I brought my camera with me to the delivery room because there was no way that I was going to miss any second of my daughter's life by not capturing it, forever in time, in a digital image. Besides, it was imperative that I post the princess to Facebook immediately after getting my netherlands stitched up. Then, I got an iPhone. Did you know they put cameras on those things? Decent cameras with a flash built right in? Needless today say, my daughter is used to her mama bear holding a camera and snapping away. The Diva Bear, endlessly stalked by her paparazzi mom.
Did you know, that if you are the one holding the camera, you rarely end up in the photographs? Sadly, being the worrier that I am thinks "if I were to suddenly get struck down by a speeding vehicle, Ellie would grow up not knowing what her mother looked like. She would not have any pictures of the two of us to frame". Morbid, I know.
Anyway, I was trying to find some research on mothers not being in photographs and this is what I discovered on a google search of hidden mothers
Invisible Mothers, 1800s Retronaut
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| photograph: courtesy of www.ridiculouslyinteresting.com |
Does anyone else find this creepy? Apparently, this was a typical practice when trying to expertly capture a sharp image of a wiggly baby in the 1800s. In the 1800s, photographs required very long exposure time and hence why in so many of those grainy, yellowed pictures the people are not smiling. Now imagine trying to keep a baby/toddler still for that long. Imagine having you head covered with an quilt or draped with a curtain for a few hours while you hold squirmy child.
The above makes me very grateful for my snazzy little SLR camera and cell phone camera where I can have an image in seconds.
Moving on!
On the rare occasion that I can convince Andrew or a visiting family member to snap picture of sexy mama (sucking in her post-baby of 3 years belly), Ellie does this:
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| Left: Cleavage! Oh wait, don't look at that. . . escaping child. Right: my eyes are closed while Ellie is escaping. . . again. Notice a theme? |
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| Nothing screams "MODEL" like having a hand in front of my face (and a really lovely form-flattering winter coat). Looks like I am flipping of the camera when I am actually shoving my seriously hot librarian glasses back onto my face. Ellie does have the I'm -too -cool -for -words stare down. |
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| Oh come on! Is it really torturous to sit with me? For 5 seconds. That is all I ask. Such a Drama Queen : "Oh save me! Save me from sitting with mama. She is so evil. She wants me to actually sit and *GASP* smile!" It should be noted that Andrew nearly cut my head off in the picture on the left. I am really trying not to read too much into that. |
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| A little over-exposed, but I love this one. Ellie's face is precious. It is as though she loves me or something! |
An uncooperative model can lead to bad photographs. . .but most of all. . . it all comes down to the photographer. That's right. I am laying the blame at Andrew's feet. Ha! He just wants to look good. Like he is the preferred parent. Because we all know that Ellie is, indeed, a Daddy's girl.
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| Stinker! |
Some oldies but, goodies of the "Rarely Photographed Mother-Daughter Duo":
Rarely Photographed
A Perfect Photograph
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| Upper right: she looks afraid of me :-/ |
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| This one is still my favorite. |
As to the "hidden mothers" that I googled. . . I finally found the Huffington Post Articles I was looking for:
The Mom Stays in the Picture
Moms Explain Why They're Getting Back In The Picture
So cute and funny! I personally don't like my own husband's photos, so that is partly to blame for me too. And the fact that I usually hate how I look in photos. My favorites all show me looking at her, so there aren't many full face photos. But we do what we can, don't we? I personally love the candid interaction photos. Those are the ones that would be fun to see more of with you two. Perhaps if your photographer was a bit discrete?
ReplyDeleteLeah! I just saw your most recent blog post where Cora is in the tunnel slide and you are looking at her. . . she see the back of her head with cute little braided pig tails. It was/is a great pic of the two of you. Very candid but showing how you are playing with her. Bear just runs away. She is Little Miss Independent so it is the rare occasion that we would even be in the same shot with each other--even with trying to go candid :)
DeleteI'm rarely in photos too and mine look similar to yours........one or both of us is not looking at the camera or Owen is running away. Even with professional photos, he still looks mad that Dad isn't in the pic with us! I'll keep trying, but I'm glad I don't have to cover myself with my giant hoop skirt!
ReplyDeleteI am trying so hard not to chuckle, but someone who feels my pain!!!!! Kindred spirits--your Owen and my Ellie. Those little stinkers. Oh goodness, the hoop skirt. We would suffocate for sure!
DeleteI am horrifically camera shy but that article really did make an impression so I'm trying. Sorta. Sometimes. Maybe I should google what to do with my chin, because it keeps getting in the way. But this is about you! YOU look adorable. And you and Ellie are going to look thru these in a couple years, snuggling on the couch together, and laugh. Maybe Andrew can get a nice shot then :).
ReplyDeleteSo. . . when you do google "what to do with chin during photos", be sure to report back to me on what you found. Andrew will probably cut off my head or some such! Okay, that was rude. . . he usually does the best he can :)
DeleteMy favourite one of you and Ellie is the one where you are looking at each other! Her profile is just beautiful! She looks so much like you. Once I had kids wow, I rarely have a picture with me in it..unless I'm the one taking it! lol. needless to say they are not very flattering pictures. Great blog post. And wow, those photos from way back when sure were a little creepy.
ReplyDeleteI like that one too :) She looks like she might love me or something! Oh Anna, could you just imagine having to hold Stella that long with something draped over head back in the 1800s? Ellie would be blurry for sure!
DeleteYou are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
DeleteHaha! Love the last one where she's running away. Same thing I do when people try to take my picture.
ReplyDelete