Photo Shoot

Since Paul had today off and Ian will have a catheter and be wearing double diapers for most of the month of June, it seemed like the perfect day to have pictures taken at Sears. We hadn't gone to a studio since December (for Ian's 1 year pictures). The last time we'd taken Nadia to a portrait studio was June 2010 for her 2 year pictures, as Wendy took some pics of her in December. Wendy was going to take their 3 year/ 18 month pictures earlier this month in Maryland, but we didn't actually make it down there when she was in town due to our basement flooding problems. I had planned for today's photo shoot to be mostly of Ian, and I wanted a couple of shots of the kids together (one in their dress-up outfits and one in their matching red t-shirts) plus I was hoping to get one of myself with each child and one with me with both kids. Paul wasn't interested in being in any pictures, and since I'm usually the one taking the pictures it's rare that there's one with me in it. I was planning to take Nadia back the last week of June for her 3 year pictures.

Well when we first tried to get some pictures of Ian in his Easter suit, he just cried and ran to me so I would hold him. We couldn't calm him down. I had brought Grover (whom he loves), but that didn't help. I said let's do pictures of Nadia instead. The photographer brought out a rock that both children cut sit on, and actually Ian settled down for that. I guess having his sister beside him made it less scary. The best pose she suggested was to put Ian on Nadia's back while she was lying on the floor. Both kids thought it was hysterical and had great smiles. She got an okay picture of the two of them in that pose but if she had better luck with her timing she could have gotten a much better one. This photo (at right) was actually a close-up of Ian while he was on Nadia's back.

I didn't order any which surprised the photographer.

Overall I'd say that we did "okay" today. It wasn't a total bust like some have attempts have been, but it wasn't one where I was just absolutely in love with one or more of the poses (like I did from our shoot at Walmart last June). I would have trimmed Nadia's bangs had I known we'd be taking several pictures of her today. Wendy is planning to take our next family shoot in October in Maryland. I think December will be the next time we'll head back to a photo studio. I'm thinking this might become our new "norm" - to get the kids photos taken professionally in June and December each year. Although I'd get more "freebies" if I took them separately every June (because you can only use one coupon per session), I think until they get to the age when it's really easy to get them to smile, I'll plan on just one session in June and one in December (unless one turns out to be a "bust). Today was the first time I ordered individual prints of both of them during the same session, and I think in the end I probably spent less money than I would have if I had followed through with my plan to have two appointments in June.

On an unrelated note, my sister (Yvonne) gave birth to her fifth child (4th son) today - Joel Anthony! We look forward to meeting him in 2013!

This is one of three pictures in an 8x10 collage I got for free.

I didn't order any of this pose.

This was also included in the free collage.



I got some 5x7's of this one. This pose was a great idea. The timing of the photo wasn't perfect.



Fun at the pool today!



She actually thought I might buy this one????? LOL!