How To Take A Picture Tepaske Style

I don't know who the folks are that have children who willingly smile for the camera.  Mine are not such children.  They're the worst when it comes to taking pictures and it generally involves taking about 200 in order to get just one worthy of viewing and sharing.  As a testament to this I present to you the chain of events leading-up to a relatively nice picture in this household:

Step 1:  Add unwilling children.

Step 2:  Attempt to exert some control by demanding children sit down.

Step 3:  Wait while cameraman takes an unflattering picture of you as the children do everything in their power not to look at the camera.



Step 4:  Allow children to assess the situation going-on at the back of your head during a hot and humid day and...

Step 5 (continued from Step 4):  ...add a delightful hairpiece.

Step 6:  Once children have been seated with an object to encourage them to behave (in this case a lighter and silly string...work with what you've got), have one of the subjects point to the camera just in case the children missed the point of the entire exercise.

 Step 7:  Warning:  The alpha female's role may be usurped by a lesser female of the pack. Refrain from making eye contact or smiling in an effort to discourage this type of behavior.  This is not an example of such.



Step 8:  Ensure all three subjects are looking at the camera by having the cameraman repeatedly call names and make an a$$ of himself from behind the camera.

 

Step 9:  Finally admit defeat and accept a picture with a toddler holding a lighter, a little girl giving her best "smile" while fully engrossed in silly string, and a mom looking pretty darn good as the best you're going to get and move-on with life.