I have already talked a lot about how much I love photos. I love taking them. I love looking at them. I love making photo books. I love having them around my house on display. Photos make me happy!
We often find ourselves out alone . . . just the five of us. So it is super hard to get a family photo at some of the iconic views, hikes, trails, and adventures we find ourselves on. And sometimes I just simply forget. I like taking the photos so much that I truly forget to get in the shot.
So what now? I have a little trick that some would call “photoshopping”. Ok, I don’t technically use Photoshop, but I do digitally put myself in the photo. Let me show you what I mean.
Here is a great photo of my family at Grand Canyon National Park. We were hiking down into the canyon and I got this great photo at the start of our hike. The littlest in the bunch wasn’t having a good day. So, he and I hiked back up the trail a touch earlier than anticipated. I didn’t get a chance for a photo redo.
My sweet husband took our then four year old while I went on a rim hike with our other two kids. I had one of my kids snap this photo. I wanted proof that I too was at Grand Canyon hiking.
Fast forward to looking at the photos once our vacation was over. I loved all the photos, but we didn’t have one of all five of us. So, I did a little digital magic.
And voila! A family photo! I know I may get some critics and naysayers crying foul and calling me a fraud. But I actually was on this trip. I was on this trail. I just wasn’t able to get in the photo. Years from now when I am looking back at all our memories from this trip, I won’t remember this photo as being fake. I will look into our much younger eyes and remember the views, how it felt to gaze down the canyon walls, and how special it was to be with these four. I will be glad I have this photo. I AM glad I have this photo. It tells a true story that I hope to never forget.