Month: April 2020

  • HIKE, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PHOTOGRAPHY

    Tips for Photographing Family Hikes

    Hiking is one of our family’s favorite ways to spend time together outdoors. Along with our traditional outdoor hiking gear (backpack, water, snacks, etc.), I always bring my camera along to document our adventure. Some of my favorite photographs of my kids are from family hikes, as they explore and play. Today, we have the amazingly talented Kristen Ryan, Oklahoma mom of 2 and photographer extraordinaire, here to give us some tips, tricks, and advice for photographing family hikes. Whether you’re shooting with a big fancy camera or your iPhone, these tips will help you capture some incredible moments outdoors with your kids and take your hiking photography to the next level.

    Tips for Photographing Family Hikes

    Hiking with kids

    Setting out on a hike with the family can be a great way to get outdoors and explore together. It can be a way of getting exercise while also enjoying some great views. Sometimes we need to get a little creative to keep the little ones enjoying the moment and pushing forward, there are so many fun activities to keep kids entertained and engaged while hiking. The Run Wild My Child website has some great resources for doing just that, check out some of these great articles:

    Family hiking photography tips

    When it comes to taking hiking photos, sometimes it’s at the top of my to-do list and sometimes it takes a back seat to just keeping my kids going. Hiking with kids tends to be all over the place and you never know what each day and hike will bring. I try to keep my expectations low and go into our hike armed with my camera, but willing to wait for the right moment. Today, I want to share with you some tips for easily capturing beautiful photos from the day and still allowing everyone to enjoy the hike uninterrupted.

    tips for photographing family hikes

    1. Let everyone forget you have a camera

    If your family is like mine, they don’t want to have to keep stopping for photo ops. In fact, the more you ask for pictures the less likely they will be willing to pose for you. My way to work around this is by letting them forget I have a camera. I try to set myself up for candid photos so that they don’t have to be moved or directed or interrupted from what they’re doing.

    To get the shot I want without interrupting, I will pause a moment on a winding trail and wait for them to spread out along the turn to capture them in a line. If they stop to enjoy a view I will make sure I’m ready to capture the moment quickly before enjoying it with them. I will run up a little further on the trail to be ready for them to pass by then join in at the tail. My family is much more tolerant of my photo-taking if they don’t have to be interrupted during their hike.

    tips for photographing family hikestips for photographing family hikes

    2. Take advantage of the breaks

    The next best trick for capturing great family hiking photos is to take advantage of your breaks. Need to stop for a water break or did you find a beautiful view? Use these pauses to capture the full scene. If we find a beautiful view I love to stop and take a water break at these spots. It gives the kids a moment to rest and it gives me some time to capture the beautiful surroundings as they enjoy and explore. I will have the kids sit in a safe spot where they can sit and have a drink and I will walk around them snapping a few photos with the beautiful scenery in the background.

    tips for photographing family hikestips for photographing family hikes

    3. Use nature as a leading line to your subject

    Getting a great family hiking shot is all about the perspective and the angles. You can change so much just by changing your own position or using the natural elements around you to frame your subject. There are lots of opportunities to do this when you’re hiking. I just love how nature can so easily frame my subjects and that trails make great leading lines. Using natural elements is an easy way to draw your eye straight to your family even with a busy background.

    When capturing your family, let the trail be a natural leading line through your photograph. I love to get low and allow the trail to guide my viewer’s eye through the frame right to my family and the story I’m wanting to tell. If you are in a tree-covered trail, try using branches and logs to help to frame your subjects. When having a scene full of similar colors and patterns, your family will stand out among the crowd just by contrast.

    hiking photographyhiking photography

    4. Stand out with color

    Another way to get great photos of your family hikes is to have them stand out from the background. I don’t mean physically, but visually, with bright pops of color. This takes a little forethought, but it can be really helpful in photos. When we’re getting ready to go hiking, I try to keep my kids in bright solid colors. This helps them stand out a bit from the trees and bushes along the trails and brings your eye to them in a photograph. It is also a bonus when my kids like to run further up along the trail away from me. They still stand out and helps me to keep an eye on them while also giving them some freedom. This lets them enjoy the hike even more, because they feel like they are in charge of it.

    hiking photographyhiking photography

    5. Let them climb

    If your kids are like mine, then they love to climb. They’re fearless and I sometimes have to regulate what they want to take on. 🙂 But climbing, even the smallest of rocks, is actually a great photo opportunity. I love it when we come across a place for them to try it. This is another great way to get them to stand out from the background and set them apart from the scene. You can do this by allowing them to get higher than the horizon. This doesn’t necessarily mean letting them go rock climbing up a cliff, but even a small little hill or boulder will do the trick.

