Recipe for Fun Family Portraits...

I finally found the recipe for a fun family portrait session:

1 best friend with a nice camera and some photography classes under her belt
1 old wicker couch that's been sitting in the basement for years
2 strong guys to carry the couch
1 11-year-old boy to make funny faces
1 hour without rain
2 cookies to bribe children to sit still

Stir it all together and this is what you get...


We had so much fun, I think we'll do it again soon (I'm sure Sheila is cringing as she reads this, but I'm kind of thinking of this as the dress rehearsal - next time I'll get it right). Really, next time I'll try to match Kate's socks to her shirt (seriously...pink socks with a red coat?), remove the ugly cushion from the wicker loveseat, reassess the location of the tree in the background, go easy on the black coats (don't we look like we're at a funeral?), and save the cookies for later in the photo session (have you ever tried taking a cookie from a happy 22-month-old.. yeah, not a good idea).

I must say, though, that Sheila is truly a full-service photographer. She showed up early, got the girls dressed, did their hair, and brought her husband and son to serve as "assistants." And all of that for FREE! It was definitely a fun time...thanks a million McFly!

Portrait Experience

This photo pretty much sums up our recent portrait experience. To say it was awful would be a serious understatement. Honestly, I don't think we have ever had a good portrait experience...at least not in the past 3 years. My girls are never cooperative. Kate acts goofy, faces the wrong direction, or just walks off "the set." The girls refuse to hold hands or hug or even sit next to each other. And that's just the beginning. The photographers are usually lacking photography skills (and common sense). Seriously...how many times do I have to suggest that they take the photo NOW before they actually get it? What are they waiting for? We've entered the digital age, Ms. Photographer. Please just snap away...you're not limited to a roll with 24 exposures!

And then comes the horrible buying experience.

Please don't try to sell me a basic package that starts at the low, low price of just $500 when I'm obviously upset and distraught and frustrated. My hungry and irratable children are crying and climbing on things and tearing apart the display shelves, wondering why we've been in this place for nearly two hours. And please don't tell me that I can't leave and come back to view and/or pick up my photos after lunch, when everyone is fed and happy and rejuvenated. And if it's going to be 30 minutes before the pictures are ready, don't tell me that it'll just be another 5 minutes. I want the truth, people. And I want lunch. I want to think it over and have just a brief minute to pull the kids off the ceiling. Oh...and if you insist on holding us hostage, then at least provide a playroom or some type of entertainment.

The sad part is that they have us hooked from the beginning. Even though I love photography and I know a good picture when I see it (and I realize that technically, these are not good pictures), I turn into a sappy pile of mush when I see those cute little faces staring at me from the display screen. They are beautiful and real. They are my girls and how could I not spend at least $130 on terrible pictures? Don't we all do it?

Of course, I always complain about it and say that I could take better pictures (which I believe is true). I vow that I'll never return, but then some dumb coupon pops up in my in-box and I say, "maybe just one more time."

I owe a HUGE thank you to my very patient, kind, and funny friends Sheila and Sara. They stuck with us through the whole terrible experience. They stuffed pretzels into the mouths of two very hungry and fussy girls. They agreed with me that the service was terrible. They held it together while I had a few tears rolling down my cheeks. They reassured me that I was a good mother, despite the behavior of my wild children. They stayed behind to wait for the pictures while I made a much needed escape. They are true friends, and I love them both so much!