True Expression

9 ways to get a meaningful expression

in child portraits

“You will never ever hear me tell your child to say cheese” – Skye Hardwick

I love photos of non-smiling children. Most of the images I have displayed in my home are of my kids not smiling. But the difference between a beautiful, serene expression and a grimace is a very fine line. I’m encouraged to see many child photographers out there experimenting in this way, deviating from the typical forced smile. Or even real ones.
Yes, children are carefree and happy little souls. But they are also deep oceans – far more than we give them credit for. And so while parents have become pro at taking photos of their children laughing or smiling (be it real or posed), I feel a responsibility to also capture their deep waters when working for them as their photographer.
So how do I do this without crossing the fine line between grimace and serene? Here are a few ways I get those real, honest and deep looks from kids I barely even know:

• Let them get the fakies out of their system. Let them get comfortable with the fact that someone is taking their photo without imposing too many orders or new ideas on them from the very start.
• By all means, go for the gusto. Laugh. Smile. Run, skip, jump. Feel the child out and see if their authentic expressions come quick and easy or if they will need some encouragement from you.
• I’ve taken this cue from Skye Hardwick: I never ever tell a child to ‘say cheese’. You’ll be setting yourself up for a session full of painfully forced smiles and it can be hard to get out of that flow once you get started.
• After setting up a shot with some posing and getting comfortable in the moment, we (hopefully) have some smiles, some laughter and then I just sit there. After a laugh, children sometimes give a very authentic look which is non-smiling, yet still joyful – basking in the little moment we’ve just had.
• I find it useful at times to ask parents to take a few steps back and allow me to spend some time alone with their child (yet within sight for obvious reasons). Parents can get overbearing in their excitement to make the money they just paid ‘worth it’. More often than not, it’s fine, but if I find that their hovering is unhelpful, I will ask for some space.
• At times, when the expressions just aren’t flowing and aren’t authentic, I will guide them in shaking it out. We jump on the spot, shake, rattle, roar. And then we take a deep breath and start over.
• When everything looks forced or tense, I will guide them in taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out with their mouth only opened a tiny bit. This will help them to naturally open their lips a little and prevent a pursed-lip, tense face. This goes for grownups, too. Opening your lips a little will prevent teeth clenching, lip pursing and the overall impression of being uncomfortable or tense.
• Body language! The position of the entire body – head to toe – will have a great impact on the face. When shooting head and shoulders, I still pose the rest of the body all the way down to foot placement. Keep this in mind when trying to capture honest facial expressions that have authentic body language to match.

The most important thing of all: some kids just won’t fit your plan so be flexible. Some are calm and deep, others are buoyant and giggly. You don’t want to make portraits that aren’t honest to their character, but I alway try to get some of both sides of their personality because you never know which is the ‘real’ them the way their parents will. And you want to wow them by being able to present them with images that they look at and say “wow. I love that expression. That’s HIM!”

Fall Pictures

This last weekend we went and took fall pictures.  We went all over our little town taking pictures.  I had a great time.  I really wish that I could do this full time.  I really love taking pictures.  My poor kids are always the test subjects.  Our day started out at the railroad tracts with little miss whining about taking pictures.  Her daddy escorted her back to the truck to sit until her attitude got better, so I took Jase and took pictures.  We had a great time even though he had the same smirk on his face.  After we left the railroad tracts we head downtown and this time she got to participate in the picture taking.  The rest of the day we had a great time coming up with different locations to take pictures.  Jason didn't want to go because he had worked all day, but he was a great sport because it was what I wanted to do.

Here are some of our best pictures:

Baseball

BASEBALL

 Jason and Larry coaches

 In the dug out getting ready to take the field

 Jase up to bat

 Jase catching

 Our Rec Team: Hernando Dawgs

ALL-STARS

 So handsome in his all-star uniform

 Our All-Star Team

 Best Friends: Jase and Jay

 Up close and personal

 Goofing off

 Just some of his trading pins from Dizzy Dean World Series.

 Jase and Josh

 Brett and Jase

 Aby and Jase

 me and my all-star

Taking his turn on the bench

It's been a while...

Well, it has been a while since I have even thought about posting on this blog.  We have just been living life as best as we can.

We moved back to Hernando in November so that Jason could take a job making more money.  Plus our children were unhappy living in Columbus.  They loved being with their grandparents but the missed their friends and church.  Jason is working in Memphis, and I am working in Hernando at North Mississippi Regional Center.  It is a community home that serves mentally challenged adults.  I am working at night which I hate, but it is a state job with benefits so I can't complain.  I am grateful for the job.

The kids have been out for the summer.  It has been hard for me to sleep during the day with them home.  I am working at night so you know how that goes.  You don't have a life or any sleep.  I am currently looking for another job that is during the day that has insurance.  The problem with finding a job is getting insurance. 

Jase has been playing baseball.  He made the all-star team.  He is trying out for a fall ball completive team, so we will see.  He is excited about being able to play baseball this fall.  He will be in 7th grade this year.  I am hoping that he makes it out of the 7th grade.  I hate middle school.  Out comes the attitudes...

Aby is still Aby.  Still sassy and prissy as ever.  She is wanting to be in cheer leading or dance.  We have not decided about it yet.   It is so hard to believe that she is going to be in 3rd grade this year.

Where has the time gone. 

Updates

Just a quick update on us.

Jason
Jason is currently working at Express Oil Change at the moment.  He likes working there except for having to stand up all day, and all the guys like to cuss, go drinking after work, and talking dirty about women and customers.  Today, he told me that a guy at work was asking about the church we went too and that he need God in his life.  Maybe the sole purpose for Jason working there is to witness to this young man.  We are waiting on the paperwork from Homeland Security to come back, so that he can start on the job in Tennessee.  Hoping that we will hear something this week.  If we do then Jason will have to be up there on Sunday to start on Monday. 

