"I want to be a Clickin' Mom!"

Kathryn continues to offer perspective as an adult with a limb difference. You can read any of her past Living Born Just Right posts. -Jen

Clickin’ Moms is a group of 14,000 women who love their families, photography, and sharing their creativity with each other through an online forum.  My sister Allison has taken a lot of their workshops and her photography (which was already good) has become amazing over the last year.  I love photography so naturally, I was interested in joining this group.  One day, I sent Allison an innocent text in response to something related to Clickin’ Moms that she had shared on Facebook.  I said: “I want to be a Clickin’ Mom.”  I meant it, but I never imagined one little text could lead to what happened next.

Instead of Allison replying with “Yeah, it’s great!” or “I know, I’m sorry,” she sent an inquiry to the Clickin’ Moms universe on my behalf.  She explained that I wanted to be a Clickin’ Mom but wasn’t sure I could handle a DSLR (in my layman’s terms, a “fancy camera”) since I have a limb difference and ALL cameras have the shutter release button on the right side (why must everything be on the right? Really, if you stop and think about it, so much in life is geared toward righties).  Since I am a lefty and the release buttons are on the right, I hold a camera by crossing my left arm across my chest so I can press the button on the right.  That’s fine for lightweight point-and-shoot cameras, but the “fancy cameras” are heavier and have sophisticated dials that I will need to learn to manipulate.

The main reason I want to say “see ya” to my point-and-shoot and get a DSLR is so I can learn to take better pictures of my favorite little guy, my 2 year-old son Zachary.  He has bright blue eyes and a smile that makes the hardest of days disappear.  He is also a very active toddler.  I have a tough time capturing my adorable, on-the-go little boy with my current camera (imagine out of focus, poor lighting, blurry photos), so it will be great to get a camera that can take quality pictures and keep up with someone who has trouble sitting for more than a few minutes!  Asking a toddler to “Please stand still, over here in this optimal lighting, and look natural” is not an option.  A better camera is the solution.

The response to my sister’s inquiry was overwhelming.  She collected six (single-spaced) pages worth of responses from other Clickin’ Moms who had advice about cameras I should look into, tips for holding or handling a DSLR that might make it easier, and a lot of supportive comments from people who didn’t know me but were enthusiastic about helping me.  I cried after I finished reading all of the responses Allison received.  The Sony Nex 7 was recommended by several moms who said it was light but also a very good camera.  I checked it out and I think it will work for me once I get familiar with it.  With any luck, by the beginning of next year I will be joining the Clickin’ Moms community!

The other (and major) result of my innocent little text to my sister was getting introduced to Jen Reeves, Jordan, and the Born Just Right community.  One of the moms who replied to my sister’s inquiry happens to be friends with Jen, and she told Allison about Jen, who then talked to Jen, which got us talking.  Sharing on this blog has been such a wonderful experience and means so much to me, and it all started with an off-the-cuff comment.

To the left and right handed readers of this blog who have a limb difference (or experience with limb differences), I am curious – do you have a DSLR?  If so, what do you have?  Is there anything you have found that helps you handle the camera with a limb difference?   I look forward to any and all comments!

UPDATE: After reading Kathryn’s post, Clickin Moms CEO Sarah Wilkerson gifted Kathryn and I with a year-long account. Get ready for some extra awesome photos in the near future. Thanks so much Sara and Clickin Moms!