31 days of Family challenge
WEEK 1
Welcome to the First Week of Our Family Photography Challenge!
As we embark on this exciting journey, let's remind ourselves of the core idea behind the #PFPFamilyChallenge: to find and capture the beauty in our everyday family life. Here is a post that explains it in more detail if you're new here!
Let's dive into a roundup of this week's prompts and gather some fresh inspiration! We will be posting plenty more ideas and examples on our social media so make sure to follow us!
Monday: A WALK
Idea: Let's start the challenge by blowing out last year's cobwebs and setting off on a walk. Whether it's a short stroll in a nearby park, a stroll to get some fresh milk or bread in a nearby store, a walk with your pet or just getting the family out let's capture it well.
What to capture? Focus on the interactions during the walk, the surrounding nature, or even the purposeful stride of little feet. Remember, it's about the journey as much as the destination. Observe how the scale of the environment relates to the people. Zoom in on feet or show the walker's view point. Pay attention to small things such as people holding hands, cheeks reddened by the chill in the air or exertion, muddy knees and the collection of sticks.
Photo by Caroline Wilson
Photo by Caroline Wilson
Photo by Helen Roberts
Tuesday: BREAKFAST
Idea: Breakfast can be a hub of activity or a quiet moment to start the day. Photograph the morning meal, be it a chaotic cereal spill, a shared pancake flipping session, or a solitary cup of coffee in the morning light. It’s the energy of the morning captured in a frame.
What to capture? Since your subjects are more static, there is more predictability both for the setting and what's going to be happening so you can take a little time to think about what to actually capture and how and get ready. You could try an aerial shot with all the goods on the breakfast table, hide your children behind their bowls, focus on the messy faces and little or bigger hands shoveling food in, or put a food photographer hat on and capture the appetising foods. Alternatively set the camera up to capture images at regular intervals and get in on the action.
Photo by Kit Arnold
Photo by Michaela Strivens
Photo by Morgan Wallace
Wednesday: SCREEN TIME
Idea: In today's digital age, screen time is a reality of family life. Capture your child engrossed in a game, the family movie night, or even the rare moment of digital education. It's about documenting how technology intertwines with our daily routines.
What to capture? You could focus in the subject and their surroundings - maybe lit up by the coloured light of the screen. You could document their focus and attention or excitement when they're playing a favourite day. If you want to push your self, you could try capturing both what's on the screen and your subject - it is a difficult task so see how you can go about it creatively - use reflections, double exposures or clever angles
Photo by Rachel S.
Photo by Becca Geddes
Photo by Kate Biggin
Thursday: BATHROOM
Idea: It's where we brush our teeth and make silly faces at the mirror, where we sing ships in daring bathtime adventures, where potty training happens and where showers steam up the glass. The family gets into the bathroom several times a day. What aspect will you capture?
What to capture? children hiding amongst bubbles, brushing teeth and washing their faces or hands - there are loads of ordinarily beautiful moments to capture in the bathroom. I will add a little caveat though: it is of course your personal choice in both what you capture and post BUT I would advise against posting any images with any substantial amount of skin showing, whatever your kids ages - faces or arms peeping over the rim of the bath or an face through a steamed up shower enclosure are fine, but I would advise against posting any more - even for very young children.
Photo by Lisa Godfrey
Photo by Ania Wilk-Lawton
Photo by Ania Wilk-Lawton
Friday: STORY TIME
Idea: This could be you reading to your kids or them reading for themselves or maybe a story that get's told and re-enacted - grab your camera to capture those moments
What to capture? If you're capturing a parent reading to the kids, think about showing the expressions on the kids faces as they are gripped by the story or focus on the adult reading. If your older kids read for themselves, try a candid approach showing them in their element, engrossed in the story.
Photo by Emma Coubrough
Photo by Katie Manning
Photo by Claire Hayden
Saturday: GOOD MORNING
Idea: Mornings are more than breakfast. It's the sleepy faces emerging from their bedrooms, it's the pyjamas and fuzzy dressing gowns keeping them warm. It's making the beds and opening the curtains and or getting out for a frosty morning walk with your dog.
What to capture? Think about the sensory element of your morning - how does your morning feel? Sleepy or energetic, full of bustle and chaos or calm and slow paced? What's happening in your home, how are the mornings different for different people in your house?
Photo by Claire Aldridge
Photo by Amber Parker Wilson
Photo by Alannah Hebbert
Sunday: AT OUR TABLE
Idea: Much like beds are for more than just sleeping, your dining table is there for more than just dining, athough that goes on there as well. This is your chance to document the other things that happen at your dining table - whether it's the chaos of papers or toys, the family dinner, place where jigsaw puzzles take their shape or where board games are played.
What to capture? Think about capturing this image as if you were telling the story of the table - with your family contributing to the story and giving it energy.
Photo by Kate Biggin
Photo by Olivia Bianchi Bazzi
Photo by Kit Arnold
For more examples, ideas and daily inspiration, follow us on instagram at @photoparents!