Getting in the weeds

I'm from the South but living in the mountain West, so sometimes my friends look at me strangely when I toss out a southern saying.  For instance, when life gets tough or messy, I will say, "It's time to get out of the WEEDS!" Meaning that it's time to move on from the little, annoying things, and move on into the big, important stuff.

Oddly enough, in my profession, I am sometimes paid to get directly. into. the. weeds.

Little details, little family quirks, negotiating the when/where/why/how of a larger family portrait--that can feel like getting into the weeds!  I have been surprised at how families open up to me as we plan a session.  "Well, so-and-so doesn't like so-and-so, they can't stand next to each other" or "You'll have to send the email about what time to meet, because my (aunt/cousin/ex-spouse) won't listen to me about being on time!" etc. etc.

Hello weeds!

I don't mind this at all.  Families are all unique yet somehow very alike.  I can confidently say that we all have a quirky uncle that wears socks with sandals.  Just a fact of human existence.  Corollary: that uncle will want to wear socks and sandals to any number of family occasions, so be prepared for those things to show up in many a family photograph.

Many, many of us have ex-spouses and aren't *entirely* sure how to look happy and cheerful when the wounds are still a bit raw (but the kids still want a family portrait!).  Many of us have awkward moments with parents or in-laws, and that can make planning an event or portrait a little weird.

Weeds.

But, good photographers know this.  I know that not everyone in every picture I take is 100% happy and 100% comfortable in the moment I take it.  That would be an impossible standard to live up to!  Every family gets in the weeds a bit, and I can be right down there with you.  The thing that I can do, and have done many many MANY times, is set all of you at ease. 

With some families, to get out of the weeds, I'm going to make a few jokes or pick up on the teasing that some families enjoy.  With others, I'm going to make conversation with the shy niece or butter up the crabby mother-in-law so that when I do snap that photograph, you won't see the little, silly things.

You'll see the big things.  The fact that everyone in that picture was there.  They showed up!  The single most important part of a family photograph is who is *in* it--you came!  You got along!  You got a picture!

You'll see that people love each other.  You'll see that everyone there cared enough, cooperated enough, and smiled enough...with or without me saying "Cheese".

So, when you plan your next family portrait, it's okay to ask me to get into the weeds.  I'm here to help, and I'm here to make sure that everyone is comfortable and happy (or, as happy as a hormonal 13 year old or crabby grandpa can be).  We'll get out of the weeds, and find a good picture there--I promise.