Pictures have always been a part of our family. It was not unusual to have lighting equipment handy, and “just one more” were (and still are) famous last words. I thought every family took as many pictures as we did, but as I got older, I found out we were the exception. My friends’ families did not have photo albums lining their bookshelves. They did not have a hundred pictures from Christmas 1986. And they certainly did not have a series of pictures of the same pose, using different lighting.
When I was younger, I didn’t realize the importance of pictures. Not the typical pictures of family vacations, holidays, and special events, but pictures I like to call “a day in the life.” These are my favorite pictures. Pictures of our everyday lives…unplanned photos of insignificant occasions that normally do not justify the need for a flash of the camera.
Like a rainy day,
a jump in the pool,
or an impromptu hug in the kitchen.
This is my favorite picture of my sister and I, taken in our backyard on a typical spring day in 1975.
We didn’t plan to take this picture that day. We are not wearing our “Sunday best.” My mom didn’t comb our hair or make sure our faces were clean. We didn’t set up lights, or find the perfect setting. It’s just a simple picture, capturing real life. We often forget simple moments like this… but pictures will always remind us.
One Kansas Girl 