    You can make any hill or incline look much bigger by bringing your camera all the way to the ground and tilting your camera up to them. This will bring your horizon line down and make them appear higher. It also makes them stand out from the background! This is a great family hiking photography tip because they’ll be so proud of themselves and impressed when you show them the photo later.

    hiking photography hiking photography

    Family hiking photography

    I hope these tips and tricks will inspire you to get outside and go for a hike with your family. Don’t forget to take your camera along and try taking some images of your kids while you’re out and about. Not only will you capture moments in time you’ll want to remember forever, but you will get a little better with your photography skills with every photo you take! So grab your camera and hit the trails!

    More photography resources

    If you’re interested in more photography resources, download our FREE guide with our best tips and tricks for taking better photos of your kids’ outdoor adventures with the camera on your PHONE! From creative composition tips to our favorite editing apps, this guide includes everything you need to know to make the most out of the camera in your pocket!  

    Do you take photos of your family hikes?

    Kristen of Instagram @kristcx

    About the author

    Hello, I am Kristen. I am a wife and mother to two kids and three dogs. We love to be outside as much as we can. Our family loves to go camping together and have made it a goal to visit all of the Oklahoma state parks. We are over halfway there! I am a hobbyist photographer who enjoys documenting my family in creative ways. You can find me on Instagram at @kristcx.

  • CRAFTS, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, URBAN NATURE

    Creating Nature Fairy Gardens

    Are you looking for a nature activity for your children that requires no special preparation or supplies? Has the last month left you burnt out from trying to keep your children’s’ days full of magical projects that you have to shop for, plan, and oversee? Are your outdoor adventures currently limited to your own yard? Then this is the perfect activity for you! Today we have the amazing Leslie Alvis, Ohio homeschooling mama to four, here sharing a timeless nature play idea that can be adapted for any age or situation – the nature fairy garden. It’s a simple activity that requires only the materials you find in your own backyard! Nature fairy gardens can keep kids busy for hours gathering materials, building their unique creation, and then playing with it. It’s a wonderful way to incorporate nature and imaginative play.

    How to Create A DIY Nature Fairy Garden

    Building memories with fairy gardens

    Several years ago, when my oldest daughter was just a toddler, I found myself with an unexpected block of time to play with her outside. We were on vacation and I wanted to do something fun outdoors with her. However, we didn’t have any special activities or materials. My son was happily exploring the woods nearby and the baby was napping in the cabin. I was searching for something special we could do in the yard. I remembered one of my favorite outdoor activities when I was growing up: building a miniature dollhouse out in nature. Years before fairy gardens were a thing, I loved to build miniature gardens and houses with bits and pieces of nature. I spent hours designing and creating these little fairy gardens, and then playing with imaginary characters inside them.

    Creating Nature Fairy GardenCreating Nature Fairy Garden 2

    A magical nature fairy garden

    My daughter and I collected some moss, sticks, nuts, and rocks. We found a hollow at the base of a huge oak tree and began to build our own little fairy garden. I didn’t realize the significance of our creation until months later, when we were back at that cabin. My still-tiny daughter grabbed my hand and tugged me out to that same tree, begging me to build another fairy house with her. Our little nature project had made a lasting impression on her.

    Building a nature fairy garden was something she wanted to do again—and again, and again. Now, building nature-oriented fairy gardens is something both of my older daughters love to do, too. And occasionally my son might join in, making a stockade or a fort of his own. They put their imaginations to work and create all kinds of fairy garden spaces.

    Creating Nature Fairy Garden 3FairyGarden

    Getting your fairy garden started

    Building a nature fairy garden is so easy! You may have to get your children started with some materials or ideas, but they will probably carry on with little help. Unless, of course, you’re having too much fun to let them play alone!

