I’ve really needed updated photos of my kids for my mantle since, well, I think the last time I had pictures taken was 2 years ago. I’ve got lots of snapshots of course, but I needed portraits. The thought of making an appointment, getting everyone clean and dressed and somewhere on time has been giving me hives.
I have big windows and lots of natural light in our family room, so yesterday I hung a big brown sheet at one end of the room and snapped away. Most of the pictures I took turned out like this:

Out of focus, fake smiles, silly faces, or Ian in the Buzz Lightyear costume he found in the dress-up bin about a month ago and hasn’t taken off since (I had to bribe him with chocolate chips). Click here to see the out takes bigger, if you’d really like.
But the beauty of digital photography is that I could take LOTS of pictures. I decided to go with black and white pictures so it didn’t matter what color the background or clothes were. A few clicks in iPhoto, the Costco photo printing center, and $8 later, I’ve got these lined up on my mantle:





Not bad for a day’s work.
What fun! I love Brenna’s expressive eyebrows!
Comment by Tara — 10/30/2009 @ 2:28 pm
again- yay! you did such a great job with these. makes me want to give it a go!
Comment by Courtney — 10/30/2009 @ 5:19 pm
too wonderful!!
baby has a perplexed expression in every picture
Comment by Melissa R — 10/31/2009 @ 4:46 am
These are all so great!
Comment by Laura — 10/31/2009 @ 10:47 am
Cute, Cute!! Love it, Love you all!!
How did you get Hunter to look forward!!
Comment by Mom — 10/31/2009 @ 6:26 pm
Oh I meant to say your hair is looking cute, looking grown out.
Love you.
Comment by Mom — 10/31/2009 @ 6:26 pm
Wow,
Amazing I need to do that!
Comment by marie — 11/2/2009 @ 9:15 pm
I agree — you have a gorgeous family
These are really fun — self portraits involving this many subjects is borderline crazy – but you did it so well
If I can just offer one tiny suggestion — I would move the subject a few feet away from the backdrop — that way you’d avoid the rinkles in the back (i hope that wasn’t out of line — I just thought if you had the space it would help!)
Comment by Annie — 11/9/2009 @ 10:27 am