ON THE COVER (page 45): For his senior session, Noah Ruzanka wanted to showcase his personality through a unique skill not many have seen or share. He lake surfs. “For this photo, we went out to the lake and I photographed him from the boat,” says Photographer Tammy Howell. “Having him wear the suit added yet another creative element!”
Photographer Tammy Howell likes to capture students such as Gabe Lawrence, pictured here, in photos themed after the activities they enjoy. Photo by Tammy Howell
A PHOTO FINISH Photo by Kerri Richardson-Cheng
By Malia Jacobson
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arenthood’s days are long, but its years are short. These days, both seem shorter than ever. Today’s families juggle so much that weeks — even years — can slip past in a blur of playdates, soccer games, and school events, says Family Coach Susan Smith Kuczmarski, author of Becoming a Happy Family. With our brains in a near-constant state of information overload, sweet moments you want to remember — kids running down the stairs on Christmas morning, a child’s pride after a stellar piano recital — can quickly become buried in a landslide of emails, updates, and social media posts. We can’t stop time, of course. But modern parents can be intentional about creating and preserving family memories, not only for themselves, but for their children, even future grandchildren. Make capturing memories part of your everyday routine, and your future self will thank you.
When Mallory Cheng (5) was a toddler, her aggressive way of eating became a source of amusement for her parents, Kerri and Eric. “We thought it was just a phase, but when it continued on, we decided to start documenting it,” Kerri says. Knowing that relatives are often inundated with family photos, the Chengs opted to create a “Mallory Eats” calendar, which highlights the best (and funniest) photos each year. “At first we just did it for family, but it’s so entertaining that now we are getting requests from others!” Photo coordination and captions by Bobbe Crouch
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July 2019 / TodaysWomanNow.com
EARLY YEARS 0-5 Photo finish Long-term memory of events and scenes develops later in childhood, around age 7 or beyond, according to researchers from Emory University. While babies are building those brain cells, help build a stockpile of treasured memories — one that won’t get lost in your social media photo feed. To capture the remarkable growth in the early weeks of life, try taking a photo in the same spot each day for a month, then creating a collage or video with your phone’s editing software. Or consider giving your phone camera a break and hiring a pro. Unlike phone photos, professional photographs come to you edited, perfected, and ready to save or share, no additional work required. Since PAGE 56 >>