The Portrait Project

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 takes

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:

hunter

ian

logan

jonah

brenna

Not bad for a day’s work.

 

5 thoughts on “The Portrait Project

  1. I love taking my own pictures. They always seem to have so much more personality than over posed studio ones. And you can’t beat the price!

  2. They turned out beautifully, Jess!!! I especially like Logan’s eyebrows and the joyful look on his face. And the serenity of Brenna’s. I have a couple of similar serene shots of Katie, and I love them. They’re definitely pictures to make you smile every time you look at them. Job well done. :)

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