Photography Projects.

Do you ever have those days where you wonder how the heck you are going to get through the next 60 minutes? Please tell me I’m not the only one. Truth be told, that is me, almost every day at 4 pm. I can actually tell time by the crazy-level in our house. My kids are really good kids; they usually listen and are cooperative, but I swear that something happens at 4 pm. Is it that I’m trying to get dinner done? Or that I know it’s only 3 hours until bed? Or that they are sick of me? As my husband works shift work, and the majority of his shifts fall over dinner, I’m alone for the crazy-hour quite a bit of the time. The further I get into this parenting gig, the more I’m learning to let go. Half way through March I finally let go of dinners. When it’s just me and the kids I no longer cook – at least nothing more complicated than eggs. They are just as happy eating raw veggies and edamame beans!

But, even the crazy can have moments of beauty – and sometimes all it takes is stopping for a second to breathe and look around to find a moment. That’s what the O’Clock Project is all about. One picture a day for the whole month of March during the 4 pm hour. This year was way more challenging than last year. Last year, I had a baby who still stayed in one place – no longer! 2 kids on the move at all times!! One of my goals this time around was to show the bond my girls have with each other. They really are the best of friends, and when they are adults, I want them to be able to look back on this visual diary I’ve created for them and see their love. Not every day was a huge success, but I can proudly say that I took a picture every single day of the month – which is a success in itself.

I took a leap this year and opened the project up to anyone who would like to join me in documenting their own crazy. I was terrified nobody would join in (really, I was!), but instead was blown away by the support (like I actually cried when I saw how many people were participating!). Over 50 ladies (photographers and non-photographers) from around the world took a picture each day and posted it to social media using the hashtag #oclockproject2016. 1,2012 posts in all! To be able to see that each of us has our own witching hour was incredibly inspiring and proved, yet again that as Moms, we are never alone. I’m excited to do this project again next year and to continue to grow the participation.

Below are a few of my favourite images from this year’s project. If you’d like to view them all, head on over to my Instagram profile as I posted there daily.

If you missed last year’s images, you can check out Part 1 and Part 2.

To those who participated: from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. Your commitment to this project astounded me and I truly enjoyed ‘meeting’ new friends from places near and far. I look forward to doing it again!

If you’d like to participate in the project next year, be sure to sign up to be a part of the Fiddle Leaf community below, as announcements of 2017 dates will go out to subscribers first.

Fiddle Leaf Photography offers in-home lifestyle newborn & family photography in Edmonton, Sherwood Park, St. Albert, Leduc, Spruce Grove and surrounding communities. 

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