saratoga-family-photographer

May 29, 2020

Kirk Life: Hour by Hour Project

Do you want to start documenting your every day life but aren’t sure how to start?? A photo a day project or a ‘Project 365’ is REALLY Fun but they are also a huge commitment and sometimes that can be overwhelming!! Sometimes starting with a photo a week project can seem easier to tackle, but i personally find them easier to forget about when i have so long in between a challenge!

A great and very non-committal way to start a photo project is with a day in the life or hour-by-hour project. Choose a day – a normal day for you and your family – and set a goal to document the things that you do. There are a couple ways to do this – you can just photograph as you see fit throughout the day… or what I like to do is set a timer for every hour (and then when it goes off restart the timer). Now this doesn’t necessarily mean that i take a photograph right when the timer goes off (though i think that is a super fun challenge too and i might try it next!), but it reminds me that if i haven’t been inspired by a moment within that hour – i need to take one. yesterday we completed an hour-by-hour project and i think i only had 2 timers go off where i hadn’t taken my photo already. i also don’t stress about photographing RIGHT at a certain time. my goal is to document life as it is – on our normal day.. i don’t want to force things, i want to be documentary of our day (ideally in nice light of course!). so heres our day, hour by hour.

6:31am. my day starts with my start today journal every morning with my coffee.. and ideally some time for brain dumping/journaling if i can squeeze it in before kiddos get up!!
7:47am. we’ve already had breakfast #1 and are on to breakfast #2 (theres usually about 3 every morning! hah!)
8:52am. first class of the day. today it was small group morning meeting. small groups are his jam – he listens and interacts so much more when its fewer people on his google meets… the big groups get overwhelming!!
10:24am. Lego city time. they have been working on this castle for WEEKS now. it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. and both of them have roles they play, and characters they talk like. and its amazing to witness.
11:03 time to check out the garden! ecerything looks damp from last night so we won’t water it until later on in the day. we are growing cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe and beans! and some flowers on the side 🙂
11:18am. family Sorry! game before lunch. apparently someone is tired already!
12:54pm. quiet time. they can play, read.. really do anything.. as long as they are QUIET. usually this happens in their room, but as time has gone by… i’ve definitely gotten more lax in enforcing this!
1:19pm… almost the end of quiet time. listening to books on audible on the front porch.
2:02pm. 2nd class of the day, switching up the computer location.
3:16pm. an afternoon walk in the woods.
4:00pm. just finishing the walk… over an hour of hiking for these two!
5:21pm. had to veg out in front of the tv for a little while today. waiting for dad to get home!
5:52pm. still waiting for dad….. a little piano playing!
6:08pm. a NEW BIKE for the boy!!! so THIS is why dad was late getting home tonight!!!!!
7:18p. bathtime for my girly.
7:25pm. and some snuggles for mama.
7:29pm. and of course gummy vitamins!
8:20pm. reading with a nightlight. the best way to end the day. <3

So if you haven’t tried a photography project – i urge you to try one like this! its really fun to look back on all the things you accomplish in ONE day. and your kids will love flipping through the photos of the day too. You can do this with your phone, your SLR camera… whatever you’ve got. just start documenting these days – because though these days are hard, we’re not getting them back, and they can be pretty darn beautiful. and when you get your project done – be sure to send me the photos so i can see how your day played out!

I think of my photographs as love letters to my children. i know that they will have these images that tell our life story in 30 years, printed in books and albums, in prints scattered throughout our life. i love the idea of looking back on this day when they are in their 20s thinking of this crazy time in our life, and all the fun we were able to have despite it all!

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