I ♥ Faces -- "Props"

First off, I have to note that I am not a professional photographer. (Maybe someday...) I am just a stay-at-home mom, so I don't exactly have a lot of money to throw at photography props. But occasionally, I think simple props that can be found around the house are just about as good as anything else.

Prop #1 in the picture below is one that I have used in spontaneous little photo sessions with all my kids, usually because I find it convenient to plop them in it (to keep them contained and entertained for a while) and then realize how cute they look. Who knew a laundry basket could be so photogenic?

Prop #2 (if you can call it a prop... perhaps more of an accessory?) is my daughter's headband with the large pink flower. What may appear to be a fairly simple accessory is actually a trinket that happens to be very dear to my heart... see below.

This kiddo has been through quite a lot in her 15 months of life. She was born with a condition called craniosynostosis, in which one or more of the sutures of the skull (the gaps between the bone plates) fuse together prematurely, causing abnormal head, face, and brain growth. If untreated, it can cause pressure on the brain, resulting in anything from headaches to developmental delays to permanent brain damage, so it is potentially very serious. So for our daughter and most children like her, this means major reconstructive surgery on the skull. This surgery requires a huge incision that goes from ear to ear, and it can sometimes be a challenge to hide the shaved hair and the scar. But through a support forum for those dealing with this condition, I found a woman who was just starting a charity to make and ship free headbands to little girls who need a little something to help hide their scars. My daughter was one of the first to receive a headband. This awesome lady has now really gotten going on her foundation and has currently sent over 250 headbands (and now pirate caps for boys) to children all around the world. If you are interested, please head over and check out her web page! http://www.cranioangelnetwork.com/

I love my baby girl... she is such a little trooper!

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I ♥ Faces -- "A Touch of Whimsy"

This is one of my daughter's little friends with whom I got to go on a little photo shoot. My SIL was the main photographer, but I enjoyed tagging along and snapping as many of the more candid shots as I could. I loved the shots I got of this girl by a quaint little pond and the fence that encircled it. This kid sure knows how to work that camera with her spunky, playful, sweet personality and pretty face. It says a touch of whimsy to me... how about you? :-)

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I ♥ Faces -- "Bright and Vivid"

My little red-head is terrible with posing and doing what I ask when I'm trying to photograph her. When I can capture a candid shot, however, her bright, vivid personality shines clearly through. All three of my girls have plenty of personality, but this one takes the cake. I'm pretty convinced she's going to be an actress when she grows up. This picture shows just a mild example of what I see every day. Please let me know what you think of this picture! (I'd appreciate any compliments OR criticism!)

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I ♥ Faces -- "From a Distance"

I understand this picture isn't necessarily of the greatest quality, but I love seeing what a fun time my little girl was having dancing on the beach when I took it.

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I ♥ Faces -- "Yellow"

I love how my little strawberry-blonde curly head looks in yellow, so naturally my photo for the "yellow" category had to be of her.

I'm guessing the "yellow" theme has something to do with the approach of summer, and summer has certainly come to visit us today. Ninety degrees, humid, and HOT!! But we braved the outdoors (and the buggies, of which my daughter pictured above is apparently terrified) at least long enough to get this picture. I'm glad we did. :-)

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I ♥ Faces -- "Motherhood"

The following photo is not the one I was planning on entering this week. I had planned on entering a sweet picture of a friend with her daughter, sitting together, sharing a tender moment. The photo below was actually an attempt by my husband to get a decent picture of me and my girls on Mother's Day. You can see for yourself how it turned out.

One girly goofing off, the next not paying any attention, and the last throwing a royal hissy fit. Classic.

This picture says "motherhood" to me because very often motherhood is not about the sweet and tender moments. Motherhood is filled with challenges, frustrations, dirty diapers, and lots of tears (from children and quite often from mom!). As the mother of three children under four, there are very often moments like the ones above where it seems like life has descended into total chaos. When this happens, there are two choices: we can throw up our hands and scream (which I will admit I have done many times), or we can throw back our heads and laugh. A sense of humor is a great asset for a mother... It always goes better when we choose laughter. So as this picture was being taken, I was a little disappointed that we were not going to get a picture-perfect portrait of me and my girls, but I also just had to laugh at the humor of the moment and imagine how great this picture would turn out to be. :-)

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I ♥ Faces -- "Soft and Sweet"

My two oldest girls having a little snack... "Sweet" represented by the strawberries (although I think these girls are pretty sweet all by themselves, but I'm kinda biased); "soft" represented by the photo style.

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