    To start with, pick your location. We like to use the base of a large tree where the roots jut out and make a natural hollow. The more interesting the space, the better! One of my daughters just spent two days playing in a little clump of grass for her little fairy house. Basically, you can use whatever place catches your eye.

    CreatingNatureFairyGarden5

    Gathering materials for your fairy garden

    The next step for your nature fairy garden is to have your child(ren) scout around the yard, neighborhood or local park for tiny bits of nature: sticks, moss, bark, nuts, unique stones, leaves, and flowers. We usually gather some small sticks to build our walls and moss for the floor. You can also lay down leaves or bark for the floor, or just use dirt. You can poke sticks into the ground for walls, transplant plants to create a natural border or build stone walls. Nature fairy gardens are immensely versatile. They easily adapt to different seasons and situations.

    NatureFairyGardenMaterialsNature Fairy Garden Materials

    Making a potted nature fairy garden

    Even if you don’t have a backyard, you can gather materials for a nature fairy garden and create one in a pot! Just start with a nice wide pot full of potting soil or sand. Then see what you can collect on a nature walk in a woods or park somewhere (as long as it’s a place where it’s okay to pick up natural materials!). You can build a nature fairy garden for your porch or even inside. You may wish to purchase some small plants for your pot (succulents or flowers). Just check the labels to make sure they aren’t going to take over your entire fairy garden space as they grow!

    Nature Fairy Garden Materials 3

    Adding finishing touches to your fairy garden

    When you’ve created your basic structure or space for your fairy garden, your children get to decorate it. Our fairy gardens are usually dollhouses of sorts, and they get furnished accordingly. Stones become tables and shelves; seed pods and nuts, food. Acorn tops make perfect fairy dishes. I love seeing the amazing ideas my children come up with. This week we had an oven (with flowers baking inside) and a table built out of stones and bark. Both girls’ fairy gardens featured a stone shelf nestled in an uneven bit of bark. My daughters also created a bed in a nest of grass for a pine cone doll, a room hidden under a moss covering, and countless flower dolls.

    FinishingNatureFairyGardenFinishing Nature FFinishing Nature Fairy Garden 3

    The joys of creating fairy gardens

    Once kids start creating their own fairy garden, they begin to see everything around them with new eyes. Every little thing around the yard has new potential. I’ve found that while I might have to get them started, my children very quickly take over this project and play for hours (or days) without me. Their imaginations and the beauty of nature combine to make creative, delightful fairy gardens. To me, this is the great benefit of outdoor play like this. I love seeing my children enjoy nature, using their hands and their imagination to entertain themselves and create something beautiful. They come back to their fairy gardens over and over.

    Creating Nature Fairy Garden 4Creating Nature Fairy Garden 7Creating Nature Fairy Garden 6

    Have you ever created a nature fairy garden?
    What unique spin did you put on it?

    Hi, I’m Leslie Alvis! I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, wife to my high school sweetheart, and mom to four rascally kids. They love the outdoors as much as I do, and our yard often feels like the scene from “The Sound of Music” where you hear voices and laughter and can’t find any children until you look up into the trees.  I love writing, photography, and all things outdoors, and do pretty much everything with my kids tagging along. We live in Northeast Ohio on the edge of Amish Country, where it’s perfectly normal to park beside a horse and buggy at the grocery store.

    We homeschool, which basically means that I’m trying to teach my kids to use their minds without losing my own. While we follow a traditional curriculum, I weave every outdoor adventure I can into our educational journey. I believe that the lessons children experience firsthand sink deepest into their hearts and minds, and there is so much we can learn outside in the beauty and wonder of nature.

    You can find Leslie online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @c_l_allofus
    Client work: @lalvisphotography
    RWMC posts: Leslie Alvis

  • BEACH, BIKE, CRAFTS, GARDENING, GOOD FOR NATURE, HIKE, HOLIDAYS, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, WATER

    15+ Activities to Celebrate Earth Day with Kids

    Earth Day is next week and the world needs you and your actions! There are so many things parents and kids can do to help protect, preserve and restore our planet – from cleaning up, to recycling, composting, planting a garden or just enjoying the beauty of nature! Today, we have Chelsea Furlong (professional photographer and eco-conscious mom of 2) here with 15+ eco-friendly activities kids and families can do together to celebrate Earth Day. And bonus that all these activities can be done at or around the home, while socially distancing.

    kid friendly Earth Day activities


    15+ Earth Day Activities With Kids

    Earth Day 2020

    April 22, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970. On that historical day, 20 million Americans filled the streets with protests to stop the destruction of our precious planet. This essentially started what became the planet’s largest civic event and an environmental movement. Since then, Earth Day has been celebrated annually worldwide on the 22nd day of April.

