interview with owner of clickin moms :: feature

Ten days after our first child was born, my husband deployed to Iraq, and I purchased a camera in order to capture for him the many moments he was missing. What started as a hobby that helped me survive that difficult year became a wonderfully consuming outlet for creative expression as well as a gift for my family in that I’ve set out to create a visual history of our lives.

The photography industry in the midst of an evolution. Photography gear and education have both become much more accessible  in recent years, and portraiture seems to be transitioning away from traditional studio and towards emotionally infused natural light lifestyle sessions. Women are at the forefront of these changes, bringing, in many cases, a unique sensitivity and extraordinary perspective on beauty … and they are sharing this passion with their friends, family members, and across social media. Beautiful captures of every day life now fill our news feeds; it seems that these days, we all know someone with a really great camera, and mothers —  who know all too well how quickly their little ones grow and change — are recognizing that photography is a wonderful tool for capturing all of the little details of daily life.

Clickin Moms is an extraordinary resource and online sanctuary for women who love photography: an unusually warm and supportive environment where women share their knowledge kindly and generously, a collection of nearly 4 million posts by women of all skill levels, hobbyists, professionals, and citizens from across the globe.

I suppose we always make the time to do the things that are most important to us, and documenting all of those moments and milestones is a priority for me. Because I have four small children, photography also ends up being time that I can spend with them while having a little intellectual and artistic “me” time behind the lens; as moms, I think it’s critical that we set aside a little time each day to do something the fills our hearts and feeds our souls.

Slow down and enjoy practicing and learning. Don’t compare yourself to others. Being a photographer is not about whether you own a business or whether your pictures look just like your friend’s or those of the photographer she hired to take her family photos. Let your camera be an outlet for creative expression and a tool for capturing the nuances of your life. Everyone’s path as an artist is a little bit different, and you have plenty of time to figure out where your personal journey is going to lead.

Coming up…How to on Birth photography!!

CEO of Clickin Moms, Sarah Wilkerson