Sunday, January 11, 2009

The Elusive "Perfect Photo"

From the moment children are born into a family, they become the center of attention.  Understandably so - they are small, sweet, cute and usually pretty funny.  They really become our best source of entertainment - often being put on display or asked to perform on cue.  We perpetuate this by asking them to pose for countless photos and expecting perfection.  Funny thing is, with children's pictures, you rarely get perfect.  We forget how awkward it might be for them to have adults herding them like cattle, barking at them to smile, stand up straight, look this way or that way, hug their sister - sheesh!    

Believe me, I am guilty as charged.  I'm always trying to capture the perfect photo of my precious nieces and nephew.  As I looked through my recent Christmas photos, I realized that they are hardly perfect, but they are a perfect representation of these wonderfully funny kids.  The pictures capture a moment in the time of their lives - Jack is at a stage where he hates pictures and often tries to hide his missing front teeth (and we want nothing more than to see them), Avery likes to model and often "overposes," and Lilly is so used to having her picture taken that she wants to look anywhere BUT the camera and often puts her hands in her face.   All of that is who they are and part of what makes the pictures "perfect."   And, they make me laugh every time I look at them.  What could make a picture more "perfect" than that? 

Holiday's 08 014

Holiday's 08 015

Holiday's 08 020

 Holiday's 08 011XMAS 1

family pic

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Great post Beckie -- the whole idea of a "perfect picture" really is subjective, especially when it comes to dealing with kids.

And, for the record, it's still really strange seeing "you" pregnant! :)

EmKDee said...

Sooooo well said, peach. Great post, great photos (for precisely the right reason) and I loooove Avery's skirt. Adorable. Love you too!

wdelanophoto said...

Good post indeed! I think this is why I love pictures of kids not smiling...they are so true and honest.

I love Avery's skirt too btw...will have to see if I can get the hand me down next year...