Look At The Background...

I teach all my kids to draw what they would see "behind" a picture.  They may draw a plane or a tree, but I always encourage them to create a scene.  Soon, a new world unfolds as the children delve deeper into their imaginations.  Squirrels, balloons, clouds, and cranes fill the void in the landscape.

Scrapbooking is an extremely popular hobby, and I enjoy partaking if I can find the time.  I haven't touched my poor books in a few years, but I have several started.  There are so many beautiful and creative ways people display their photos. 

Photos that tell a story of their family.

Cropping photos is sometimes a necessity, but I love to see what lies in the background.  You may catch a glimpse of Great Grandpa taking a snooze on Christmas or a cousin being silly.  Life is happening in the distance, not posed in front of the Kodak.  Pictures that have "layers" are rich and beautiful, telling a whole story, not just the main idea.

I seldom crop my photos for this very reason. 

So in honor of embracing the whole picture and for all the people who "fill" the backgrounds, I have included a few of my favorite family poses.  Look into the background and see if you can understand why...

What does the background tell you?