brother. An easy and sweet capture.
3. A Quiet Ride
I adore C’s eyes in this image, but I am glad I chose not to remove the “imperfections”, the green marker on his hands and nails painted purple. C is in preschool and this is how he comes home most days. I don’t ever want to forget that.
4. Service
M came down the stairs one evening after bath and he had Taran’s (my hubby) dog tags around his neck. I was finishing up the dishes and we were causally chatting. I watched him gently lower his dad’s dog tags into his hands and rub his fingers across the tops, asking what was engraved there. I instantly had shivers and reached for my camera.
My husband has been a loyal Soldier in the United States Army for more than 14 years and I have been there right along with him, proudly. Through six moves, five deployments, countless field exercises, schools and trainings. Yes, it’s a hard life. Frequent separations, missing family, leaving friends all too soon. But man, we love it more than anything. We are all about God, Family, Country and we are so honored to serve Old Glory and Uncle Sam.
But watching M cradle those dog tags reminded me again of the sacrifice and service our children pay for their dad’s job. The kids leave friends, change schools, miss grandparents and cry for their Soldier at night when he’s gone. For those very reasons this image will always hold a very special place in my heart.
5. In Training
If you have kids, you’ve seen this all before. This image makes me laugh, but I love the gentleness, softness and playfulness of it, too. Potty training isn’t fun, but it’s also such a milestone for our little guys.
Joyfully, this image was featured on the Giggles & Goldfish Blog and was also a weekly favorite. 🙂
Well, there you have it! My first Top Five recap. This blog post felt so good to write, so cathartic to be praising my own work instead of always only seeing the flaws.
Thanks for coming by to look!
Megan Myrick Photography specializes in newborn, maternity, baby, child and family photography in Savannah, GA and surrounding areas including but not limited to Richmond Hill and Pooler.
