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A Father's Day Gift Idea Through the Lens of Your Little

Ever wonder how the world looks through the lens of your wide-eyed little one? Erin Loechner of Design for Mankind let us tag along as she and her daughter Bee set out for a day of sightseeing and adventure-capturing to create a homemade Father's Day photo book in celebration of Dad.

All aboard...

For Erin, she had no troubles signing her daughter up for the Father's Day photo walk. This meant a day of exploration with Mom, capturing the sights and making Dad the best Father's Day gift yet. What's better?

"Bee sees her Dad and I taking lots of photos since it's part of our work. So at three and a half, she was so excited to be involved in the process and was curious about how it all works – from choosing a subject to understanding viewpoints."

from Bee's lens

Location scouting

When it came to choosing the perfect place to post up for the day, the mother-daughter duo set their sites on a local park. With sprawling land and minimal crowds, they didn't have to worry about cars or people on-the-move. Between the art sculptures, bridges and greenery, they had plenty to photograph for Dad's book.

"The great lawn also served a dual purpose – it made for a vibrant backdrop and I didn't have to worry about Bee dropping my iPhone while taking pictures. Talk about a win-win."

Theme, or no theme?

"Rather than solidify a theme, we focused on what Bee thought was most interesting. It was great to see her begin to understand that there aren't a lot of rules when it comes to photography. I think she felt empowered with a camera in-hand, being able to snap what she liked and know that we would be choosing our favorites for the photo book. I could tell she was drawn to shapes she recognized – she found triangles everywhere."

from Bee's lens

Some things you have to see with your eye, appreciate them as they are, and let them remain in your memory just that way.

Learnings (and reminders)

Even as little ones, we learn not all things are meant (or able) to be captured – and that's a beautiful thing.

"There was a butterfly Bee was trying to photograph, but it was moving too quickly and she was growing frustrated. It was a good lesson for her – and a reminder for me – that you can't capture everything. Some things you have to see with your eye, appreciate them as they are, and let them remain in your memory just that way."

Now for the photo book...

Erin and Bee landed on a Hardcover Photo Book for their Father's Day gift – complete with a matte finish dust jacket and 100% recycled interior pages. Leaving plenty of room for Bee's personal touches (drawings and hand-written notes to Dad), they chose interior layout options that left lots of white space on each page.

So much thanks to Erin and Bee for allowing us to follow along as they prepped for a most special Father's Day surprise. Ready to begin a photo book project of your own? We know just the place to start...



Father's day gifts and more

Erin Loechner

Erin Loechner is the author of Chasing Slow and founder of the lifestyle blog Design For Mankind. As a former art director and stylist in Los Angeles now nestled in the midwest, you can find Erin's work in publications including The New York Times, Parenting, Elle Decor and more.

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