Of Taking Pictures

I take a lot of pictures. This may be the understatement of the year.  I take a lot of pictures.  Everyday.  Probably hundreds.  I have 6TB of storage at my house.  You read that right.  6 TERABYTES.  I'll let you figure that in your head.  Some of that is our movies (we've taken everything digital) but at least one full terabyte is pictures.

I take a lot of pictures.

I take lots of pictures for other people.  Some of them you've seen.  Some are good.  Some aren't.  Some are worth being proud of, and I am.  But some of them are just so - so.  Because of this inconsistency, I don't feel right taking money.  Not even a little.  I take pictures for folks with blue bonnets.  And for kids annual birthday pictures (usually the same folks).  I've taken pictures of just a few newborns (2).  But I can't take money.

My friend (who's son is my best "customer") wants me to start charging people.  I can't do that.  I just can't.  I'm not that good.  I love doing it.  And if I take something that's not blurry, that a kid is looking INTO THE LENS and smiling (a unicorn folks) than so much the better.  I've gotten really good at tricks to get kids to look at me (practice).

Which brings me to my one little soap box when it comes to taking pictures of children.

Please don't put them in stupid outfits and think for one second you're going to get a happy or even semi natural, smile.  Especially from boys.  Girls?  I know many young ladies that love playing dress up.  But unless it's got a laser on it somewhere, G is not interested in wearing it.  This is why so many of our pictures are just in play clothes.  I do have a few cotton polo shirts when I feel like he needs a collar.  But mostly?  Yea I buy t-shirts that I don't despise let him wear them a few times and pray they don't get permanently stained so that he can wear them come picture time.

So - parents - you want pictures of happy kids?  Take pictures when you're kids are happy.  Don't put them in strange clothes in a strange situation (studios / parks with no playgrounds / gazebos) and then tell them to say "cheese."  Especially if said child is under the age of, oh lets say 5.

The results of outfits kids hate?

Nobody wants that.

And while I still have accidents with bad settings and over expose an entire trip, I won't charge people.  But I will take pictures of their kids for free.  The idea of them loving one of my pictures enough to hang it in their house is enough for me.

For now.