One year, during the Holidays, my Mom brought over a box of family photos. These amazing black and white images spanned many generations and chronicled the history of my family. There were photos of aunts and uncles, grandparents and friends, many of whom have long passed away. There were photos from Christmas’s and Thanksgivings, some of which I remember vividly as a child but many of those years I hadn’t been born yet. This was a potent visual documentation of my family and it was an incredible experience to view this reminder of where we’ve come from.

If you’re like me, you’ve become the non-official self-appointed family photographer. That’s an important job. One day, the photos we are taking today will be viewed by future generations in the same way I viewed our family history.

If I could give just two tips for photographing Thanksgiving this year it would be these two:

1. Approach your shots with heart. Begin to see the your shots from the perspective of a historian. Yet another shot of that beautiful turkey is always nice but remember to capture personalities, laughter, tenderness and celebration. Find those candid moments that really let the viewer feel the energy of the day; let future generations see what it was like back in the old days of 2015.

2. Put yourself in the photos. Don’t let the history of your family or friends be told in photos without you. You are an integral part of this story. Try giving your camera to a trusted family member or friend and have them take over for a while making sure you’re in some of the shots. And of course, Selfies with friends and family are one of the best ways to make sure there are some shots of you.   Don’t hide this year, be a part of it!

Happy Thanksgiving!!