    While this year is a bit of an anomaly and we’ll have to celebrate at (or close to) home and away from others (no marches or protests this year), there’s no reason why this can’t be the best Earth Day celebration ever! Use this as a way to avoid shopping/purchasing anything new (especially plastics) and use what you’ve already got on hand in new ways. Get creative and make the most out of the things you already own or can find in nature close to home.

    Celebrating Earth Day with kids

    Getting kids involved in taking care of the planet when they’re young encourages them to continue the tradition as they get older. It’s a parent’s job to teach kids to be good stewards of the earth encourages them to love and respect their planet and nature. There are so many amazing ways you can celebrate this day with your kids and family while being conscious of your carbon footprint. Here are some of my favorites!

    1. Nature scavenger hunt

    Make a list of things found in nature around your home, neighborhood or a local park. Then go out for a walk or hike with the family and see how many items you can find. In order to save paper, you could make the list on your phone or a reusable dry erase board or reusable writing board. We love our Boogie Board writing tablets for things like this! 

    Earth Day activities with kids

    2. Neighborhood clean up

    Grab some gloves and garbage bags and beautify your neighborhood by removing all the trash humans have tossed around. My kids actually love doing this because they almost always find treasures they want to clean up and keep. Our oldest son keeps a whole lot of other people’s discarded items to use in creating art and sculptures, and we don’t mind one bit! We get to enjoy his creative mind while giving the trash a second life before it’s tossed into a landfill for decades, centuries, or possibly forever.

    Earth Day clean up with kids

    3. Family bike ride

    Going on a family bike ride is a great way to get the family outside enjoying what Mother Earth has to offer while being active and adventurous! Head to your favorite bike trail or try a new one. You can enjoy your town or city without polluting the air and you’ll feel so great afterward!

    4. Get out on the water

    Spend the day observing nature from the water. Instead of using something motorized, try a kayak, rowboat, stand-up paddleboard, or other pollution-free water vehicle.

    Earth Day activities with kids

    5. Make a bird feeder

    There are TONS of ways to DIY a bird feeder using recycled materials. We made bird feeders using recycled toilet paper tubes, popsicle sticks, and even pine cones! We have a great post on making ec0-friendly bird feeders with kids using materials you already have at home! No need to leave the house!

    Earth Day activities for kids

    6. Practice Earth Day yoga

    My kids love doing yoga! Celebrate Earth Day with kids by doing a special outdoor kid-friendly yoga session. Stand barefoot in the grass so you can feel the earth under your feet and are grounded. Breathe in the fresh air and feel the sunshine and wind on your skin. You can pick some earth and animal-related poses to do. Tree, turtle, butterfly, lotus, and frog are some of my children’s’ favorite yoga poses.

    7. Make seed bombs or seed paper

    Another great activity to celebrate Earth Day with kids is to make seed bombs (with clay) or seed paper using recycled paper scraps you have lying around the house or in your recycling bin! You can bomb an area in your yard or neighborhood and see how they grow over the spring. Or give them out as gifts to friends or leave them on a neighbor’s doorstep as an Earth Day present. Feel free to use my seed paper valentine instructions as a guide, with a few swaps. Change the color (to blue/green) and shape (to a circle like the Earth) to match the Earth Day theme.

    8. Start a garden

    Kids love playing in dirt! Have them help you make a family garden. You can plant a flower garden or edible garden, and work together to take care of the plants. If you don’t have a lot of space or live in a city, you can always do a potted garden or patio garden! We don’t have a lot of space to plant edibles where we live, but we still try to grow some herbs and vegetables every year using pots and containers. Here are some recommendations for easy vegetables to grow with kids and a great post on how to make gardening enjoyable for kids.

