It's the little things....

Someone once said, "It's not what your like that's important, it's what you like."

In other words, we are defined by the things we like more than by our own personality and character.  People may say that they want to know about a person's personality but what they really need to know in order to make an informed decision about a person is whether or not they like football or American Idol or sex with chickens.  This is the reason that I always tell my students to be sure and take pictures of stuff.

(note: "Sex with Chickens" would be a great name for a band..)

Just before Easter, my daughters managed to get their hands on some Silly Bands (or whatever they're called).  If you have young daughters you know what I'm talking about.  They're little rubber bands that take the shape of an animal when you lay them down on a table.  (yet another example of someone getting rich off something I should have created!)



Anyway, they love these things and we spent three days negotiating fair trade agreements between the countries of, "She has more than me" and "It's not fair."  At one point talks broke down so bad we had to call in Jesse Jackson.

So, Easter came along and "Ta-Da!"... Silly Bands galore. 

My youngest daughter insisted on wearing all her bands at once and so I took a picture of them.  Why?  Because little things are important. 

Shortly after my wife and I were married, we were visiting her Mom at Christmas when she brought out an old photo album.  My wife was looking through the album with her sister when they saw a picture of themselves in their room as young girls.  You never saw two people have so much fun in your life as they dissected every item in view.  The memories came flooding back as they remembered toys and games they had long since forgotten.  The "things" in that picture had them laughing like crazy.  Plus, there was alcohol.

My point is: what we like is important, it defines us in so many ways at every step of our lives.  What I wouldn't give for a snapshot of my room, taken every year as I was growing up.  To see that world as I knew it then would be priceless.

So, take pictures of the little things that are important to your children.  Take a second and do something creative if you can. Think to yourself, "How would I take this shot if it were for a magazine?" You'll get better pictures that way and you'll enjoy taking them more as well.

They'll thank you later.

Booray Perry is a wedding photographer in Tampa, FL