Any parent will know this struggle: We all have hundreds or even thousands of pictures on our phones of our kids but a) many are not actually very good (hello, blurry toddler!) and b) we never have the time to share and preserve these memories in a meaningful way.
Today, we’re speaking with Sara Redolfi, the founder of Memooa, which is an app designed to help families capture, organize, and preserve their family memories in beautiful, printed memory books. Sara is a mom of two and built Memooa inspired by her own experiences of trying to keep up with documenting her children's lives while juggling the many demands of parenthood.
Sara will share all her kid and family photography tips with us, so let’s dive straight in!
Tell us a little bit about yourself. When and why did you first come up with the idea for Memooa? What problems were you trying to solve?
As a mother of two, I found myself constantly trying to capture every precious moment of my children’s lives. However, I noticed that these memories were often lost in the sea of photos on my phone, and anecdotes like funny sayings or beautiful moments were forgotten if not immediately noted down. I wanted a simple, efficient way to organize and preserve these moments, which led to the creation of Memooa.
The primary problem I aimed to solve was the lack of time and easy solutions for busy parents to document, share, and cherish their family memories in a meaningful way. Memooa allows families to create beautiful, printed memory books with ease, ensuring these precious moments are not forgotten.
How does Memooa work?
Memooa is a user-friendly app that helps you document your family's journey. You can upload photos, add text, and track milestones like growth and weight development.
Our app also provides personalized weekly questions for families with children from 0 to 12 years old, making it easy to capture those small but significant details of daily life.
Once you’ve gathered your memories, Memooa’s algorithm helps you create a beautifully organized memory book that you can print. The app is free to use, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to preserve their family’s story.
What are your top tips to take good family pictures even if you may not have a professional camera?
Lighting is Key: Natural light is your best friend. Try to take photos in well-lit areas, preferably near windows or outdoors during the golden hour (just after sunrise or before sunset).
Focus on the Eyes: The eyes are the most expressive part of a person’s face. Ensure they are in focus, and the rest of the image will look great.
Get Down to Their Level: For children, this often means crouching or sitting on the ground to capture the world from their perspective.
Keep It Simple: Avoid cluttered backgrounds that distract from your subject. A clean, simple background will make your photos look more professional.
Capture Candid Moments: Sometimes the best photos are taken when your subjects are not posing. Capture your children playing, laughing, or engaging in everyday activities.
As the “dedicated photographer” in the family, how do you make sure there are also pictures of yourself and the kid(s) and not just of your partner?
I have the advantage that my husband is a passionate photographer who always has his camera with him and takes beautiful photos of me and the children.
But since I also want him to be in the photos (for him and for my children) and this is a wish for all families, I’ve incorporated regular family photo questions into Memooa.
Every fourth question is a photo question, such as a picture of your child with their best friends or with their teacher—photo setups that might be forgotten in daily life but are incredibly valuable for memories. And so, regularly, there’s also a question prompting a family photo with parents and children.
What are some easy ways to share photos with the rest of the family?
Memooa makes sharing photos incredibly simple. Within the app, you can create albums and invite family members to view and contribute to them. This way, everyone stays connected and can enjoy the memories together. Additionally, Memooa’s feed feature allows you to share updates with selected family members and friends in a secure and private way.
Is there anything else families should know about family photography? Or that you would like to share?
Family photography is about capturing the essence of your family’s unique journey. Don’t stress about getting the perfect shot every time. Instead, focus on the joy and love in the moments you’re capturing.
Remember that even imperfect photos have a story to tell and are worth preserving. At Memooa, we strive to make it easy for families to document these stories and turn them into treasured keepsakes. So, take those photos, enjoy the process, and let Memooa help you keep those memories alive.
