How are you expressing yourself?

Do you know what day it is? World Photography Day, of course – well, not really – I didn’t know either. But what a fun holiday to share during this crazy time…

Expressing yourself through Photography

Today is World Photography Day, which is designed to be “an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, craft, science, and history of photography.”

In most families, there is that one self-appointed ‘photographer,’ who ends up taking pictures of everyone else and seldom end up in the photos themselves. They are the ones documenting the family fun, the ones who create the catalog of memories as the family grows.

Whether you are that photographer, or never even think about taking pictures, there is no doubt in the value of having that documented history of our lives, those reminders of the special times.

The origin of this fun holiday is pretty fascinating, so a quick overview from the EconomicTimes.com: ‘World Photo Day originates from the invention of the Daguerreotype, a photographic process developed by Frenchmen Louis Daguerre and Joseph Nicephore Niepce in 1837. On January 9, 1839, the French Academy of Sciences announced the Daguerreotype process. On August 19, the French government purchased the patent and announced the invention as a gift “free to the world”.

Wow, that was a pretty incredible gift.

Nowadays, it is easier for anyone to be the photographer, with such high-quality cameras on our phones.

Capturing special memories, moments of beauty, family events, friend gatherings, and travel experiences – photography helps us recall the times of our life.

My favorite pictures of my family in these later years tend to be when all the kids come home for Thanksgiving, and the next morning we go together to pick out a Christmas tree – one of my favorite days of the year. With all my travels, I love the fun moments with people together, experiencing a new destination and sharing friendships. And I’m always fascinated by interesting buildings and doorways as subjects, so that’s when I like to take pictures for the sake of the creativity.

World Photography Day is about expressing yourself through photography. If you have that ‘family photographer’ role, make sure you are getting in the pictures. If you aren’t the one that usually takes pictures, look for opportunities to express yourself and document those special moments

How will you celebrate World Photography Day today?