No matter where you are in Parenthood: the first pregnancy, the newborn bubble, or the so-called terrible twos; capturing memories in the moment is paramount.
Taking photos on your phone is great, getting your photos taken professionally with fun and engaging themes for your little one (cough cough) even better; but
I found a fun way to document my personal journey into motherhood was by using my Instax Mini 70
In a world of constantly evolving digital media, you can forget how invaluable having printed photos can be. The feeling is electric: flicking through, remembering and retelling stories of the good old times. It is one of my favourite pastimes, and I only save it for special occasions as it is often emotive and like I said before, very personal.
The best thing about using an Instax, is that it’s not about the quality of the image, but simply, what the image means to you. You only have 10 shots per film, so the pressure is on to make them count. But even if you click too soon or mess up the lighting, you’re guaranteed a laugh at the outtakes, which in some ways, makes it even more special.
From about 16 weeks of my pregnancy, I took at least one instax photo per week of me and my growing bump. Underneath the photo, I would write a little caption that would usually encompass how I felt at the time the photo was taken. There wasn’t always an “occasion” for the photos- they would be completely normal moments – like me after suddenly remembering: “I haven’t taken my instax photo for the week!” The point was to capture me at different stages on this incredible path into motherhood. We have tried to keep up the momentum since the birth of our daughter, but alas, life gets in the way and that’s ok.
I personally don’t feel a desire to have all these instax photos on show in the house. (Although, there are literally so many, a few have made it to our noticeboard). Instead, I keep most of them in a special box I was gifted at my baby shower, and it was honestly the best, most organised thing I done for my entire pregnancy! I haven’t looked through recently, but I know the box is waiting for me whenever I need. I also intend to pass this box onto my daughter when she is older – perhaps for if she falls pregnant one day.
Don’t get me wrong, I love snapping in the now! Posting, sharing and framing our most fantastic memories is something I’m very passionate about (heck, I’ve made a business from it!) But there is something really special to me about keeping instantly printed photos as small and intimate as an instax mini, safely tucked away just for when you need them; and who knows when that may be.