    Eco Tip: Be sure to buy the pots/containers pre-loved at a thrift store or from someone else!

    patio garden gardening with kids

    9. Plant a tree

    There’s no better time than Earth Day to plant a tree! Spring is a great time to plant and Earth Day is a great reason. Pick a special spot to plant a family tree that you all can visit for years to come! If you plant a fruit tree, you’ll also have the added benefit of beautiful blossoms and fruit you can enjoy once your tree is mature.

    10. Make earth art

    Doing an art project is always a fun way to celebrate and document any holiday. Making art from natural materials is so much fun to create. Plus, there’s a fun added benefit in that other people will find joy when they come across your artwork! You can use any kind of materials you find in nature to create a masterpiece on the ground. We like to use shells, sticks, rocks, leaves, flowers, petals, nuts and sand.

    celebrating Earth Day with kids

    11. Start composting

    Starting a compost is something that has been on my list to do for years now and I think Earth Day is when we’ll start! My oldest son has been bringing me food scraps daily, asking to put it in a compost instead of the garbage. I promised him we would do some research and begin one soon. We don’t live in a rural area and don’t have much of a backyard space so our compost will need to be small. However, there are plenty of great options for composting in small spaces and in the city! A friend uses this composting tumbler in their backyard and adds the finished compost to their flower beds. You could research composting with your kids and start this year, too! And when you start your compost project, make sure to include a few bins for little hands so the kids can help out, too!

    12. Have a picnic

    A great way to get outside and enjoy nature is by having a picnic. You can have a picnic inside or outside! But be sure to keep it earth friendly by:

    • packing your picnic in reusable containers,
    • bringing reusable utensils/straws/water bottles, and
    • bringing cloth napkins/hand towels.

    Bonus: Try to reduce your picnic carbon footprint by preparing a vegan meal!

    13. Take a hike

    One of our favorite outdoor activities is hiking. Hiking always inspires us to take care of our beautiful planet by reminding us just how impressive nature can be! This year, if you can safely get out to a place away from others, take a fun Earth Day celebratory hike. Bring along a bag to pick up any trash/litter you see and some binoculars to do some birding while you’re out!

    ways to celebrate Earth Day with kids

    14. Make nature crowns

    Nature crowns are a really fun and easy craft you can make and wear in celebration of Earth Day! No need to buy anything, just use whatever you can find in nature. You can make nature crowns out of just about anything – flowers, grasses, clover, vines, sticks, dandelions or wildflowers! Be creative and have fun with it!

    15. Make nature paint brushes 

    Head out on a nature walk and collect different materials to use as paintbrushes! Pick up things like sticks, leaves, long blades of grass, flowers, etc. Take them home and dip them in paint to make a family piece of artwork to hang up forever. It’s a great way to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. You’ll be able to look at the art you made and remember the time you spent with your children for years to come.

    16. Earth Day puppet show 

    Another fun way to celebrate Earth Day with kids is to make puppets with materials from your recycling bin. Or, you could make sock puppets from all those single socks you have lying around! You can have your children do some research online or read some books about ways to protect our planet. Then they can share what they’ve learned by putting on a puppet show! This is also an amazing activity to share with family and friends on FaceTime or other video chatting app during quarantine. You don’t have to leave your house and you can bring some joy to others in isolation from a safe distance!

    17. Make sculptures, art, or robots using items in your recycling bin

    My kids love making art from trash! It gives those items one more life before they get tossed into the recycling bin or trash can. Use materials you would normally throw away or recycle and repurpose them into art, a sculpture or a robot (or a monster or an alien or anything!). Let them paint and decorate their creation. Display it proudly!

    18. Build a fort

    Another great way to celebrate Earth Day is to head out into the woods with your family and make a fort together! Use materials found on the ground to design a shelter. (Do NOT take down anything alive! I’m sure you’ll have plenty of options that are no longer alive and that have fallen to the ground without the help of humans!) You could have a picnic inside your fort, read some books, or just sit in the quiet and observe Earth’s gifts surrounding you.

    Earth Day activities with kids

    How will you celebrate Earth Day with your family?

    About the author

    Hi there, I’m Chelsea! I’m a photographer, mother of two busy boys, and sunshine and fresh air addict. We live in Virginia Beach and spend as much time outdoors as we possibly can! We spend most of our time exploring the beach, inlets, and nature trails nearby. Our family loves biking, hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, building forts, and playing in the sand! During the warm months, you can find us enjoying the Chesapeake Bay almost every night until long after the sun goes down. We’re doing our best to reduce our carbon footprint and always try to leave every trail cleaner than it was when we arrived.

