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My Own Family Portrait

rochellekeizer
Dec 2, 2015
2 min read

One of the final assignments for my Diploma of Photo Imaging was to photograph family portraits. As I love a challenge, I thought, why not photograph my own family! I couldn't say the last time we had photos taken as a family unit, possibly when the youngest was born, 3 years ago.

I anticipated that the biggest challenge would be to figure out how to have myself appear in the photos, as well as be the photographer. I was so wrong! Simply getting the kids to cooperate was a challenge in itself! From past experience, I found it relatively easy to get other people's kids to cooperate and pay attention but I guess since my kids ignore me on a regular basis, this shoot was going to be like any other day for them.

Miss A, who is 5 years old going on 15, loves to be the centre of attention. She is very photogenic, as long as no-one is interfering with what she wants to do! Miss Z however, is 3 and loathes to have her photo taken 95% of the time. She will be having the best time, laughing and smiling but as soon as she spots a camera (or any other imaging device for that matter), an immediate scowl or disgusted look paints her face.

Luckily, I felt it was important and reflective of my family to have only a few posed, formal photos with mostly candid shots of us just being ourselves and interacting as a family. As part of the assignment, 8 images were to be placed in a handmade album and the final images I chose, really show the personality and interests of us as a family.

To solve my problem of needing to appear in my own photos, I enlisted one of my sisters as an assistant. For each shot I was required to be in, I set everything up, took test shots minus myself, selected the desired settings and then got into place while I had my assistant hold very still with the camera and click the shutter.

The uncooperative subject problem was solved with lots of patience, reasoning and overwhelmingly, bribery in the form of snake lollies and the promise of ice cream afterwards!!