You'll notice all the things that have gone missing as soon as you sit down to write stories from your life. And when it comes time to put those stories together in a printed book, you'll start wishing you had photos of your long-gone favorite things and places from the past.
You'll be able to find some photos on Flickr and if you ask around, friends and family might have a few snaps you can use. But really, the best thing would have been to capture those memories at the time.
Don't worry, it's not too late. You can start taking photos now and you'll be glad you did in another twenty years, because things will just keep changing. Things that are commonplace to you today will likely disappear in time.
So if you're young, start photographing the everyday places and objects in your life. If you're a bit older, like me, go ahead and click away too. Today's technology makes it easy—use the camera on your cell phone or carry a little digital camera in your car to capture pictures while you're running your everyday errands.
What should you photograph? Here are a few of my favorites:
1) Signs. From the grocery store you visit every week to the local pizza place you frequent. The street sign on the street where you live. The coffee shop where you get your morning to-go cup. The signs posted at your favorite playground or park. The marquee on your local movie theater. The sign in front of your (or your kid's or grandkid's) school. The sign at the entry to your neighborhood.
2) Buildings. Your house. Your friend's house. Your parent's and grandparent's houses. Favorite hangouts—the mall, places where you shop regularly, restaurants, hair salons, or even fast-food restaurants. The building where you work. Buildings you walk into and out of everyday.
3) Your Environment. The view down Main Street. A view down the street where you live. If you live in a place known for its orchards and fruit trees, take a picture of the orchards. If you life in a coal-mining town, get a photo of the mines. Try to get iconic shots of where you live, here and now.
4) Cars. Get photos of the cars you own over the years. This goes for boats, motorcycles and RVs too. Your first car, your kid's first car. Take a photo of a local dealership lot. If you rent a great car on a vacation, make sure you get at least one photo with the car in the shot.
5) Products. Your typical breakfast cereal. Your carton of soymilk. Your cleaning products. Your favorite candy, snacks, cookies, or ice cream. Take screen shots of your favorite app or video game. Take photos of your computer and other things you use every day.
6) Advertising. Newspaper or magazine ads for your favorite products or places. Advertising changes quickly, capture a moment-in-time.
7) Inside Your Home. The way you have your house set up will change. Capture it how it is just now. Your kitchen. Your office desk with all its clutter. A few of your favorite outfits in your closet. Your favorite pair of shoes.Your pantry full of cans, boxes and bottles.
You'll find plenty more things to add to this list—things that are significant to you. Start noticing the world around you in a new way. Notice, and photograph, the everyday things and places that make up your world. Twenty years down the line, you'll be really glad you did.
I loved this blog post, and it reminded me of a scrapbooking workshop that I attended many years ago, where the instructor told us to take a photo out of each Window, just to have the view! Because my childhood home had burned down prior to that workshop, it was too late to catch the most meaningful view to me, so I wrote a short post on my blog, telling about that, and linking to your great blog post! Thanks for the reminder! I think I will run around and take pics of our favorite haunts here!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sherry. Sometimes we forget the things right in front of us! Hope you get some great "memory" shots.
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