Guest Writer: Macy Robison | The Red Headed Hostess

I am so excited about our guest writer today!


Her name is Macy Robison.

She is a mom, a photographer, a blogger and a performer!

Some of you may have heard her at Time Out of Women or read some of her posts on their blog.

Like this one, or this one.

Macy grew up in Orem, Utah

where she began performing in singing groups and in community theater. Her passion for music and performing continued through college as she majored in Music Dance Theater Performance at Brigham Young University and toured Russia with the BYU Young Ambassadors. Macy went on to earn her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education at Utah State University and The Ohio State University. After a 13-year teaching career spanning three different states teaching choir and music to preschoolers through middle schoolers, she is thrilled to spend her days singing for her kids.  Macy is also the owner of Macy Robison Photography – her portrait photography business focusing on families and children.

 

Macy is currently a presenter with Deseret Book’s Time Out for Women tour,

performing for women around the United States and Canada in 2011 and will be performing again in 2012. Macy’s solo album, “Children Will Listen,” was released by Shadow Mountain Records in January 2011, and is available at Deseret Book.com and on iTunes.

Macy is a mother

of two and stepmother of two and currently lives in Austin, Texas with her shiny-armored knight of a husband, Neal.  To learn more about Macy’s performance schedule and photography, please visit macyrobison.com.

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A Thousand Words

I remember the first time I heard the expression, “a picture is worth a thousand words”

and thinking that it wasn’t really true. How could a picture possibly mean as much as the words in a story? For me, photos were just a record of what a person looked like. Don’t get me wrong – I loved taking them, scrapbooking and having them, but only as a way to capture what my siblings and I looked like as we grew up. Photos could enhance words and enhance stories, but certainly not enough to be worth a thousand precious words.

When I started taking photos,

it was as a way to capture what my son looked like as a baby. I wanted to hold on to those moments and capture what he looked like and what he was interested in and how he filled his days. And suddenly, the photos I was taking started to tell stories. They were worth more words to me. Personality was coming through, and that meant something to my story-loving heart.

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As I started taking photos for other people,

I was finding that the photos I loved taking and delivering to clients were the ones that not only captured what my clients looked like, but the ones that captured their personalities and relationships with each other. To my clients, some of those pictures were worth at least a thousand words. At first, I was pleasantly surprised when I found those photos in a session that really captured a relationship. And then, I set out to create and capture it on purpose – I’d found a way that I could create stories that meant something through photography.

Sanderson Family 4

Then,

several years after my mom died, I was looking through family photos and came to the awful realization that though I had lots of pictures of my mom, I couldn’t find any of the two of us together. It took me a while, but I finally came up with this one:

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It’s a random snapshot from a trip to Atlantic City to see the Miss America Pageant together.

And I’m so glad I have this photo, but it’s only one of two that I have from the 26 years we were together on the planet. And while I’m so very grateful to have a record of what we looked like then, I was disappointed since I knew from my experiences as a photographer that I could have had more. I could have had photos that reflected her personality and how we felt about each other.

I resolved that it would be different for my children and I.

I would capture our relationship as they continued to grow. I would hand the camera to other people and be in the photos –snapshots and professionally taken portraits – so that they would have a visual record of much I love them and how I feel about them.

I’m sad to report,

that like most of my resolutions, I haven’t done as well with this as I would have liked. I have tons of photos of my kids, but I am not in many of the photos that sit on my hard drive. But I am in a couple that I truly love:

Me with G-Man</a

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Do I love the way I look in these photos?

Not if I sit and examine it and pick myself apart. So, I don’t do that. Instead, I focus on the glimpse of relationship I see between my kids and myself. How much I love to play and laugh with my son. How my infant daughter is looking right back at me. Priceless. Worth a million words.

The challenge?

Let’s get on the other side of the camera. Let’s get over our insecurities and capture the relationships that mean so much to us. I promise you that if you make the time and create the photos, those you love will treasure those photos and thank you for it someday. Those photos will be worth more to them than words can ever measure.

