Sunday, January 29

In Black and White (or A Few More for the Grandparents)

For the past month I've been desperately trying to take a good portrait of the boys - a promised christmas gift for the grandparents and great-grandparents.  But finding a time when all three are awake, fed and amenable to that idea is difficult.  I have yet to get 'the picture' that I'm wanting.  But here are a few out-takes from our last session when they were playing in their play silk fort.  (Oh, and by the way, play silks and play clips are the best toys ever - capes, forts, hanging mobiles... the possibilities are endless!)

Also, if anyone has great tips for getting three children to look at you and smile, I'd love to know them.  "Cheese" and bunny ears just aren't working!

photo by Jonah (who loves using my camera!)




7 comments:

Elisa said...

Great pics, I love black and white. Let's you really focus on the expressions. Wish I had advise on getting photographic cooperation, but my son teases me, looks and smiles until he sees me about to shoot and then runs away. I get a lot of blurred pics in motion. My only advise is candid shots, while they are distracted, about a million of them. I set my camera for rapid fire and it takes several pics a second. Sometimes if I take a million pics, I end up with a few really good ones. The nice thing about digital is that you can always just delete the ones you don't want. Good luck!

Jenny said...

I am NOT good at the picture thing, but lately, I've had a bit of sucess by having my husband stand right behind me and jumping out....like peek a boo. The kids laugh and laugh. It makes them wiggle and get goofy, but hey, that's better than staring blankly at the camera, which is typical for my kids. :) I've learned to have him stand right behind me so that when they are looking for him, they are looking right into my lens (as opposed to looking up past my head if he were standing above me). Where are you moving to in April? Will you keep the blog?

Watkins said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Watkins said...

Yes, I will certainly keep the blog. Our next step is three months in Switzerland (may-July : I'll write more on that soon) and then, hopefully back to the states, but as there is no job yet, I'm not sure where.

The Egan Family said...

Yes, a posed photo of three children is never easy to obtain! You are so good at stories... Maybe you and Jim could put together a story that he could tell behind you as you sit quietly with the camera ready. If the boys are engrossed in the story - and even the baby would probably follow his movements and voice - you might get a good shot of them all looking in the same place. If the story is funny at times, you might even get them smiling! Good luck!

Watkins said...

Good thoughts, thanks for the suggestions. I'm pretty sure we'll try them all and I'll let you know what we come up with.

Laura said...

Those were all great suggestions and I'm sure the things I do for taking pictures of my girls are things you already have tried (and I'm sure 3 is harder than 2) but I usually get out a toy that they haven't played with lately so they stare at it when I hold it and tickle them with it, then hold it by the camera as I'm shooting. I also make tons of crazy, surprising sounds to make them startle, look my way and giggle. Also, I use jingle bells, tambourines, and squeaky toys. I guess my girls are young enough that the noises still make them giggle! Hope that helps...