When my son was very small, I wasn’t a great photographer. You could say that capturing fireworks in a photo was on my bucket list. Though I don’t have awe inspiring photos of our Fourth of July celebrations from those early days, I did manage to capture some shots that might be even more important.
First Big Fireworks by Christy Strickler |Supplies Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper: Pebbles; Letters: American Crafts, My Mind’s Eye; Sequins, Plastic Ribbon: Jenni Bowlin; Supplies from the JBS Mercantile July Kits
One year, we decided to go to Sea World for their Fourth of July Celebration. I snapped a few shots of my husband and son prior to the event. I also managed to capture my son’s face once the display had started. I did take a few shots of the fireworks, but none of them turned out. At the time, I was very disappointed. Now that I look back on these photos, I realize that those before and after shots were far more important than the fireworks. Being in the moment with my husband and son had allowed me to capture another first time event.
To document this first time event, I chose one before photo and one after shot. I stuck with a simple grid foundation. To add interest, I made the blocks of patterned paper slightly larger than the photos.I added some sequins to further enhance the subtle diagonal flow.
What are some firsts that you can document? Look for photos that show the before and after. In some cases, such as my layout, very little journaling may be needed. Sometimes the photos speak for themselves.