Pictures of You as "Mom"

Updated on June 09, 2011
T.O. asks from Buffalo, MN
26 answers

I've realized lately that I am in none of our candid everyday pictures. I guess I am the one that is always behind the camera. I'm filled with regret because I have a ton of pictures of my kids and husband, but none of them include me. It's as if I never was even there for all of those birthdays, births, Christmas's. Yes, I know it is my own fault. Do any of you feel this way too or are you in your candid photos. I'm definitely handing over the camera to hubby from now on!

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P.R.

answers from Cleveland on

Yup - same here. But I have to say a lot of the reason is I looked terrible so much when the kids were small that I didn't want to be in the pics! I'm trying to change that...

1 mom found this helpful

P.M.

answers from Tampa on

I feel that way a lot too... it's usually husband and child, or Mommy and child - never one as a full family. I think I'll learn how to use my camera's timer mode so we can all be in it together - or I'll be more open to ask others to take them of us.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.R.

answers from Minneapolis on

I try to avoid the camera because I am not photogenic in the least. I don't want to be remembered as that ugly ; ). I've gotten caught in some that others have taken of me decorating the cake or interacting with people, so I guess that will do. I never thought about not being included in the memories.

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E.B.

answers from Seattle on

Same here!! Not only that but the number of photos I have of each kid at different stages of life has dwindled...I have two drawers full of photo's of my older two..and my little guy has about half a drawer. This has not been intentional..I just have no time to take photo's.

For my oldest birthday this year, though..I had one of my best friends come out and he was in charge of getting the party on camera...He did a great job!! I was so thankful that it was ''That Easy'' to capture the moment and not be behind the lens...I am in almost all the photos...This is a first for me!!

I have also started to make a point to have my hubby shoot a photo whenever something ''Cute'' happens..So that I can be in the shot...Because I am not in hardly any of them from when they were tiny!!

2 moms found this helpful

C.J.

answers from Milwaukee on

We JUST got a great family picture a week ago at my son's end of year celebration. One of the teachers offered to take the picture and normally I RUUUUN from the camera but it turned out really nice. AND my husband decided NOT to stick his tongue out for ONCE!

1 mom found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

I have made an effort to get my husband and other people to take pictures lately. But I have gone on vacations and there are NO pictures of me because I was taking them all - but I WAS there!! It does make me sad, and that's why I make a huge effort to get tons of pictures of me with my hubby and kids lately. And lots of family shots...since the kids change so much!

1 mom found this helpful

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

I solve this issue by giving the kids cameras too!

1 mom found this helpful

R.D.

answers from Richmond on

Nope, I'm always on the 'taking' end of pictures... unless I specifically ask someone to take a picture of me with the kiddos... or if I hold the camera WAY OUT HERE and try to smash us all into the shot ;)

I don't feel bad about it though... pics of my kids are way more important than pics of me with the kids. They're still growing; I'm not ;)

1 mom found this helpful
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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

My DH is not the photographer in our house so I have deliberately handed him the camera or said, "Go take a picture" when I thought it was a good moment. Or I take self-portraits sometimes when I'm out with DD by myself. It's been deliberate or I'd never be in them.

1 mom found this helpful

A.C.

answers from Wichita on

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1 mom found this helpful
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S.D.

answers from Dallas on

It is exactly the opposite in my home. My husband does all the photography, so he isn't in any pictures. It makes me sad.

1 mom found this helpful

K.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

I have tons of the pictures where I hold the camera out and my daughter and I are head to head. My brother is around a lot for the bigger events or family time at the zoo and so on, he has an awesome camera and I am so thankfully for him always having it because I do have tons of pictures as me as a mom :)

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C.R.

answers from Minneapolis on

Knowing how hard it is to actually get in the pictures, I started a little photo taking busines for moms, dads and families. So, if anyone is in need of inexpensive, casual kid and family portraits/photos taken outside, drop me a line. I've been doing them for some other families and they've been turning out very cute. Basically it's a flat rate and I'll put all the pictures on a CD so that you can print out whichever ones you like.

http://www.wonderfulworldphotos.blogspot.com/

Send me an email if you'd like more info!

Thanks!

