The old adage, “Never work with children or animals,” rings painfully true, especially for parents striving for that perfect family photograph. For years, I chased the elusive ‘perfect’ shot. In the age of digital cameras, discarding less-than-ideal photos is simple enough when dealing with one child, but with three, the quest becomes a Sisyphean task, even with professional help.
Recently, we hired a photographer for our baby’s christening. We envisioned flawless family portraits. We arrived at the studio, our children, however, had other plans.
Our eldest son immediately ran off with the photographer’s assistant upstairs. The middle child trailed behind. The baby then demanded to be fed. This required some hurried maneuvering to feed him while trying to maintain some semblance of modesty.
Finally assembled in the studio, our six-year-old daughter decided to act like a toddler, throwing a tantrum that tested everyone’s patience. Tempers frayed. After much coaxing, the photoshoot proceeded, albeit hastily and past its allotted time. We left vowing never to repeat the experience.
They say a picture tells a thousand words. We received the photos with a mix of anticipation and dread. To our surprise, the photographer had somehow captured some truly angelic moments. It was hard to believe these were our children. Perhaps some photographic magic transformed our sullen children into happy ones.
Despite their beauty, the photos instantly transported us back to the chaos of that day. For now, they reside at the back of the wardrobe, waiting for the day we can look back and laugh at our naivety.