    You can find Chelsea online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @dimples.and.the.blonde
    Client work: @chelsea.lyn.photography
    Website: dimplesandtheblonde.com
    RWMC posts: Chelsea Furlong

     

  • CRAFTS, HOLIDAYS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, RECIPES, SPRING

    How To Make Natural Dye For Easter Eggs

    Spring brings with it blooming flowers, rain showers, and Easter eggs! If you’re like us, you’re probably stuck at home right now looking for things to do with the kids (here’s a huge list if you need more ideas for outdoor spring activities for kids). Dying eggs with natural ingredients one of those activities (#88)! It’s also a super fun social distancing activity for the whole family. Today, Texas photographer and mom of two (with another on the way), Tiffany going to walk you through how to make natural dye for Easter eggs, using household, backyard and pantry items that you already have at home like spices, fruits, veggies, and foraged plants! Get ready for the fun!

    How to naturally dye easter eggs using household items

    Up your Easter fun without leaving the house

    While lots of egg dying tutorials will use super colorful dyes made from fancy ingredients, we’re going to make this simple and easy for you. We want to show you how to use household items from your fridge, pantry, and backyard to make dyes. No need to put yourself at risk by going to the grocery store. And no need to purchase expensive store-bought Easter egg dyes. There are lots of items you can use to make all sorts of colored dyes right around your home. Your kids will be so surprised and impressed that dyes can be made from so many ordinary things! And this will surely elevate your Easter egg hunt to the next level.

    Gather your household materials

    Start by having the kids collect items that can be used to make dyes. For this tutorial, we used blueberries, beets, the tops of carrots, wildflowers, and turmeric. So many things you have on hand WILL work! Have some fun by searching your yard, pantry, and your fridge! Have some fruits or veggies going bad?! Perfect!

    Some other ideas for items to use to make natural dye are: purple or red onions, dandelions, raspberries, spinach, paprika, kale, green onions, chili pepper, red cabbage, red peppers, or yellow onion skins! The options are endless, and super fun to experiment with!

    How To Make Natural Dye For Easter Eggs

    Supplies for naturally dyed eggs

    • hardboiled eggs cooled to room temperature (note: brown and assorted color eggs will dye differently)
    • fruit, veggies, spices, foraged plants and flowers from the backyard
    • water
    • white vinegar
    • glass Mason jars
    • sheer pantyhose
    • rubber bands
    • scissors
    • wildflowers/foliage for decorating eggs
    • strainer (cheesecloth or a paper towel also work!)

    making natural dyes for easter eggs from household items

    How to make natural dye for Easter eggs

    Put 6 cups of water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 2-4 cups of whatever natural substance/ingredient you are trying to pull color from to the boiling water. Make sure your ingredients are chopped up, which helps with the color extraction process. Add 3 tablespoons of white vinegar. Let the mixture boil for about 10 minutes, then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 more minutes. Remove from heat and strain the liquid into a mason jar(s). Repeat the process for each additional dyes and colors.

    Naturally dying eggs

    Place hardboiled eggs into each dye and let them sit. We HIGHLY recommend you soak the eggs at least 24 hours! The longer you leave them in, the more pigmented your eggs will be! After eggs are desired color, remove from dye and place on a towel or paper towel until dry. Please note these dyes WILL stain fabrics, so be extra careful.

    social distancing easter egg natural dyesstay home friendly natural easter egg dyes

    Adding flowers and prints

    We love to make our naturally dyed eggs a little extra fancy with flower and leave prints and added dried wildflowers. To do this, start by cutting pantyhose into 5-6 inch strips. Lay the small plants/flowers of your choosing across the egg. Carefully place pantyhose around the egg pulling them as tight as possible from the opposite side and secure with a rubber band. Repeat as desired. Place the eggs in the jars with the dye for at least 24 hours (as recommended above). Remove the eggs and let dry. Use scissors to cut pantyhose off off eggs at the base of rubber band and carefully remove the pantyhose. This is the fun part! You can leave the flowers/greenery pressed on or remove them for a print!

    how to make printed natural easter egg dyesHow To Make Natural Dye For Easter Eggs

    Natural dye for Easter eggs

    And that’s it! Making natural dye for Easter eggs is easy as can be. We hope you’ll give this fun technique naturally dying eggs using household items and foraged materials a try. Make sure to tag us in your images if you post them online and we’ll be sure to share! We can’t wait to see how your eggs turn out and all your creative dyes. Stay safe out there.

    natural egg dyes from household and foraged materials

    Have you ever made natural dye for Easter eggs?