C.
____@____.com

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T.R.

answers from Orlando on

I'm a single mom, so, I'm not in any of the pictures :( If I am, it's the ones I've taken, which as you know aren't the greatest, and of course not really candid. My daughter is 3 and actually takes a pretty good picture for a 3 year old! So, I have a few cute/funny ones of me, a few odd self portraits of us together, and thousands of her; that's our family album. I do get sad when I think about not having any "real" pictures of the two of us together, or me as a "mom".

B.S.

answers from Lansing on

Yup, I've definitely been in a lot less....

But I manage to make sure a shot is taken of my girls and I on Mother's Day. I figure at least we will always have that! :)

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K.P.

answers from New York on

I have started making a point of having my husband take a few pictures when we have the camera out. I love photography and take a ton of "portrait/artsy" shots and his are pretty lame, but I can crop them and at least be in some!!

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J.K.

answers from Dallas on

I have felt that exact way for almost 8yrs. I make a point to have the DH take some pics. And now, my kids are finally old enough to operate a camera (well kind of) which most of the time when taken correctly gives me some great shots.

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S.I.

answers from Minneapolis on

My mom died when I was two and I've always felt sad that I don't have more pictures of her -- especially pictures of her with me. Because of that I've always made a big effort to get lots of pictures of me with my daughter (and also lots of pictures of her with my husband). I think it's also important to remember to take pictures with grandparents -- it can be easy to forget when they live close by and we see them frequently. But I was glad I took a lot of pictures of my daughter with my father-in-law before he passed away.

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C.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

Same here, I always have to ask my husband to take a picture of me with the girls (he never volunteers). Another weird thing I just noticed - looking through pictures taken over the last 3 years I can not find one picture of just my husband and I together! Every single picture has the kids in it. I wonder if that's a trend with other parents as well...

C.F.

answers from Boston on

I think I have a handful of me and my son --- YET there are millions of him and Other people :-(
I now take self pictures of me and little boy, ya know where you hold the camera out in front of you with one hand -trying to not have it be an Extreme close up and try to look "good" ;-) haha

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A.V.

answers from San Francisco on

My husband is pretty good about getting shots of everyone, however, I have noticed that a lot of the time I don't end up in any pictures of events that we attend with our friends like BBQs and picnics and such. It looks like I don't have a life outside of my immediate family and did not have any fun before my kid came around. . . :P I'm not really sure how it happens either, I guess I am really good at avoiding the camera?

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M.D.

answers from Minneapolis on

What I do is I take pictures with hubby and the kids, then I give him the camera, and if we want a family one I give the camera to one of my sisters. I'm always handing my camera off to a family member (one that know how to operate my DSLR and take good pictures with it!!) it is one way that I don't have to worry about not getting pics with the kids.

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L.F.

answers from Chicago on

I feel the exact same way. I take such cute candid pictures of everyone else, but no one thinks to take pictures of me. I just love candid pictures, and I tend to think that everyone looks better when they aren't posing for the camera. I have told my husband the way I feel, but he very rarely thinks to grab the camera.

At the very least though, if I am having a cute moment with the kids, I ask my husband to take a picture. My MIL is getting better about taking our pictures too, but she often does it with her camera, and I rarely ever get the prints. Also, she is nearsighted, so the pictures often turn out blurry.

One thing that helps is that I recently bought a nice and simple digital camera. When I ask someone to take our picture, they can do it pretty easily. Before, I would ask someone to take a family picture using my SLR, and they would act like I was asking them to perform brain surgery :-)

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N.B.

answers from Appleton on

What I do for special events like birthdays, births, Christmas, etc, is to give our camera to a family member and see if they will take the pictures. For DS's 2nd birthday, my sister had my camera and got some great shots, and then I was able to be in a few with my son.
Otherwise too, it's a lot of just my son, or my son and other people because I'm the one that has the camera all the time.

J.G.

answers from San Antonio on

I am the same way. Always behind the camera. Then when I happen to be in one shot here and there when my SIL takes pictures, I think I look awful in them and toss them. I try to remember to take pics of me and my son every now and again where I hold the camera at arms length, take 10 pics, and one has us somewhat centered in the frame.

But yes -you have a great goal in mind - to give the camera to hubby. Tell him why it's important for you that he take pics.

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

Right there with you! My husband is getting a tiny bit better about volunteering his picture services after I pointed this out! Sometimes I do ask him to take a picture though but they never turn out as cute as mine! Haha, Just Kidding!! ;)

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