120 comments

  1. I love the idea of getting on the other side of the camera! I have to admit, I am not very good at having my picture taken but I can see how extremely important it is. I was going through photos of my children lately and I am sad to admit that there were only a few that captured me in them. I know that my children will be sad when I pass on that there are not many pictures of me. Thanks for the great advice!

    Carol

  2. Macy, I just read the full blog post from you, and I am so with you. I feel the same way about photography and about photos of my children & I am the same way with not having many photos of us, but wanting to change that. Thank you for the reminder today and the renewed commitment that it brings to me!

  3. Reading “A Thousand Words” actually made me sad. For I myself, cannot remember a picture of myself and my mother, who has now passed away. I’ve never been one that enjoys having my picture taken. After reading this, I can see now, that I need to make the effort to have my picture taken. It’s ironic, though, that I did go to TOFW this past weekend in Idaho Falls and was privileged to see Macy Robison, in person…..and, I actually had someone take a picture of myself with my two daughters, a rare picture indeed. I love taking picture and have a camera with me 24-7 and after reading her story, you can be assured that I will be found in more pictures. Thanks!

  4. I sometimes feel stupid when I ask (no wait I TELL) my husband to take a picture of me doing something with one of my children but I always say, “I want them to know they had a mother!!” =) This article was a great reminder that we NEED to get on the other side of the camera and let those every day moments be captured forever!!

  5. Great blog! Will have to return again!! I too take TONS of photos but am not in many of them. Thanks for the push to get on the other side!!

  6. Thank you for all the kind comments! I appreciate those of you that have liked my page and have checked out the blog, and I really appreciate those of you resolving to get yourselves on the other side of the camera and in the picture!

    And Marsha – I’m so glad you were in Idaho Falls AND got a picture with your daughters! That is great!

  7. Macy, I too do not like the other side of the camera, whether it is my double chin or a little extra weight, and I should not feel this way because I am a daughter of God and he loves me for who I am.
    Pictures are worth a thousand words and they hold so many memories. My father was the scrapbooker before it was the thing to do. His photo albums were well documented with the descriptions of each photo and the scrapbooks although simple were filled with the mementos of our lives and his written recollection of them. Priceless and treasured.

  8. Macy I enjoyed looking through your blog and have even bookmarked it. Two of your posts that caught my attention were: “The Wishing Flowers”, will need to remember to share with my grandchildren and “Faith in God’s Timing” one aspect that each one of us will struggle with at least once in our lives.

  9. I just had a baby a few months ago and I am still working on loosing my “baby weight”. Most the the time I feel very insecure to be on the other side of te camera. This blog has made me reflect on how much I cherish my pictures with my mother, the good and the bad. Whether she was skinny or not. I don’t look at her and judge her, I look at her and think of the good memories we were having. Thank you so much for posting this!

  10. I totally have to re-think my dislike of photos of me! Some things are more important. I do feel sad about missing the opportunity to be in photos or take photos of important or memorable moments.

  11. I went to her blog and looked around.
    And just FYI, the link you put just takes us to her “Monday Monday” post. It doesn’t take you to her blog in “general” and some people might not know how to look at more posts. 🙂

  12. I ♥ ♥ ♥ what she said about getting out from behind the camera. So often I think that I don’t need to be in a picture b/c I’m too overweight right now or my hair doesn’t look good. Then I have to remind myself…WHO CARES? It’s much more important that my daughter have pictures of us together to look back on in years to come. She loves me and won’t care if I’m not having a good hair day. Thanks for the reminder to include myself in pictures of my life.

  13. I love how you shared your resolution to be in more pictures. I should do the same! I have many of family she friends, but not as many with me.

  14. Read what Macy wrote about pictures being worth 1000 words – AMAZING!
    I quickly realized that I too need to get over myslef and my insecurities about how I look and get on the other side of the camera! I think about all the picutes sitting all organized into neat folders, and probably more than 90% of them I am not in! I too love to capture the day to days of my son but don’t capture what’s MOST important to me and our Father in Heaven, the relationship between us! Thanks Macy for opening my eyes!

  15. Thanks! I need to work less on needing everything to look perfect and more on showing relationships in my photos! Plus I’m like you and usually behind the camera and not in so many pictures myself…good resolution!