     

    About the author

    Tiffany is a homeschooling Mama of three earthside children (one baby boy on the way) and one baby girl that travels among the stars. She is a vintage obsessed, wicker collecting, tree-loving photographer, creator, painter, writer and loves to document her children’s childhood and is passionate about sharing her take on motherhood, raising children outside of the “norm” and in nature. You can find Tiffany on Instagram at @dear.wildlings.

  • INFORMATION, PHOTOGRAPHY, SPRING

    Tips For Capturing Puddle Jumping Pictures

    April is here and that means rain showers! Part of being a kid is getting to experience the joy of jumping in puddles! There aren’t too many kids that can resist a good messy puddle! We want to give you permission to let your kids get messy, muddy and have fun! And while they’re enjoying all the stomping and splashing, your mission is to capture some photos of all that puddlicious joy! Today, Brandi Rondinelli, professional photographer and mom of 2, is here sharing 5 tips for capturing awesome puddle jumping pictures of your kids. These tips are great and applicable whether you’re using a fancy DSLR or the camera on your phone. So get ready and let’s jump in!

    photography tips for capturing puddle jumping pictures of kids

    Splash season

    It’s that time of the year!!! Rain, more rain and PUDDLES!! I don’t know about you, but I love puddle jumping season (I mean, spring). We get a ton of rain in the spring and watching my kids’ faces fill with joy while they splash in every puddle they see is priceless! Not to mention, it keeps them busy outside for at least an hour. Sure, they get wet and messy, but that’s actually good for them! Letting your kids get dirty has proven health benefits.

    As parents, we see mud and only see a mess. But to children, mud is an abundant and attractive medium for creation, exploration and adventure. Mud is fun! Playing with mud engages all the senses, encourages creativity and creates long-lasting childhood memories. Mud play has also been associated with a range of benefits including increased happiness, improved well-being, stronger immunity and a connection with nature. 

    how to nail the focus on puddle splashing photos

    Benefits of getting dirty

    Recent research has shown that dirt contains microscopic bacteria called Mycobacterium Vaccae which stimulates the immune system and increases the levels of serotonin in our brains, an endorphin that soothes, calms, and helps us to relax. Science also shows that today’s sanitized world is actually contributing to increased levels of childhood allergies and asthma. Exposure to dirt and germs works to prime a child’s immune system to prevent allergies. Yes, mud can actually improve your child’s physical and mental health!

    • Healthy immune systems – Dirt is filled with all sorts of healthy microbes, and when kids are exposed to them it strengthens their immune systems which helps to prevent chronic conditions like asthma, allergies, diabetes and obesity.
    • Happiness – When kids spend time outside they are less stressed, anxious and depressed. In fact, within minutes of being outside around nature kids start feeling relaxed.
    • Active – Outdoor play, with all it’s dirt and mud, keeps kids moving. It’s been shown that kids run, climb and jump outside much more than they do inside, even compared to indoor sports. All this movement helps kids maintain a healthier body weight which prevent chronic health issues like diabetes.
    • Healthy sensory systems – As kids spend more and more time indoors, sensory processing issues are skyrocketing. Many children are developing over or under-sensitive senses. When kids go outside all of their senses are stimulated. There’s so much for them to see, touch, smell and hear outdoors which helps their brain grow and make connections.
    • Smarts – Kids that play outside and get dirty are better at solving problems and are more creative too. Time outside not only improves children’s memory, concentration and attention span it also helps them develop emotional and social intelligence.

