Seagrove 2010

I saw this "Stages of a Photographer" graph a few months ago. Given that I've recently been mired in the world of intro photography, overwhelmed by all there is to learn, it gave me a good chuckle.


Right now on the blue line I plot out squarely in the lower left hand corner of the graph ("All I shoot is bad.") This was most evident when I went through my beach pictures. I had been so looking forward to every aspect of this vacation, including taking pictures. It's a different location, and one of our favorites, so it seemed like a great chance to get some really good pictures. But every night I'd upload that day's pictures (lots and lots of them) on the computer, and every night I'd get more and more discouraged. I don't know what my problem is. The exposure is fine. The focus is more or less fine (although every since I've been using the selective focal points I'm much more likely to get my subject way off center). But the good pictures just weren't happening. I understand that when you are taking pictures of people in bright sunshine (like during the day at the beach), you can deal with the exposure but you can't necessarily deal with shadows on faces and squinting, so I know that's part of it. Also, my kids just seem to have a built-in sensor that causes them to turn away from me whenever I get near them with a camera. I RARELY ask my kids to pose. I prefer natural shots to "posed" shots and I generally just want to get them to continue doing whatever they are doing and pretend I'm not there. Half the time I'm positive they really DON'T even know that I am there, but they still manage to turn around as soon as I try to take the picture. So, my favorite pictures of the week are generally of their backs or sides (that is not facetious).

















This is my favorite picture from the whole week:



Unfortunately, when your heart belongs to six little feet, four little sandy feet is not quite the picture you want. I spent the next two days trying to get the littlest two feet to stop for a minute and rest next to the other four feet, but the littlest feet steadfastly refused.

This is a rare shot of all three kids in the same frame:



I do really like this one of the kids with Grandma and Grandpa!



What would I do without my Jacob? He knows I need all the help I can get and takes it personally that his sisters do not make my job as a photographer-mom any easier.





And as far as these two go, their lack of cooperation is part of what makes them so lovable:






Love this one of Jacob with Grandma:



Caroline looooooooves her Daddy!






And her Grandpa:



Oh, and no "beach vacation" post would be complete without some shots of that classic seaside game, Kung Fu on the Beach (what, you've never heard of it?). Jacob and Elizabeth begin with what might actually be yoga, not kung fu:



Then come the kung fu bows of respect:




And sparring:


It was a great vacation, even if the photographing of it left much to be desired. We are talking about taking a big vacation to Disney World next year, which of course I'm excited about, but the thought of not going to the beach next year is pretty depressing to me.