This month's Share Six theme is {Collections}.

I toyed with the idea of posting about different collections of things we have in our house, how my husband collects autographs to place in his man cave, or how my daughter loves collecting rocks and will often pick up rocks from people's driveways or in parks because they're "special rocks." Or how I recently found a drawer in an end table with random bits of odds and ends that my daughter has deemed special things.

But I love the idea of having a collection of images that fit into a recurring theme. Often you will find these collections using hashtags on Instagram. A photographer notices they have been taking similar photos on a regular basis, and so they make it a theme. The first time I saw this was the incredible @lauries_little_ones and her #xander_bythewindow_ theme, where she photographed her son asleep in his crib next to a window. It's beautiful to watch him grow and his sweet sleeping patterns. She also has hashtags for #frontdoor_portrait and #backdoor_portrait. The fabulously talented Meg Loeks or @meg_nlo who has a series titled #chroniclesofjuni for her majestic St. Bernard named Juni, and also #ArchieFromAbove to share bird's eye view images of her son Archie.

And so when we bought this enormous bunny chair for my daughter's first birthday, I knew I had to make a hashtag series, or collection, from it. I noticed I was taking A LOT of photos with this chair, one because it was a novelty and the kids were interested in it, but also because the nursery gets the best light in the house (when there's not an air conditioning unit in the window....hurry Fall, so we can get this air conditioner out!). So I titled the series #BabyJo_andthebunnychair, although I haven't done anything recently with it because Baby Jo is incredibly active now and won't sit long in the bunny chair. But maybe with the new baby, that's where I'll do her weekly photos or something and make a new series from it.

This month's Share Six theme is {Artificial Light}.

I think sometimes artificial light gets misinterpreted as strictly camera flash, but it can be so much more than that. I am very much a natural light photographer and haven't touched my flash since I shot weddings many moons ago, so I am way out of practice and was never much good with flash to begin with. I used to use flash when photographing our oldest daughter as a baby because our house can get pretty dark, but after a while I learned that I preferred finding the shadows and highlights and moody, low light images after all. Still, this theme helped me get out of my rut of the same types of images and practice with artificial light. I think it's always good to stray from your typical style once in a while to experiment.

Another Share Six Blog Circle to share this month, and I was honored to choose the theme. Thinking of my favorite images, I am truly drawn to the ones where it's a seemingly quiet moment between two or a few people. My favorite moments with my husband, our daughters or even our dog Mademoiselle Foo Foo made me think of one word: {connection}. During those brief moments, we understand each other, and we can talk or not talk or just hug or hold hands, and you can feel totally in sync and comfortable. My daughters share a very special connection through their sisterly bond, and thank heavens they love to be together. The older one is always hugging or holding hands with the baby (who is now wanting to earn her independence and often pushes Big Sis away, but sometimes gives in to the cuddles and baby talk).

But connection isn't just a word that can be used with family members. There is a connection  with other human beings, even people we don't know, with nature, with animals, with hobbies and characters in books, between a photographer and client. Connections can be made with an idea, an understanding, linking once concept to another. Connections can symbolize the link between cause and effect. I find that when there is a strong connection in an image, it tugs the heart a little more and gives a glimpse into a secret moment.

I have joined a group of photographers, Share Six, who will be blogging 6 images each month. Each month is a different theme. Please click here to see work from the talented Ceri Herd of Ceri Herd Photography's interpretation of this month's theme.

Join us for this month’s theme by posting your {CONNECTION} images on our Facebook page at Share Six and to our Instagram gallery by tagging #sharesix and #sharesix_connection. A new theme will come out on May 6th.