I am always behind the camera, especially these days as I continue to work on my 366 Project, taking one photo every day for a year. Much as I love taking pictures, sometimes it’s nice to be on the other side of the camera. Last week I got my chance, in a pre-Mother’s Day event called Mama’s in the Picture, a benefit for Soulumination, a wonderful organization that celebrates the lives of children and parents facing life-threatening conditions by providing professional photographs of these special individuals.
The event was organized by two of the most amazing photographer moms I know, Wenmei Hill and Mary Balmaceda. They are the founders of Mamas with Cameras, a Seattle group with workshops and meetups for shutter happy mamas. Like me.
I’ve been an active member of the group for over five years–Wow! Has it been that long? I joined over a year before we adopted our daughter and used to joke that I was the only mother there who…wasn’t a mother. Now I am! I look forward to each monthly meetup because I always learn something new. Plus I get to hang out with some of the coolest photog mamas in Seattle. 
Since I am so rarely in the picture, I frequently wonder what my daughter will think when she gets older about my role in the family. Where was Mama on that trip to Hawaii? How come so many of the family photos have me, Papa or the cats in them but not Mama? Why are there so few pictures of Mama with me.
I believe this is something moms wonder about a lot. Our jobs are largely behind the camera. We schedule and organize, plan for parties and play dates, shop for clothes and food, make meals and shuttle kids to sports events–we use our mama superpowers to stealthily make it all happen–behind the scenes. And that is why I was so excited for the opportunity to be IN the picture. Years from now, when my daughter looks back on these shots, I hope she’ll know that even though mama might not have been in many of our family pictures, she was always there.
A HUGE shout out to Wenmei Hill and Mary Balmaceda for giving us a mamas a chance to do something we rarely get to do; to Soulumination for the stunning venue; and, to Mamas with Cameras. You mamas are my inspiration in every way!
Happy Mother’s Day!
It’s all about the journey,
Beth