    Let them splash

    So often kids are asked to refrain from getting wet and muddy. Give them the gift of freedom to explore and get as messy as they want for a day. Dress them in their rain boots and whatever else you don’t care getting wet (plenty of layers if it’s still cold) and encourage them to splash! They’ll be so excited about the opportunity and will remember this for a lifetime. If you’re in need of recommendations on good rain gear, here’s our favorite rain gear for outdoorsy kids.

    photography tips for capturing puddle jumping pictures of kids | benefits of dirt and how to take great photos of kids playing in the mud

    5 tips for capturing perfect puddle jumping pictures

    Now that you know how important and beneficial it is to let your kids get dirty, it’s time to capture the fun! While they’re jumping and splashing away, I want to be sure to preserve those sweet smiles and laughs. So, today I’m sharing 5 tips for capturing awesome puddle jumping photos of your kids that you can implement whether you’re shooting with a phone or a camera.

    1. Mix up your perspective

    Getting low to the ground and closer to the puddle lets the puddle be the focus of your attention. This is perfect for catching those wowing puddle shots of water splashing up and around your kids feet. But be sure to mix it up a bit so they don’t all look the same. Get some lower shots, some far away full-framed shots and some close-up shots. Get creative by adding a pop of color, umbrella, flowers, a friend or sibling, dissolved sidewalk chalk, etc. Or mix up the times you shoot your puddle splashing photos – morning, dreary mid-day, at golden hour (1 hour prior to sunset), etc.

    2. Don’t be afraid to get wet

    Getting close up puddle jumping pictures might result in a little (or a big) splash coming your way. For the most part, that’s ok! Be sure to keep a little towel on hand or put a plastic bag over your camera to protect it. I promise the up-close shots will be worth all the mud in your hair and on your face! (Remember, it’s good for you, too!)

    tips for capturing puddle jumping pictures of kids

    3. Nail your settings

    In order to get the best and sharpest puddle jumping pictures, if you are using a DSLR, make sure your shutter speed is high and your aperture (f-stop) is not too shallow. The high shutter speed (anything above 250) will help you capture those fast-moving water droplets. That that deeper aperture (f-stop at or above f/3.2) will ensure everything is in focus, especially when shooting up-close shots.

    If you are using a cell phone, the more light you can have, the better. Try pressing and holding while taking a picture, this will do a continuous shoot capturing more pictures faster. Hopefully, this will give you a nice still water shot.

    4. Have fun!!

    Careful!!!! Mud play and puddle jumping may cause a tremendous amount of fun and laughter, try at your own risk! Let those kids get as messy and wet as they can. Nothing a bath/shower can’t fix.

    Want to get extra crazy and give them a memory they’ll never forget…jump in with them!!! Don’t worry about having the right gear! Barefoot or rain boots, rain suit or shorts, it doesn’t matter, just have fun!

    tips for capturing puddle jumping pictures of kids

    5. Enhance colors and details in post-editing

    Editing your puddle jumping pictures will take them from good to GREAT! Editing doesn’t have to be hard or take a lot of time or skill. It can be done with iPhone pictures or photos taken on your DSLR.

    If you don’t already, download the Lightroom app on your phone (it’s free!). When editing in Lightroom, turn up that clarity! Play around with the other settings to see what you like best. I usually bump up my shadows a little to make the moodier. I tone down the highlights to get rid of overexposed spots. Also, I turn up the dehazer slider and lower the black point a tad. You could also add contrast, sharpen and saturate to make the image exactly how you want it!

    If you want tones like the pictures in this post, check out my Lightroom mobile Presets.

    photography advice for taking outdoor photos of kids puddle splashing

    Get shooting! 

    I hope that helps inspire you to get outside with your kids while capturing some awesome puddle jumping pictures this spring! Let me know if you have any questions! 

    More photography resources

    If you’re interested in more photography resources, download our FREE guide with our best tips and tricks for taking better photos of your kids’ outdoor adventures with the camera on your PHONE! From creative composition tips to our favorite editing apps, this guide includes everything you need to know to make the most out of the camera in your pocket!  

    Do you love capturing puddle jumping pictures?

    About the author

    Brandi Rondinelli. I’m a wife, published photographer & mother of two little wolfs. We are a homesteading family & love everything about the outdoors. We have traveled all around Wisconsin and hiked 21 state parks in just 2 years. From raising chickens, kids, having a full garden & a photography business, you could say we stay busy but we always have time for an adventure and new memories.

    You can find me online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @soulshinephotographer
    Client work: @motherhenshomestead
    Website: http://www.soulshinephotographer.com
    Facebook: @soulshinephotographer