It all started with a rock that Songbird found on a playground. A rock painted like a bluebird, actually. It had been hidden as part of a new activity to cultivate joy in our Va Beach community called 757Rocks. The premise is simple – painted rocks are hidden all around town for anyone to find and bring a smile to their day. Each rock has “#757rocks” painted on the back which (when searched) will invite the finder to paint and hide new rocks of their own to join in the fun.
Well, the bluebird rock had a major prize attached! The gal who hid the rock was Christy Keane, a local professional photographer. Songbird won us a photo shoot at a location of our choice. Major score! We chose the hiking trails and sand dunes of the Back Bay nature preserve where we often get out and walk as a family.
As moms it is so important for us to get into pictures with our kids (I wrote in depth about embracing the camera in this post from 2014). Most of my attempts are goofy-faced iPhone selfies—which of course have their own merit. But what a treat to find myself on the other side of a professional lens!
I wanted genuine pictures of who we are right now (what we wear, our hairstyles, etc), so I told Handsome and the kids to dress however made them comfortable, without regard for matching or fussing with details. The resulting images couldn’t be more “us” : super casual with a hint of fun.
For a mom who is always behind the camera, these photos with my little ones are such a rare gift that I will treasure forever!
Now we’re painting and hiding our own 757rocks to keep the joy going. If you’re in the Virginia Beach area, do yourself a favor and be sure to check out Christy Keane Photography the next time you too want something other than selfies with your family. You won’t regret it.
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