  16. Paroozed around Macy’s blog! So cute! I love her pictures (especially the temple one!) This woman amazes me… FB, Twitter, TOFW, a blog, photography AND raises a family – how does she do it all!!! lol

  17. Difficult considerations for those of us who hate being in the photos! Wow, I will have to think hard about this. I am headed out to my eldest daughter’s college graduation next month and I have been thinking of how to get OUT of being in the photos! I have had a huge issue with being in pictures before I even gained weight, what a good slap in the face this article is! Thank you for sharing these important thoughts.

  18. I LOVE Macy’s work! It’s cool to read about her start of photography… Macy is SO TALENTED and AMAZING!!

  19. I loved it! I especially loved the part about how you view yourself in photos, as I have always HATED myself in photos! The wisdom you gave about focusing on the relationships and not the “me” person was awesome! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! P.S. You are BEAUTIFUL!

  20. I have LIKED Macy on FACEBOOK and checked out her blog! I LOVE how bright and colorful all the photo’s are… they truly look like they come from magazines. I wish I could shadow Macy and learn from her with photography… LOVE her!! 🙂

  21. I love taking pictures too. We moved to Southern Alberta in 2010 from Buffalo NY, where my family still lives. Photography has helped me to adjust to my new home and community. I was given a digital camera on my birthday last year and ever since I’ve taken it every where I go and boy have I gone places and see some beautiful things—funny thing is that most of the places that I’ve been are just around the community that I live….what I have learned is, there is beauty no matter where you are and home isn’t necessarily a destination or location but a place in your heart.

    Thank you for the great idea of getting pictures of myself as I take tons of pictures of other people, events and places—I guess I better get in the picture too–so others can remember me as well as I remember them

  22. I loved this article. I am the one always taking the pictures and hate my picture taken because i am always picking myself apart. But from now on i am absolutely going to include myself in the pictures with my girls and grandchildren. Thank you for sharing this.

  23. Macy you shamed me! I am forever taking photos of my husband, my kids, my husband playing with my kids – you get the idea. I however am in VERY FEW shots. I know this. I knew it before I read your post. But now you’ve made me think – will my kids have the same problem as you – no pictures of them with their mum? I resolve to be better, thank you!

  24. I love her photos. Her article was so good. I like how she captures personalities and tells a story with her photos. Put yourself in photos and don’t pick how you look apart but just enjoy the occasions.

  25. What a perfect time for me to read that article. THank you Macy. My husband always steals the camera from me and forces me to be on the other side. My grandma is a photographer so I have spent plenty of time in front of a camera, and I prefer to follow in her footsteps and be taking the photos, but you are so right and I appreciate the reminder. thanks!

  26. That picture of you and your mom IS worth a thousand words – but two words in particular come to mind – Main Street. As in, “Amanda Jo, what do you think of the Main Street plaza issue in downtown SLC?” And her unforgettable response, “I think all special needs kids should be main streamed.” Macy, if your mom had not taken you to the Miss America pageant would you have been a judge at the Miss Northern Utah pageant? And would I, by some crazy twist of fate, have become a fellow judge at that same pageant – – listening to Amanda Jo give that response? I still laugh when I think of that evening – – Miss you Macy, wish we could do a good old fashion Sunday evening sing-a-long at your place sometime. No photos of those wonderful evenings, but I can certainly still picture them in my mind. Sweet memories.

  27. Macy is a dear friend of mine and a great inspiration. I’ve seen “Children Will Listen” several times and always come away uplifted. I love her photography too! Just wish she was back East! 🙂

  28. I loved this article! What a great reminder to me that all those pictures of myself that I hate are evidences of love and memories to others. I should get more pictures of myself interacting with my children. And definitely get a recent one of me and my mom. Enjoyed poking around your blog, Macy. So talented. Thanks for sharing those talents.

  29. Beautiful article – it is so tempting as mothers to hide from the lens when we aren’t thrilled with our current look. But I try to remember it’s what my kids look at every day and they love me, and they want pictures with me too! And sometimes they even look all right 🙂 Thanks for the reminder.

