Trust Me - Don't Try This At Home!

I have been weeding through our digital photo library lately.  My computer was about to explode or implode or something tragic like that. I guess 52, 379 pictures and 1, 518 videos was a bit much for the old computer to handle.

Weeding through pictures is something that I love and hate to do at the same time.  I love it because I get to take a little walk down Memory Lane and that always makes me smile.  I hate it because I realize how much our monkeys are growing and changing and it makes me sad.  So, I spend an hour or so a day feeling like Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde.  Happy, sad, happy, sad...

Anyway, my psychosis aside, weeding through pictures has proven to be very helpful to me and now with this informative post to you too.  You see, I have learned some lessons over the years about taking pictures, family pictures in particular.  Let me share what I have learned.

If you are going to go all DIY on the family photo make sure you pick a great location to shoot at.  Like maybe, an outdoor location.  We choose the beach for these family photos (a few years ago).

Selecting a visually pleasing, yet not distracting background is important...

Background #1:

Great background, but too far from the subjects.

Oh and we discovered that lighting is also important...

Background #2:

Nice background, too much light. Note: little monkey is not enjoying the direct sunlight.

Background #3:

Better background, better lighting?.  Little monkey is still not enjoying the background or the lighting.

Okay, so these attempts failed.  But, when at first you don't succeed...

Try...

I like to title this picture, "I'm done!"

 and...

And this one is, "I'm undone."

try again...

We almost had it...then the tongue and shell drop happened.

and again...

Close but monkey girl is rebelling, again. Shell is just. out. of. reach!

100th's time a charm right ?

Um, no!

Ah, that's better.

Sweet!

Okay, so a family photo with everyone smiling, facing forward and staying still  is impossible to do if you want to keep your sanity.  And I am telling you that I do not think that I kept my sanity or that I was sane for doing this in the first place.  The verdict is still out on my sanity.

As for this guy, he got his shell...

Happy as a clam!

And these guys, they gave us the winning picture...

Smiles and sunset included

And all was right with the world.  Until the next shot...

And the moral of this story is:  Do not try to take your own family photos.  Hire a photographer. 

Hugs, 

Melissa