Capturing a decent family picture is a tricky business. It’s hard enough when you’re working with a photographer. But add the additional element of tripod and timer and it’s an adventure, to say the least. I was looking through last year’s Christmas-season pictures in preparation for I Heart Faces‘ Hilarious Outtakes theme this week. I found this series of photos from the night we decorated our Christmas tree last year. I had the brilliant idea to take a family picture in front of the tree. I set the camera up on a tripod and got this photo on my first try:
I should have quit right there, but I thought we’d be able to get something better if we tried a few more times. It only got worse the more photos we tried.
Things got a little goofy, so we tried to tone things down and be a little more serious. Didn’t work.
Two fake smiles and some closed eyes. Darn! Let’s try again!
I give up. That first picture is looking better and better.
Guess what?! I was asked to be one of the guest fan judges this week, so I will be making my way through all of the links (or as many as I can!). I am currently accepting bribes in the form of money and chocolate. Just kidding! I can’t wait to see everyone’s hilarious outtakes. Pictures really are worth a thousand words, don’t you think?
© 2009, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
we had a hard time photographing a 2yo and a 3mo together this year ~ finally got a decent photo at Picture People :) !! This year I’m investing in a wireless remote.
I have to get with the I ? Faces in 2010. Have been meaning to do so but can’t find the time for it. I must!
Hope you are still enjoying your vacation in FL! Happy New Year!
.-= GrammieMommy´s last blog ..Avatars *Not The Movie* =-.
I finally got my subscription to your blog working again, but had to un-add you and then re-add it in order to make it work correctly. Anyway, I’m happy to be getting your fun posts again and hope you’re having a wonderful time in Florida. We keep talking about doing that trip sometime soon too. Merry Christmas!
With five kids I can totally relate to the family photo series. It seems like there’s always someone blinking, or looking away, or sneezing, or something. Have fun in your judging!
LOL, nice try! Makes me glad my parents never bothered trying to get the perfect Christmas card photo!
.-= K @ Laughing Girl´s last blog ..I Heart Faces week 51 =-.
The chocolate is in the mail. Oh wait I didn’t post an entry this week! haha
.-= Brandie´s last blog ..Surviving a Bowl Game with Children =-.
Looks like our family shots. The little one in the red in front is silly lol!Thanks for sharing.
.-= April W´s last blog ..Hilarious Outtakes =-.
You are a brave woman attempting this! My hubs and I have a rough time getting a good shot with just the two of us, I can’t imagine what the process will become when we have squirmies!
I can’t even imagine trying to get that many people together for a holiday picture without having each one be an outtake! How funny.
Congrats on being a Guest Fan Judge this week too. I bet you are as excited as I was when they asked!
What about bribes of chocolate money? I have $5 in chocolate coins left from my Christmas stocking. The photos are indeed hilarious, but I always think it’s the outtakes that capture the true personality of a family. Have fun judging!
These are such funny photos! It’s so hard to get good ”family shots”… especially when there are kids involved:).. but you did it very well! I think that hilarious outtakes are sometimes better than other shots! :)
too funny – now see, my family wouldn’t keep sitting there long enough for me to get that many shots! LOL
Cute family!
~TidyMom
.-= TidyMom´s last blog ..Hilarious Outtakes – i heart faces =-.
your family is so cute!… and yes. the thought of taking a family pictures gives me a headache. you did a great job though.
.-= Billykidd´s last blog ..i ? faces ~ week 51 – hilarious outtakes =-.
it looks like you have a really fun family! i love all the shots – it’s really hard with that many people to get all the eyes open at once and pleasant expressions, too – lol! great job!
please come on over and check out my pictures :) you are welcome to visit anytime!
aww – you and I were on the same quest
Hee hee! Nice tries! I especially like the 2nd one!
.-= Hayley´s last blog ..Photo Challenge – Hilarious Outtakes =-.
Wow, I’m actually surprised that you got that many good ones with that many kids! Totally cute family!
Oh those are funny and so similar to what we get when I try to take family photos!
Very hard to get 10 people all smiling and looking in the same direction :)
Blessings and Happy New Year!
Jill
.-= jill´s last blog ..Week 51at I ? Faces =-.
Cute photos! :) It’s so hard to get everyone with their happy face on at the same time…I know from experience since I come from a family of 6 kids. Someone’s eyes are ALWAYS closed. :)
.-= Austin´s last blog ..What I Go Through… =-.
These are great but this is exactly the reason I do a session exchange with one of my photog friends! LOL!
.-= Jo´s last blog ..I ? Faces Week 51 – "Hilarious Outtakes" =-.
Congrats on such wonderful pictures! We have discovered to our dismay that teenage boys are difficult to get on board for family unless there is a pretty girl present! What a great picture you got – such happiness and smiles!
Merry After-Christmas!
.-= maryleigh´s last blog ..A Congress’s Betrayal of the People =-.
Beautiful family…and funny shots! Love the sequence of events :D
.-= Tezzie´s last blog .."Hilarious Outtakes" – Photo Challenge =-.
If you had just stopped with the first one, you never would have had all those funny pictures to post here!!
Lovely pics, all of them. It’s not easy to capture “perfect” photos when there are many people (and children) involved, but then we get the unexpected shots and they come out even better than we’d hoped for. :)
.-= Buckeroomama´s last blog ..A Plate-Spinner and a Little Drummer Girl =-.
love all the expressions!
oh i love the one with all the sad faces! that is so great!! made me laugh for sure!
.-= erica´s last blog ..i heart faces week 51- outtakes! =-.
Yep, the longer you shoot, the worse it gets, lol…Great capture and some hilarious outtakes!
Looks like you guys had a whole lot of fun!!!
.-= Jan´s last blog ..Week 51 – "Hilarious Outtakes" I Heart Faces Photo Challenge =-.
I think you did a great job : ) We tried 100 times to get a good picture of all 3 of us and it was disastrous! Hope you have a wonderful New Year!
.-= Life with Kaishon´s last blog ..Look How Far We’ve Come =-.
The whole “Taking Christmas Photos” event is such a blast, isn’t it?! :) What fun memories to look back on though.
Thank you so much for being one of our FABULOUS “Guest Fan Judges” this week. I am so thankful for your help!
Have a fun week,
~Angie
co-founder of I ? Faces
.-= Angie from The Arthur Clan´s last blog ..~Merry Christmas!~ =-.
Even in bloopers, your family is adorable! These are so fun!
Thanks for sharing!