Ok, so I love to take pictures. It is definitely one of my most favorites things to do. However, it is also one of the most frustrating things for me - the one activity that makes me lose my temper almost every time. You see, I have four kids, and it is extrememly difficult to get four kids to cooperate and smile all at the same time.
I took them all out to the backyard tonight to try to get a picture for my mom for Mother's Day. Matt was mowing the grass so he could not help me....which should have been my first tip off that this was a bad idea. So, I sit them all down in the freshly cut grass, with the sun shining so pretty in the background....but even the beautiful scenery could not make this situation any better. From the first snap of the camera, I am constantly yelling ("You better smile or I am going to beat your bottom"...."If you don't stop crying, I am going to spank you"...."Look at the camera - do you understand English??"...."Stop squinting your eyes and smiling like a weirdo.") I am sure you get the point. My poor neighbor probaby wanted to call DFACS on me and report me for "picture taking cruelty" or something like that.
I don't know why I am so set on getting the "perfect" picture. I wish I would just realize that they are kids and some of the best pictures are the candid, fun shots. I am embarrassed that I get so tense and sometimes just plain mean when I am taking their picture. So, I am making a commitment right now to no longer stress over getting that perfect picture - with four kids, it just isn't going to happen. I don't want my kids to run and hide every time thay see my get my camera out. Now, I will try my best to only be positive and say nice, encouraging, complimentary things to them when it is time for the dreaded photo shoot. After all, they are pretty cute kids and I think they look good no matter how the picture turns out!!
I took them all out to the backyard tonight to try to get a picture for my mom for Mother's Day. Matt was mowing the grass so he could not help me....which should have been my first tip off that this was a bad idea. So, I sit them all down in the freshly cut grass, with the sun shining so pretty in the background....but even the beautiful scenery could not make this situation any better. From the first snap of the camera, I am constantly yelling ("You better smile or I am going to beat your bottom"...."If you don't stop crying, I am going to spank you"...."Look at the camera - do you understand English??"...."Stop squinting your eyes and smiling like a weirdo.") I am sure you get the point. My poor neighbor probaby wanted to call DFACS on me and report me for "picture taking cruelty" or something like that.
I don't know why I am so set on getting the "perfect" picture. I wish I would just realize that they are kids and some of the best pictures are the candid, fun shots. I am embarrassed that I get so tense and sometimes just plain mean when I am taking their picture. So, I am making a commitment right now to no longer stress over getting that perfect picture - with four kids, it just isn't going to happen. I don't want my kids to run and hide every time thay see my get my camera out. Now, I will try my best to only be positive and say nice, encouraging, complimentary things to them when it is time for the dreaded photo shoot. After all, they are pretty cute kids and I think they look good no matter how the picture turns out!!
5 comments:
Man, I do the same thing!!! I always feel horrible afterwards. I had the same experience with my boys trying to take a Christmas card picture in front of the tree this past year. I finally gave up, and vetoed the Christmas card. I was so mad, FOR NOTHING!! I think i was more upset with myself for getting mad for NO REASON than I was at them! I said the same thing after that, "no more fits over taking the perfect picture...just take what ya get!" That's what I'm living for!!
I am sooo glad to know that I am not the only one who does this. I feel so bad about how "psycho" I get over taking a picture. But, those days are gone - "stress-free photography" is my new motto :) :)
and look at those angels....you have at least 3 perfect pictures :-)
I am laughing out loud because I do the same thing! I promise to join you in your attempt at "stress-free photography" -which means I must not look at any magazines, websites, advertisements, other people's blogs or Facebook pages, or commercials - because then I see those pictures (you know the ones) and go, "I want a picture like that" and it is all downhill from there. You are not alone!
This is Shane, not Amy. I think picture taking time is about the only time I really get frustrated. I had to leave the room the other day and just go find a happy place. I had gotten so mad my chest was pounding from the anxiety!! I left and I was so mad because I didn't understand why I was getting so upset over a picture. Amy loves to take pictures too. I think that's why my hair is almost white in the five years since we had kids, dealing with the pictures.
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