Attention everyone! This is a friendly reminder that Valentine’s Day is February 14th. You might be saying to yourself, “That can’t be possible. January just started a week or two ago.” Well you’re right. It did. And in just a few short weeks it will be February. We don’t suggest you wait that long to start thinking about creating a thoughtful gift for that someone special in your life. The closer February 14th gets, the higher the stress level becomes. But with a little planning and some helpful Valentine photoshoot ideas, the perfect gift is close at hand.

Flowers and something sweet are the simplest Valentine’s gifts. However, making something personalized yourself can be the best Valentine’s Day gift. We’ve put together a few photo gift ideas for Valentine’s Day to make the holiday as stress-free as possible. Including flowers and something sweet only increases the odds of Valentine’s Day success. 

Valentine’s Day Family Photo Ideas 

Valentine’s Day could arguably be one of the larger contributing factors to families in general. All you November birthday people might want to think about that for a second. It’s important to note, Valentine’s Day is not just for couples. It’s a special holiday wherein the sole focus is love. Love between parents, partners, their kids, and other family members. Love is the “glue” that keeps families together. 

Newborns create an entirely new element to a family. They experience “firsts” on an almost daily basis. Here are a few baby’s first Valentine’s Day photo ideas to help celebrate them. The easiest Valentine’s shoot ideas can be achieved with just a few props. Posing a baby with building blocks spelling LOVE or with hearts on them make for cute Valentine’s Day pictures. Buy some simple craft store letters L, V, and E. Lay them on the floor and put your swaddled little one between the L and the V. Another popular idea includes mom applying some extra lipstick and planting some kisses. 

Children old enough to take a little direction can also get in on a Valentine’s Day photo or two. Pose kids making heart shapes with their hands. If your kids have longer hair, create heart shapes with it. Get crafty and make some simple props. If you have a family pet, nothing brings kids together like their dog can.    

It should also be noted, Valentine’s Day can be celebrated by couples who’ve been together for any length of time. Just because your kids are celebrating Valentine’s Day with their kids doesn’t mean the grandparents shouldn’t also. The benefit of being in a relationship for so long is there are most likely volumes of special photos to look back on. Grandparents could create a photo book to give as a gift to highlight the important things that make relationships and love last over time.  

Shoot Some Great Valentine Photography. Then, Do Something With Them. 

Photographs alone are simple enough to see and share. However, printing them in a professionally produced photo book makes them special. Motif has many Valentine’s Day surprise ideas to help you create something special for the special people in your life.

If you have the time to try any of the Valentine photography listed above, your best results can be the focus of your photo book. But first, scroll through your own photos looking for some memorable moments. Favorite the ones you love that show your feelings for them. Whichever way you choose, the Motif app makes it easy to create amazing gifts for Valentine’s Day. Motif magically flows your best images into a book, calendar, or card. The app has all the tools to personalize your special gift. Enjoy professionally designed themes and patterns with unlimited colors to choose from. Say exactly what’s in your heart. The most thoughtful gifts are the ones you make. 

The post Valentine Photo Shoot Ideas for Couples appeared first on The Motif Blog.

As we bid farewell to 2020 and charge into the new year, resolutions are still relatively fresh. They’re a statement, a promise we make to ourselves to do it better in the coming year. It’s a tradition that can be traced back 4,000 years ago to ancient Babylon. Resolutions are made with the best intentions. 

Sadly, with tracking New Year’s resolutions, the running joke is often how quickly they’re broken. Resolutions are made to bring about new habits like eating healthier, exercising more with hopes of shedding a pound or two, or numerous other personal improvements. Resolutions should and can be taken more seriously. Photographing your progress might just be the key to resolutions kept. 

Remove the comedy associated with New Year’s resolutions and let photography become your New Year’s resolution tracker. In this article, you’ll learn more about how to keep track of New Year’s resolutions.  

How to Stay on Track With New Year’s Resolutions 

The start of a new year often moves many to reflect on the previous year. Taking stock in what they achieved, then looking to improve in the coming year. Resolutions are great exercises in preventing stagnation. It’s so easy to fall into routines which lead to wavering interest in hobbies or interests. Photography, for example, can suffer from a failure to grow or expand. New Year’s resolutions for photographers can bring about amazing self transformation. 

The obvious challenge with any resolution is to keep from slipping back into old habits. Documenting your progress creates an added level of resolution insurance. A visual record of your progress becomes part of the excitement to reaching the goal of your resolution. Some employ a diary style record, others a New Year’s resolution tracker app.   

Online New Year’s Resolution Tracker 

Technology has made resolution keeping easier than ever. From New Year’s resolution tracker apps, New Year’s resolutions tracker templates, to a weight loss progress photo app. Apps are available to help better organize your life, your finances, learn new languages, eat healthier, relieve stress through meditation, get healthier by quitting smoking and/or drinking. The self-improvement possibilities through apps are endless. 

Tracking New Year’s Resolutions With Photos

Unless you’re a spreadsheet enthusiast and get excited about New Year’s resolution trackers in Excel form, photography provides the best visual proof of resolution progress. There’s nothing quite like seeing a transformation from one image to the next. Creating a flipbook with your photos can be a fun and rewarding reminder of your resolution achievements. 

One of the more common New Year’s resolutions is weight loss. There may be no greater resolution to capture with weight loss progress photos. In addition to experiencing a change in the fit of your clothing and energy level changes, the visual transformation of the body is a must to document. When taking photos, keep your outfit and the location the same in each photo to keep the focus on your body’s transformation. Create a weight loss photo diary as an encouraging reminder. If you could do it once, and you have visual proof, it can most certainly be achieved again. Make a New Year’s resolution tracker that’s printable. It’s always close at hand to pick up, revisit, and share. 

Create a New Year’s Resolution Tracker Log in Print

Maintaining a resolution all the way to goal achievement is really what it’s all about. Enjoy the resulting change and also your perseverance. Simply knowing you can change your life for the better can truly be rewarding. With the photos to prove your transformation, it’s important to document the changes. Motif makes it easy to create a stylish record of your achievement. It’s free to download to your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It magically flows your best images into book format, then lets you have fun customizing it to reflect your own personal flare. Document every resolution to never forget you’re capable of anything you set your mind to.  

The post Tracking New Year’s Resolutions Progress With Photography appeared first on The Motif Blog.