  30. Thank you Macy–well sort of, it put me on a guilt trip. I don’t like my picture taken and not very good at taken pictures. You have made me realize I need to learn how to use the camera and start using it, plus get in front of the camera with my kids and grandchildren. Thank you!

  31. I enjoyed your blog…and when i read that you were at time-out for women in IF…i was sad i missed it….actually I’ve never been to one! Several friends went and said how wonderful it was…I’m going next time!!!

  32. I really enjoyed your blog…and when i read that you were at time-out for women in IF…i was sad i missed it….actually I’ve never been to one! Several friends went and said how wonderful it was…I’m going next time!!!

  33. So now I know why my kids take pictures of
    me and my grandkids in secret – I refuse to
    be in the shots – and they tell me I’m missing
    “heart moment” pictures. Thank to Macy for
    opening my eyes as to what is really important –
    and, did you know – you’re beautiful in my eyes!
    This was an ‘aha’ moment for me – I don’t care
    about winning something – I just did with this
    message! Thank you so much!

  34. Thanks for the reminder that pictures are for our children and not just us! I need to forget about how I feel like I look in pics and just get in tehm with my kids and grand kids!

  35. I love that moment when you capture a relationships. I have a series of pictures with my brother because they transition from posed to completely natural, like a little glimpse of what my relationship is like as one of my best friend! It makes those memories so much more vivid! Thank you!

  36. I have felt the same insecurities about myself in photos. I truly appreciate the message you have given about giving my children some memories of me, their Mom. I have the same situation with my mother. I can’t think of any pictures that I have with just just the two of us in them. I still have the chance with my mother (and my children). So, thank you for helping me to recognize a specific issue from which I can make a resolution for 2012 – to make some memories with my Mom!!!

  37. I read the article and felt like I was reading about myself. I don’t like what I see in photos and so I don’t take a lot of pictures of me with my children. They will be sad when they don’t get to have those memories as they are older. What a great reminder. Thanks. I’m going to get better about this!

  38. OH – I needed this article. I hate having my picture taken – but I need to do it for my boys’ sakes. Thank you for the reminder.

    Thanks so much.

  39. I have gander -ed over to Macy’s blog and …have been doing this already! I’m a big fan and can’t wait to meet up at TOFW sometime! Thanks. You have a great eye for photography!

  40. And Shannon! Congratulations on the birth of your little one! What was the name you settled on? I feel like we are family! I remember being one of the first people to comment on your blog only a year or so ago…before you became famous. Now everywhere I go people are talking about you! Great job!

  41. I took a look at her blog – the pictures of the temples are gorgeous…I was looking for Manti since that is my temple…but couldn’t find a picture….hopefully it will be there in the future.

    Thanks.

  42. I have been taking a bunch of pictures of my new son, and I didn’t even think about it being important that I be in more of them so he can remember me, and so that I can remember me and him during this (and every) stage of his life. Thanks for the insight!

  43. I really appreciate this article especially the pictures of Macy with her two children – just beautiful – and yes, they do speak a thousand words! My mother loves taking pictures and journaling on the back. They are priceless. But she does not like her picture taken because she thinks she always looks so bad, which she doesn’t. I am going to have her read this and hopefully she will feel differently about having her picture taken with her loved one. She is 85 and any picture will be a treasure! Thank you Macy.

  44. Macy,
    I’ve never forgotten when you came to take our family pictures, and you had me sit individually with each one of the kids. “Every kids should have a picture with her mom,” you said. I have since taken a few (very amateur) pictures for other people, and remember to include the offer to have a picture just with mom. I appreciate that moment to learn that life takes loved ones away and we don’t plan for it.
    You’re amazing.

  45. I love this post. This is something I try to work on. I half jokingly say to my husband that sometimes our kids are going to look back at pictures and not remember that they had a mom. This is one reason why I am so thankful for the pictures that Macy has taken of our family, she has done such a good job of capturing the relationship and I cherish that. I hope Macy, that you are able to find that magic photographer to do that for you, because you have done that for so many of us. Thank you!

