Sunday, December 02, 2007

Photography Tip: inspired by a walk down eBay Lane

I was on eBay a couple of weeks ago and I saw this.

My heart leapt with childhood delight at the memories of playing with this lovely toy. Oh, the pure pleasure of putting a car into an elevator, turning a crank and listening for the clanging of the little bell as the car reached the top and was released down the slide. I remember wondering why my parents never brought us to a parking garage. I wanted to be in a car that rode in elevators and went down slides.

I put this toy on my eBay watch list. As I watched it get bid over $180 dollars I realized that there are many other people (28 year old parents I presume) who share similar memories. It also reminded me of this post that I read on a blog about a year ago.

Here's the idea, it's easy to take pictures of our kids, but sometimes memories aren't only in our kids faces. Try taking pictures of the things that represent our kids in the stage that they are in right now. Like the Fisher-Price Action Garage, memories can be caught up in the things that our kids play with and tools that they use. Have you ever looked through old pictures with your siblings. Sometimes it's the clothes, toys, furniture and other details that bring the most comments.

I took about 5 minutes and shot some pictures of things that represent our life right now.

These are Win's shoes. He LOVES his shoes. I think he loves them so much because they mean that he gets to go outside or in the car.


This sight is very much a part of my life right now.


This little stool was painted by a friend of Jared's family before Win was born. The racing bear is in honor of Win's first marathon which he completed 4 months before he was born (shameless bragging here). I wanted to take a picture of this stool, but more importantly I wanted to take a picture of the scratches on top. Nearly every day Win turns this stool upside down and "drives" it around the house. It's a part of his life that I don't want to forget.


5 Comments:

Blogger val said...

that's a great idea. thanks, rachel.

2:17 PM  
Blogger jess said...

ohhhhh, it breaks my heart to see that action garage!

9:36 PM  
Blogger Jan said...

Love the pictures, great idea.

10:15 PM  
Blogger Postmaster Steve said...

*GASP!* THE ACTION GARAGE!! I had that toy as well. I'll never forget the sound of that little bell, either.
I wish my mom had decided to hang on to a few of my childhood toys, or at least a few more photos of me with them - as you suggested. A few years ago I actually sought out a favorite toy from my infancy because of it's sound: the Fisher Price Happy Apple, a bottom-weighted 'bobble' toy with xylophone chimes inside. It makes such sweet sounds, I had to find one at a second-hand store. Perhaps it was my Happy Apple... ?

1:56 PM  
Blogger Rachel Henderson said...

Steve,

I too had that Happy Apple. Such a great toy!

I have a new plan. I'm going to buy the 5 most popular toys for each year, save them in their boxes for 25 years, and then sell them on eBay. Nostalgic parents around the globe will be paying me big bucks for 25 years old toys. What do you think?

3:30 PM  

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