Vancouver Family Photos | Day in the life of Play

Vancouver Family Photos | Day in the life of Play

Some days I find myself overwhelmed. If I am being really honest, it's a lot more than some days. When other parents ask me, what do you have your girls in for activities, and start to list them off, it sounds ridiculous. And even more when I say it out loud! Piano, soccer, karate, chinese school, some of these twice a week, at two different times for each child. I can officially change my job to chauffeur.

Thanks to a group of family photographers and our monthly reading goals, I was introduced to this book: Essentialism, the disciplined pursuit of less (by Greg Mckeown). It really hit home some big points for me. I am that squirrel, chasing after all the nuts, trying to cram it all into a little opening.

Apparently, that's complete bull crap. I think I already knew that truth. I just needed a Ph.D. author to tell me (ha! colour me nerd) to plant that seed.

And then more pearls of wisdom from the incomparable photographer Niki Boon, who spoke so openly about her personal life at The Real Life Conference recently. Through her children's resistance of her home schooling schedule, they showed her that they were still learning. Through exploration and play, and curiousity, they were using their bodies and mind to absorb and process information about the world around them. Her story made me think about the possibilities, at least a little bit, and bring our own family life back to the basics.

Photographing this family is yet another sign that things can be simple and wondrous. They showed me that a lot of learning can happen through play, like gravity with her parents' canopy-frame bed, chemistry of secret ingredients in salads, depth of puddles in the rain, taste of raindrops, and velocity with which she can run her cat in a toy bassinet stroller. They get down and play right along with their little girl. No hesitation.

Thank you Olsen family for showing me your slice of essentialism. I am ever grateful for it.

To book a session with me for a birth, newborn, or family life story, or travel sessions, simply contact me and we can start chatting about what’s important to you and your family to remember, years from now.