Plus, the ease of doing the whole card at my computer cannot be underestimated. I avoid taking the children to any store at this time of year. They are like shut-ins.
We try to do a nice group photo of the kids every year, but let's face facts: with an inveterate eye-closer, a camera-hater, a cheesy smiler, and a whole passel of fidgeters, we have been known to have an outtake or two. Or two hundred.
Thank heavens for the advent of digital photography at The HomeFront!
This was one of last year's outtakes, and with a year's perspective, I think I like this better than the one we chose for actual card. It just seems to capture the kids' personalities, especially Sally's impish little grin behind her hand.
And can I just say how little they look to me? This was only a year ago, for goodness sake!
Fiver, Francie, and Sally -- December 2007 The picture below has to be one of my favorite outtakes ever.
There was once a time when I was prepared enough to make sure the children had cute matching pajamas for their photo. That time has long passed into song and legend.
But hopefully their cute pajamas can distract you from the fact that these children look like they are going up in front of a firing squad. I don't know if a child can look more morose without actually crossing over into tears.
I'm sure their expressions had nothing to do with their mother fussing over them, saying things like, Smile! Smile! No, no. Not like that. A nice smile. Just a normal smile. Well, maybe a little bigger smile than that. Not too big, though. Now don't squeeze your brother. Just put your arm around him. A little more. A little closer. No! not that close, he can't breathe! Just help him sit next to you. Good. Now smile a little more.
Yep, I'm sure it had nothing to do with that.
Francie, 3, and Fiver, 3 monthsNovember 2002
Oh Aimee...what a fantastic post!!! You are such a good writer and then the payoff of the images...loved everything about this! (That little hand over the giggly mouth is just too much!)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great Way Back When-esday-- Thank you so much for playing along!
I have a cheesy smiler (or two) too! He takes great candids when you catch him unaware but horrible posed pics.
ReplyDeleteYou should add some old-time sepia coloring to your second photo then it would look like our parent's pictures; I don't think you were allowed to smile for pictures back then!
Those are great! Isn't it amazing how different they can look in a year?! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love the picutres! I am so impressed that your pictures actually make it to the cards. I have been taking pictures for years now but after all the heartache of getting the perfect piture, I don't think I have actually mailed a card in three years!
ReplyDeleteHa HA! Soooo cute!
ReplyDeleteBoth pictures are great. I do think the first one is a great photo b/c it shows reality, not a posed fake life. Some of our best pictures of the kids are totally unposed. And we used to do matching PJs too, but not so much now.
ReplyDeletegreat pictures!
ReplyDeleteI lvoe the matching pjs and straight faces in the second one.
I love that you do your own photos. We've crossed over into photo cards this year as well. I'm wondering what took me so long.
ReplyDeleteHow adorable! I am having a hard time choosing my pic for this year. Like you, I almost want to go with the outtakes, as it shows the personalities more than the perfect picture of everyone smiling.
ReplyDeleteHappy Whens-day!
ps Where did you get the Advent wreth for the side of your blog? It's fantastic!
I wish I could relay stories as well as you do. I'm still amazed people who I've never met read my blog.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to add a caption to that last pic saying, "Maybe if we lay still enough she'll go away." Or "Deer in the flashbulbs"? No matter what you have some really cute kids!!
cute pics- and don't you just find new appreciation for photo shop programs at this time of year?
ReplyDelete-mirabella mom
Wow--he looks SO different!
ReplyDelete-LisaL