  46. Thanks for this article. It’s always a good reminder to get Mom in the pictures, too. I need to do better at that!

  47. Thank you for sharing! I never want to be in pictures with my kids, because I don’t like the way I look. BUT it really doesn’t matter. They love me, and I absolutely LOVE my kids and I want them to remember the good times we had TOGETHER!!!

  48. I checked out Macy’s blog. And this is totally random, but Macy – I met you once a long time ago at a summer leadership camp. In high school. PALS. I’m a redhead, too. Nice to see you, again!

  49. I learned that I have to KEEP taking photos of my children, even they are teenagers, (and our missionary son when he comes home!) so that they will continue to remember the great family they had and to pass on these to their families, but I have to remember to document who is in them! I wish I had photos of my ancestors to pass on to my children! And also, even though I don’t photograph well, that I have to be on the other side of the camera sometimes too.

  50. I also lost my mom. I would give anything to have had a good picture of us both by someone like Macy. The picture of her little boy in his suit is adorable.

  51. I love how looking back at old pictures can take you to the memories you thought you had forgotten..Special ones you can almost transfer yourself bsck to that time and place Thanks

  52. Thanks for that! I resolve to have someone take a picture of my mom and me, the next time we are together. Even if it is taken by my eldest son.

    I love the picture of you buttoning up your son’s suit. Very sweet!

    Hmmm – A new way of taking photos – trying to capture relationships. I love it!

  53. Checked out Macy’s blog….will have to go back again, and again. Never been to TOFW, but I hope to go someday.

  54. I loved the article. I need to be better at getting in the photos. I recognize the importance of making memories, but I need to be better at documenting those moments when I am the one in them. Good reminder of how essential that is in the long run.

  55. Great article that made me think about a few things! Thanks for talking about (not always) loving the way you look — I’ve shied away from being in pictures for most of my life, but I’ve thought about it and realize that I am the person I am in the lives of all of my loved ones and they deserve to have my images to remember me and our great times by! Thank you, Macy! You’re awesome!

  56. How incredibly true. I’m grateful that I was the one behind the camera for many photos of my late husband and our kids, but in trying to locate photos of me with any of them, they are few and far between. I don’t care for the way I look right now, and for the last *cough grumble cough* years, so I rarely get on the “other” side of the camera. But I am trying to do better, and I do encourage others, as you have, because you just never know.

    I love your choice to “focus on the glimpse of relationship I see between my kids and myself. ” I’ll have to remember that!

  57. Macy, Thank you so much for your article! I am camera shy (I hate how I look in pictures), so I avoid being in them. I am always the picture taker. I realize that, now that my children are grown, I am in very, very few pictures. I am going to be a first time grandma this summer, however, and I am determined to be in pictures with him, no matter how much I hate me in the picture. I do want that grandma/grandson relationship to be documented. Thank you so much for the insight.

  58. I went to Macy’s blog and website. Thought I left a comment here, but don’t see it. Love her perspecitve on photography and her many talents. Hope she is with the crew that comes to Denver for TOFW!!

  59. I am the same way with photos always the taker not in them very offten. Or taken with my hubby and I very often. I need to get better at that as well

  60. Love the article! Macy, you are so gifted and beautiful, and I love that you’ve decided to prove your presence by being in the photos. And you look wonderful in them–so happy!

    What a great reminder that times spent together are too easily forgotten. Thank you!

  61. You really made me think about getting on the other side of the camera! I try to do it occasionally, but it’s not easy. I’m always snapping pictures of one of the kids (or both together) but recently I was thinking about that I needed some withe me AND them! Thank you so much for your thoughts!
    I love your work too!

  62. I loved Macy’s article! I really could relate to what she is saying. My husband and I have a little boy and I am currently pregnant with our second and it seems like I am always thinking that I don’t have enough pictures of my little boy with me in the picture. I am always taking pictures of my husband and little boy together because it’s so easy to be behind the camera but this article made me really realize that I need to take the time and have pictures taken of myself too (with my little boy of course) no matter what I look like since I am quickly growing. Ha!

  63. Im 12 and last week we had a princess academy @ my YW night.
    Macy Robinson we their sang and gave a WONDERFUL talk/story.
    I wish we recorded it. Thank you Sister Robinson for your inspiration!!!

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