Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Family Photos Without Faces


Sometimes the best family photographs are ones that don't have any faces in them!

The photo above is my newest addition to the upstairs landing.

It was inspired by a photo I took when my oldest kiddo was a baby of her little hand laying on my bigger hand. I wanted to re-create that with the whole family a couple of years ago, and when we had our photo taken by a professional I asked her to include one of all of our hands. I think she thought I was nuts at first, but it is truly one of my very favorite family pictures!




I'd like to think that maybe someday when my kiddos are all grown up I'll still be able to see their little hands holding mine. Or maybe they'll be able to show their children their Grandmother's hand and tell them stories about what I was like.

Or we could remember a chilly walk on the beach where we just had to wiggle our toes in the sand and then wade into the cold ocean!

These photos allow you to let your mind wander. To remember the story behind the photograph. Or just to imagine a story of what may lie around the path's bend, or what a loving family that must be.




Not only do I love the classic pictures of baby feet & other tiny features, but I love when I see pictures of:

Feet all jumbled because the family is piled together on the couch watching a favorite movie.

Someone walking away from the camera.

Hands on a momma's pregnant belly.

Close ups of features like dimples, or eyes.

Kids hands playing with a favorite toy.




Do you ever take Family Photos Without Faces?

:)

Try it!

17 comments:

Ocean said...

I LOVE the hand pic! That is gorgeous! I might have to try that! :)

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

I love the "hands" photo. One of my faves is a close-up that the photographer cropped for me. I was holding the baby in my lap and had had her hands sort of framed in mine. It wasn't an intentional pose, but the photographer saw it and thought it was neat. :)

Joy@Thrifty Parsonage Living said...

I love your hand photo! Yes, I take photos that are cropped in on something.Or photos taken as someone is walking down a path (taken from the back view).

Richella Parham said...

Welcome back! I missed you last week; I hope all is well at your house.

Your "hands" photo is beautiful--and special because it's different!

One of my favorite photos is a picture I took of my four boys (Dad and three sons) waiting at a red light. . . we were in Charleston, SC, and I was walking a little behind them. They were waiting to cross the street, and I snapped a photo of them from behind. Something about the four of them, standing there together, not knowing I was behind them--it's really sweet.

Melissa Miller said...

Stacey that is really precious! You really created a special and lovely family photo. I love the sweet ones of baby feet. Cute!

Michele @ Frugal Granola said...

I love the photo! Yes, we have a family "feet" picture that a friend took days after our son was born. It's my favorite family photo.

Blessings,
Michele

FrenchGardenHouse said...

I too love the hand photograph! That's one I hope to copy with our own family....xo Lidy

LuLu said...

Oh my goodness I want to copy your hand picture.... it's gorgeous! I love to take family photos without faces... especially for my blog.
Thank you for sharing these great images,
xo,
LuLu

Melanie said...

Some of my very favorite photos are those taken when my kids are walking ahead of me & I just capture their backs, often holding hands.
And I have to agree with everyone else, that hand picture totally rocks! Can't wait to try something similar, thanks for the inspiration!
Blessings!

Green Eyed Girl Crafts said...

What a super idea... I never would have thought of that! Thanks so much for sharing all of your many talents! Huggies! Vicki

Musings Of A Gem said...

I love the one in the sea! Very beautiful : )

Gemma X http://musings-of-a-gem.blogspot.com/

Kirstin said...

Love the pics. I do like to take pictures without faces included!

Leanne Helums said...

I love the hand photo. I love taking pictures without faces. I just posted a few on my blog of my little one playing in the field. Most of my favorites did not focus on the face

Christina said...

Love your hands picture. I totally agree that many of the "no faces" pictures are the best. One of my favorite pictures like that is my dad walking with my kids when they were younger. He is holding their hands, one on the each side of him. My dad in his work clothes, a cattle trailer in the background. It was so sweet, but when I showed it to my dad he asked why I had taken a picture of them walking away instead of their faces. I loved it. It said something more about their relationship than the same photo would have been with them knowing it was being taken.

Crafty Niche said...

I love family photos without faces! It can really show emotion and what you were trying to convey. The hands one is something I want to try next time we have family portraits done.

Unknown said...

Wonderful idea and lovely pics posted here too!
Imagine, I had my hands taken for a photo shoot for a coffee table book on community welfare. The guy wanted to show the hands as giving and caring

Melissa Lester said...

That photo of your hands is beautiful! I have a treasured photo of my in-laws' hands that my brother took for their 50th wedding anniversary, and it represents so many things to me. I hadn't considered doing this with our family of six, but now that is on my list!