favorite instagram accounts

FRIDAY FAVORITES, FRIDAY FEATURES, PHOTOGRAPHY
Friday Feature: Meg Bethard
- October 11, 2019
Hello Friday! As you know, every other Friday we feature a member of our amazing Instagram community. We’re hoping to bring you a little more information about the person, stories, and inspiration behind all the pretty pictures! Today’s featured photographer is one of my favorites, Meg Bethard @megsausted, mom of three located in the great state of Louisiana. Her photos are so incredibly lovely, fun and full of spirit, and personality. My heart just about bursts every time I see her adorable curly-haired ginger son show up in my feed (and not only because I also have a curly-haired ginger son!), but because her images are pure joy. Here’s a little more about Meg and her feed, in her own words.

Favorite place to photograph your kids?

My dad is a farmer and so I love going down to the farm with the open fields, old fences & buildings, and beautiful sunsets! That has to be my favorite place to capture images of the kids.

Favorite outdoor activity to do with your children?

Jump hay bales! The kids LOVE it and they make such a fun little playground. Added bonus, it totally wears those jokers out!

List three bucket list destinations you’re dying to see?

Banff, Prague (&/or all of Europe:), Maldives

Any upcoming travel adventures planned for this year that you’re excited about?

Yes! Next week we’re heading up to Michigan to adventure with Bri Viglianco (@briviglianco). I could not be more excited to see her and all the beautiful fall colors!

How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

I have watched tons of editing videos and have done a lot of online workshops. My favorite courses I have taken have been from Courtney Bowles (because she’s the best), Meg Loeks (seriously, what can’t she do?), Susan Grimes (get real with her amazingness) & Megann Robinson (whom I adore and I would say she absolutely changed my editing process forever).

The biggest challenge to getting outdoors with your kids or something you struggle with?

We live in Louisiana so it has been in the upper 90s and 100s for the past seeeeeveral weeks (or months). Right now, that’s definitely the hardest thing for us!

For more from Meg Bethard,
find her online in the following locations:

Instagram: @megsausted
Website: http://www.mamaslovephotography.com

For more inspiration behind our favorite Instagram accounts, check out all our Friday Features.
FRIDAY FEATURES, PHOTOGRAPHY
Friday Feature: Brynja Sigurdardottir
- September 13, 2019
Happy Friday! Time for another Friday Feature, showcasing a beloved member of our Instagram community. Today, we’re featuring the amazing Brynja Sigurdardottir (@alwaysfourlove), mother of four in Colorado. Brynja’s feed is filled with the dreamiest photos of her children interacting with nature and each other. You can immediately tell from her feed how strong the bond in this family is and how much fun they have and love they share. I love that she refers to her kids as “kind and incredible souls.” Her photos show simple intimate moments with such beautiful tones and textures. Here are a few of our favorite images from her feed (although it was impossible to choose) and a bit more about Brynja in her own words.

How would you describe your Instagram feed and style of photography?

I would describe my photography style and Instagram feed both as full of love. I like to keep my feed positive and loving because that’s just what our family is all about. My images show my kids in their most genuine and authentic way, with love and respect.

What is your favorite quote?

I have a lot of favorite quotes, but I truly love this one “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” by Wayne Dyer. It’s a reminder to think positive and know that a grateful heart is a magnet for miracles.

What is your favorite outdoor memory from your childhood?

I grew up in Iceland and my favorite outdoor memory is making ” food” with whatever we found in nature and playing with my friends in the yard. We didn’t need much to keep us entertained. Plus, we didn’t get very warm summers, so we took full advantage and played outside from dusk till dawn.

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

It’s so important for me to have my kids out in nature as much as possible because we are one with nature. Nature is healing for the body and spirit. I also like them to experience any weather, not just what we consider “good” weather. Being outside in nature in any weather is good for the soul.

Any upcoming trips you’re excited about?

We are planning on going to Iceland either this year or next. I’m really excited for my children to finally see my home country and experience the beautiful nature there. And to drink the fresh Iceland water! I plan on taking lots of pictures and I can’t wait to share them!

What’s in your camera bag?

Currently, I shoot with Nikon D810, I use a 50mm, 85 mm and a 105 mm. Next, I would love to get 35 mm lens. I use my 50 mm the most since it’s lightweight and easy to carry around on our adventures.

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

Instagram: @alwaysfourlove

For more inspiration behind our favorite Instagram accounts, check out all our Friday Features.
FRIDAY FEATURES, PHOTOGRAPHY
Friday Feature: Amy Louise
- August 16, 2019
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.