Either way- here is B's first year in the chair. We started out doing his chair pictures by week then as he got a little older, switched to bi-weekly then monthly. I'll likely try to do more at 15 mo, 18 mo & 24 mo. Maybe. Or maybe not.
So here it is- B's weekly/monthly chair pictures by the chalkboard. It's crazy to think back to how small he was a year ago and how fast he has changed. Man those 12 months go by FAST! Slow down, B. Slow down!
Tips on measuring a year:
-Use the same chair, toy, outfit, or another common factor to give an idea of size. If possible, use the same location or background.
-Do your best to get take the pictures at the right time. If you commit to doing them weekly, it can be a challenge but it's definitely worth it! I wrote reminders in my calendar and even had an alarm set on my phone to remind me to take his pictures. If you are forgetful like me, that can be a helpful tool! :)
-Don't worry if baby is crabby or doesn't want to sit still. It's fun to capture them where they are at that moment (check out week 3, B was so over pictures at that point). Incorporate their new milestones if you can. When capturing my friend's little girl's monthly pictures, I shot her on an oversized calendar each month doing whatever new skill she had learned. Sometimes that meant she was crawling away from the camera and that's okay!
-Edit the pictures uniformly and have them cropped to the same ratio. Learn from my mistake here! I didn't think about the fact that the rocking chair wouldn't sit at the same angle as my baby's weight changed (doh) so as the months changed, so did the angle of the chair making it look larger in some pictures than others. Having your elements and camera set to the same angle each time help keep the picture uniform looking. Use a tripod if you need to!
-Mix it up a bit! I attempted to-notice week 6 taken on Christmas... it's in the shape of a Christmas tree. I wish I would have added in more of those elements to help us remember the season or other special events. Add fun props in if that works with your set up but remember to keep the basic elements basically uniform.
-Have fun with it!! Don't make it a stressful activity and don't stress over baby sitting perfectly. I'll tell you a secret- they probably wont. :) Try to work during their happiest time of day but if they aren't loving it, just go with it and capture a crabby face (I think those are cute too!) or come back to it a little bit later.
-Don't give up. Trust me. You'll love having these comparison shots as they continue to grow so it's definitely a commitment worth sticking to! Good luck!! :)
