Friday Feature: Amy Louise

Sara

5 years ago

Hello Friday! It’s time for the next installment of Friday Features! Every other Friday we feature a member of the Run Wild My Child Instagram community. We choose a follower whom we love, adore and appreciate to feature here and so we all can get to know them a little better and be inspired by their gorgeous images. Today, our Friday Feature is Amy Louise (@agirlwandering), mom of three (20-month old twin girls and a seven-year-old daughter) located in Costa Blanca, Spain. Amy is such a wonderful, delightful presence on Instagram. She’s supportive and genuine and sweet as pie. She’s also the founder of the hub @treasured.childhood. Amy has such an incredibly beautiful way of capturing her girls in some epic locations and gorgeous light. Here’s a bit more about her and her photography in her own words.

What is your favorite outdoor experience from this past year?

One Sunday we were pondering what to do so we just got in the car and took a drive. The rules were that I just gave out random directions as we wanted to find a new place to explore. We ended up driving up a side of the Bernia mountain range here on the Costa Blanca and the little area we discovered was incredible. As we parked up we came across some goats and a horse which we fed grass to, the children were very excited about this!

We then took our three girls up an old cobbled path, collecting flowers, rocks, and other random bits and bobs along the way. As we reached the top of the hill we witnessed the most spectacular view! People always say that from this coastline, on a very clear day you can see the Balearic Islands if you get lucky and we’ve tried to see them for years! It just so happened that on this particular day the sky was clear enough and we were in the perfect spot to see them in the distance!

All in all, it was a wonderful, surprising and unplanned day. For me those days when you don’t put too much pressure on yourself to plan things… Those make for the most memorable ones.

What is your favorite outdoor memory from childhood?

I grew up in a beautiful part of Southern England called ‘The New Forest’ its a national park on the South Coast. For me, my favorite memories always surround exploring the forest with my younger sister and friends. We would cycle through the woods, feed the ponies, have picnics, paddle in the streams and we even built a treehouse once! For me, those things hold such a special place in my heart and I strive to recreate similar special memories for my three beautiful girls.

How would you describe your photography style and Instagram feed?

My photos are definitely of the ‘candid’ variety. I started my Instagram years ago and literally have thousands of photos on there. I have been working towards creating my own ‘visual scrapbook’ of my most favorite experiences with my family. For me, I always try to capture genuine moments that are not posed or planned. It’s about taking a moment that is special and means something to you and bringing it to life with editing and adding some little sparkle along the way!

Any tips for parents that want to get outdoors with their kids?

I’m going to say that the most important thing to do is try and think of things you loved to do as a child. It’s funny because this age we live in is all about buying the latest ‘this’ or ‘that’. There are a lot of social pressures to deal with but I tend to ignore that and just keep things simple. We plan what we will need – weather pending. We always bring lots of snacks and water.

And we try to make the experience as relaxed as possible. It’s not about trying to show them everything or rush around. It’s about visiting somewhere and trying to show them something new, something that they will remember forever. And children will often surprise you with what they are interested in so let them take the lead too!

Why is it important to you to raise your children to love nature?

For me, the answer is simple…because it’s real. We have lost touch with a fundamental part of ourselves because of the constant need for innovation to make our lives more and more convenient. As much as this is such an incredible time to be alive, it is also so deeply important that we don’t forget our connection to this planet.

By reconnecting with nature you are reconnecting with the very ideals that make us human to begin with. This is why I encourage our family to step outside!

For more from Amy Louis,
find her online in the following locations:

Instagram: @agirlwandering
Hub: @treasured.childhood
Website (coming soon): www.agirlwandering.com

For more inspiration behind our favorite Instagram accounts, check out all our Friday Features.