Ellen Keith Shaw

Business is political. For a long time I thought politics had no place in my photography business, and now I'm rethinking that logic. I'm not an influencer of any kind, and yet how I show up and share up on social platforms is so incredibly important to me. It's a direct reflection of my life and as a result my business. I've been terrified of saying the wrong thing for so long so I've said very little. I have a whole lot of unlearning to do so from here on out I'm going to w...ork to amplify black voices. This week and moving forward, I'll continue to share what I learn in my stories in the hopes that the resources that I'm finding to unravel the deeply ingrained nature of white supremacy in this country will also be useful for the other white folks sharing this space with me. Thanks to @jessicawilson.msrd and @blackandembodied for spearheading this movement through encouraging people to mute white voices on their feeds for this coming week. Check out their pages for deep wisdom and greater understanding of why this is a time for the white noise to quiet down and for those of us who are white to take a seat, do the work, and take appropriate action. See more

Happy belated Mother’s Day This year I found myself thinking of all of the mama’s, and of the people who want to be mama's and how complex this feeling can be, perhaps in particular on Mother's day. Sending up a lot of love for people who are feeling super stretched thin in this intense time of supporting our babes as well as for the mama’s who feel deep in their bones mothering is what they feel called to do yet it hasn’t yet come to fruition. For those with mothering ten...dencies, whether or not you have babes of your own yet, I am quite sure you are already mothering many people in your lives. Mothering is a broad scope and I do know I am cared for in this way by many womxn in my life and for that support I am incredibly thankful. * Onto week 6 of Making Better Photos--an evolving shelter-in-place guide for making better photos with your people. This week the topic is organizing your photos. Seeing your body of work in one place is hugely beneficial and Lightroom is the tool to make this happen. Seeing your photos span across time can help you see what your strengths are and where you can stand to improve. I also find looking at my work this way is a great motivator to make more photosit is hugely rewarding to spend time with what you make. This is the mixed benefit of the digital age. We are click click clicking, but it's all too easy for what we capture to be buried. Making a practice of cataloguing and tagging your photos gives your efforts at photo making a greater purpose and brings more intention to the practice. Lucky for you, @rhonda.h.y.mason just began another round of her course @unravelyourphotos which is generously free this round. Yep, you read that right. Free. Go get it. The pace is mellow, and you’ll learn all you need to know on this exact topic. Now go forth and Marie Kondo your photo library and bask in the joy of experiencing your photos in a whole new way. * * * * #tuesdaytips #tuesdayphototips #familyphotography101 #shelterinplace #makeart #documentyourdaysproject #documentyourdays #makingphotoswithellen #makingbetterfamilyphotos #makebetterphotos #thesweetlifeunscripted #illuminateclasses #oureverydaymoments #simplemoments

I am heartbroken over the headlines regarding the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. I am impressed that there is a social media explosion despite the fact that Ahmaud's death was late February. You can take action in supporting his family and this fight. Also consider visiting runwithmaud.com to sign the petition to reflect your outrage and to demand action.

"Midwives are like Saints and mothers are so strong they carry life" -- Sean Hayes Today is #internationaldayofthemidwife so I want to raise up and celebrate @welbornbaby. Michelle was at the birth of both of my babes and I will forever hold a special place in my heart for her. Midwifery care is an incredible way to be held in your pregnancy. It is deep and sacred work and I am grateful that I was able to go through the journey with Michelle by my side. Big love to all the midwives out there who do the incredible work of bringing babes earthside in such a gentle and compassionate way. @ San Francisco, California

We are at day 45 of social distancing in our family, and I feel like we’ve finally hit a sort of rhythm. I know from past experience this feeling will come and go, but for today I am feeling gratitude for the deep connection I am feeling with our kids. I also know that I am feeling cumulative exhaustion and that the intensity of parenting nearly constantly is mounting. I’m happy at least that our kids are thriving and loving the time with me and @disposabledesign. I hope you ...all are hanging in there in this crazy time. Welcome to week 5 of how to make better photos with your fam. This week my challenge is for you to get yourself in the frame. Getting mamas in the frame is one of the main reasons I started my photography business. As the primary family documentarian in our family, this is an area of struggle for me, and I imagine it is for most of you too. We are frequently the photo takers and not often represented in our family photos. This goes for anyone who identifies as a parent, auntie, uncle, etc--I believe firmly that our experiences and presence is important to document for our kids. While I also have a lot of love for the portrait, our kids really don’t need a million images of them solo. Let’s mix it up for them and for us! Some of my very favorite images from my childhood are images of my parents from when I was young. I treasure those images. What are your favorite photos from your childhood? So, how do get in the frame beside the dreaded arm jutting off the side of the frame? I’ve been playing around with asking my kids to take photos of me, which has had some entertaining results and is what you are seeing here. I’ve also been experimenting with a simple phone stand and the 10-second timer built into the iPhone. The stand makes taking photos while out and about a lot more doable. Still working on getting one of those that is passable, but I’ve got hope. Get creative, but whatever you do, make an effort to show your face. Xo See more