Jase aka tornado
Jase is not playing football anymore because we felt that there was alot of bad sportsmanship going on especially after the first game.  I can't have my baby or my family in those kinds of situations.  He is making new friends at school and in the apartment complex.  He misses his friends from Hernando.  He misses his church friends.  He is such a people person.  It worries me sometimes.  I love watching him grow into the young man that God wants him to b


Aby aka hurricane
Aby is as hard headed as always.  We butted heads tonight.  I thought she would drive me crazy.  She has decided to start lying about everything.  And that will just not work.  We are putting a stop to that quick like.  She lied about eating more pizza than what she was suppose too.  It took 45 minutes of her sitting on the wall before she admitted it.  When I told her that because lied then she would have to spend the rest of the night in her room.  That is when you know what hit the fan.  On the bright side, she did come and say she was sorry for being ugly to me.   She has a strong personality wonders where she gets it from surely not me.


Me
I have put in several applications all over town and still nothing.  I am not very good at playing the waiting game and I never have been.  If Jason gets this job then I will not have to work.  I am still feeling good and everything is still good with my heart and my stress level is down somewhat.  It will go down more when Jason gets on in Tennessee.  I know that it will not be easy with Jason gone but it is what we have to do for a little while. 

A Summer of Firsts

This has not been the summer that I thought it would be.  Where to begin...let's start at the beginning.  I know that I have already talked about some this before in earlier posts so please for give me.

We started the summer out like always.  Get out of school go to camp.  This was Aby's first year to be able to go.  She loved every minute of it.  This was the first time that she has been away from me for that long.  I was more nervous than she was about going.  While they were at camp, Jason and I along with friends, Al and Brittany Fishburn, went to New Orleans.  This was the first time since our honeymoon that Jason and I got away with out any children.  We had a great time with friends.  New Orleans on the other hand was very dirty and just plain NASTY. New Orleans was not what I remembered from my college days. I did enjoy taking pictures and seeing all the different buildings and people.  Loved, loved Cafe Du Monde and the iced coffee.  We loved the Port of Call restaurant.  If you ever go to New Orleans you have to try this place.  They only serve hamburgers, salads, and baked potatoes.  Sooooo Gooood!

In July, a donor sent all the children and staff to Walt Disney.  This was a wonderful surprise to get to go 2 years in a row with an up grade in rooms.  We got to stay at the Caribbean Beach Resort.  Our beds were pirate ships.  We all had a great time.  On the 2nd day, I was not feeling to good.  I did something to aggravate my chest and felt sick to my stomach all day and very weak.  When we got back to our room the bottom fell out of the sky, and who likes to be wet.  Aby and I chilled out the rest of the day.  I hated to end my day like that but I had to care of myself.  Plus Aby needed to rest and cool off.

On July 12th, our world came tumbling down.  Jason was called to Robert's office and we were let go from Palmer Home with no real reason. (Please note that I said Jason was called over NOT me.  I feel that Robert was a coward because he didn't want to face any confrontation from me)  Only thing that he was said was we feel this is not the place for you anymore.  After almost 6 years of service, we were given one day's notice.  I have my own reasons for why we were let go, but I will keep that to myself.  Some days my feelings are all over the place about this and the person that delivered the news.  I am struggling with anger, betrayal, forgiveness, and hatred.  I ask God daily to give me a forgiving heart.  I look everyday for the blessing that I know God will give us.  I love being Jase and Aby's mom, but I miss my other children that I was forced to give up.  I Love and miss them so much and pray daily for them.  I miss my life there but I am learning to trust in God and that He knows what is best for me and my little family.

So we moved back to Columbus, where Jason's family lives.  Jase and Aby are loving being back with their Grandparents, but they miss their brothers and sisters also.  Jason starts a new job on Monday.  It is not what we wanted but God will provide for us.  He is going to keep looking until something better comes along or maybe this is were God wants him to be either way we are very grateful for the opportunity.  I am still looking, but it is very hard with one vehicle.  But I have hope and faith and that is all that counts.

So as always I have a crazy busy life, but I am learning to slow down and enjoy that little things...

Let the Summer Begin

In just the last week, we have been really busy and on the go.

The kids got out of school on May 25th, we left for New Orleans on May 26th, and they left for Camp Palmer on May 27th.  Last week was very crazy trying to get everyone ready and packed.  I had an emotional melt down about leaving Aby or her leaving me.  I think that the thing was that she has never spent more than a night away from Jason and I, so now it is official my baby is growing up.  (But since she has gotten back she is always pretty close by) And she came back with manners saying excuse me and thank you alot more than when she left.  I love it!!!!!!

New Orleans was a blast.  Mostly because we could get away from the normal and just relax.  No schedules.  It was really dirty than I remember.  We loved the french market and Cafe De Monde.  We did walk down the famous Bourbon Street only once.  It is so hard to believe that I would go down there in college and party.  It was so nasty, with almost nude photos hanging for everyone to see.  I am so glad that my children were not down there to see that.  They are in serious need for some Jesus.

Well, since the kids have gotten home on June 1st, we have been running around like chicken with no heads.  Next week, we have VBS at our church, a group staying on campus, and the whole campus is all affected by the group.  The group will have to stay in one cottage and the other two will be either a all boy and all girl cottage.  I am not really looking forward to the extra stress and everyone being uprooted.  The only good thing about next week is that our off time was put off a week, but then again you never know.  This is just the 1st week of summer.


And for the record there are 60 days left until school starts.

As always my life is CrAzY!