Personal Photography Project of Ginger Unzueta
kids were here
What is/was your personal project and what inspired you to start it?
In April 2013 I began a personal project with 24 other photographers called Kids Were Here. We are a group of passionate photographers who are setting out to document details of evidence that Kids Were Here. The idea was introduced by the talented and creative Ketti Photography.
Are there any challenges or ruts you faced during your project and how did you overcome them and keep a creative eye?
It is easy to find evidence that kids were here throughout my home on any given day. As I started this project I was challenged to capture the realities of our home, but also include beautiful lighting and/or an interesting setting. This made me learn to really look at life within my home in a more creative way when using my camera. It also really helped me grow as a photographer.
As the months have passed, I have accepted that sometimes the images will not have the most glorious light or setting and that is also okay. It is the story behind these images that makes them so special to me as the photographer and mother. This story and the memories attached to the images; that is what this project is essentially all about.
What have you learned through your process with your personal project?
When I first began this project, I thought it would be fun to document the everyday messes my children make. As the weeks have passed, this project has really become so much more than that.
It’s not really about messes at all, but about the stories they tell. It’s about traces of childhood I see throughout my home on a daily basis. It’s about the love we share together. It’s about living and being…creating, making, learning and trying. This project leaves me a beautiful story each month of the reminders that Kids are here now…and the time, well, it’s all too fleeting, isn’t it? We all need to embrace these moments and just live them too; because they really are the best moments of life.
Is there anything additional about your project that readers may find interesting?
As mentioned above, I work on this project monthly with 24 other fabulous ladies and mothers. You can find all of their work on our collaborated blog.
Beautiful images, Ginger! Love that they capture your kids so well without even having them in the frame.
Aww, thank you Sarah, What a beautiful thing to share and take note of.
I love this so much, Ginger. Years from now these toys and signs of children being everywhere, will be gone and we will, I know, miss them a great deal. <3 Beautiful documentation of the story they tell. 🙂
Lacey, thank you so much. This project has been a gift to me in itself in so many ways.
I love your work so much Ginger! You are such an inspiration to keep it real, but find the beauty in each little moment before it passes too. <3 -Sarah
Thank you. That means a lot to me. I appreciate it.
Beautiful, Ginger! I enjoy your photographs and your passion so much!
Chelsea, thank you. I am grateful to be able to continue to share something that I feel so passionate about.
I love this! I sure wish I had discovered photography when my kids were younger. They are now 17 and almost 14 and I feel like I missed so many memories 🙁 It’s not too late though. You’ve inspired me.
That is wonderful to hear you are inspired. thank you Lisa.
LOVE this!
thank you so much Lindsey.
What an awesome idea! I LOVE this!
What a glorious project, Ginger!! 🙂 🙂
I loved seeing all your images from this project… so inspiring and thoughtful… it’s amazing the stories they tell. Thank you for sharing and inspiring me to include more of these types of images into my own shooting.
What a great personal project! Very inspiring!
Great project, thank you for the lovely inspiration!!
Your photographs tell a beautiful story!
What a beautiful subject! I am inspired!
I love your project! Very inspirational to add something like this to my family photography.
I love the little piece of paper with the “Confess your faith in Jesus”. That was so precious and gave me so many ideas. Love!!! All of your photos truly inspirational! thanks for sharing!
Pictures are better than memories they are proof ! Your little ones grow so fast you can hold onto the memory – but you can go back to the moment with the picture ! Great project!
This is such an inspiring post. Why? Because my children range from 12-18 and usually don’t want to be in the frame. However, everyday there is evidence of their existence. We homeschool and so they are home with me every day. I have so often found it difficult to find things to photograph, but this I can do!
And you for such a great project…..I believe I will try and fit your Kid’s are here theme I to my P52 and monthly blog circle posts.