Milestones are often marked with announcements, traditions and celebrations. Starting a new school year means new notebooks, new outfits and new teachers. Holidays are met with festivities and seasonal greetings. An anniversary at least gets a kiss and a toast to years together. But sometimes very important milestones or transitions happen so gradually and appear so ordinary, they pass by without fanfare.
 From baby to big brother
Jessi Weithman couldn’t give you an exact date when her son Levi stopped being a baby and started being a toddler, but she could see it as it was happening and she had a vision for commemorating the transition. Her photo book, Everyday Levi, features a series of photographs of her son Levi during a particular two month period of significant change and growth. “He has always looked very grown-up for his age, and with a little brother on the way his baby days seemed like fleeting moments. I was looking for a photo book to capture the everyday moments of Levi’s life during this precious time.”
 Everyday silliness
The Celebrate Everyday Life photo book was created for Shutterfly by scrapbooking celebrity Ali Edwards whose signature style brings ordinary daily life elements into extraordinary designs. It’s the perfect canvas for those natural shots captured in the moment, which is exactly the kind of photography that Jessi Weithman loves most. “I avoid flash, and I try not to force poses. I want to capture my kids being kids! I select a photograph not because it is the best, but because it tells the story.”
 During Levi’s first year of life, Jessi would start a photo book and write the stories as the year progressed finding it easier to write down the anecdotes as they happened instead of letting too much time pass and relying on her memory. “I am deeply behind documenting my new baby. He is already five months old, and I’ve only found time to create one book. I do keep a calendar to write down milestones and happenings and more recently have started a little journal writing down things that Levi says. I want to remember all his early thoughts and I’d love to create a photo book that features these thoughts in his words with my photos.”
Everyday for everyone
And while little ones at any stage are wonderful subjects for the Celebrate Everyday Life photo book, the format is well-suited to create a snapshot of anyone at any point in their life. The trick is taking the time to reflect on who you are at this moment and choosing the images that tell your story. That same approach also applies to holiday greeting cards. Often times the perfect picture is one you already have—an everyday moment that says who you are or a mosaic of everyday moments that defines your year. Use the Celebrate Everyday Life template for inspiration and start shooting.
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