LOVING WHAT IS | Guest Blog from Jude Wood

“Not a day goes by that I don't still need to remind myself that my life is not just what's handed to me, nor is it my list of obligations, my accomplishments or failures, or what my family is up to, but rather it is what I choose, day in and day out, to make of it all. When I am able simply to be with things as they are, able to accept the day's challenges without judging, reaching, or wishing for something else, I feel as if I am receiving the privilege, coming a step closer to being myself. It's when I get lost in the day's details, or so caught up in worries about what might be, that I miss the beauty of what is.” ― Katrina Kenison

  see the beauty in the ordinary day. spend a day documenting your family from AM to PM. make a point to do it once a month and then just do it. it is never easy but it is always worth the effort when you are done! i find having a few projects on the go helpful for me to make the effort to document our days. there are a lot of blog circles going around doing this very thing. if you haven't been invited to one, start your own! (; it will be the boost you need to get the job done! you will have wonderful treasures to look back on in years to come. remember the details. children grow so fast. don't forget to document the little details. my son's dirty feet on the chair. just love.   get them all in the frame. take lots of photos of your children all together. this is such a special time in their lives when they are home with you all under one roof. capture them in their world doing what they normally do.   let go of perfection. it will free you.   embrace the truth. the raw honest to goodness truth. document it. it's ok, it always looks better in photos. (;   shoot what you want to remember. i walked into my bedroom one night and my nightstand looked like that. evidence of sickness. baby girl burning up. this is the throws of motherhood. i want to remember every little bit.   embrace the camera make a point to get in the photo yourself. it is never easy, but do it for your children. to them, you look perfect just the way you are.   evidence they leave behind in their wake capture images without your children in the frame. things change so quickly. in the moment it is easy to be taken for granted, but looking back you will treasure them even more.   shoot what you see what moves you. life is so full of wonder. close your eyes so you can see. it will come to you.

Jude Wood is an amazing lifestyle photographer in Canada, and you can find more about her here.