Week 21: Meet Sherman
Every year for their birthdays the boys get to choose a special activity and meal. I’m not sure if they love the day because it’s all about them or because they miss school when their birthday falls on a weekday. It’s always interesting to see what they choose: Sometimes it’s a surprise and other times they have their minds set on something and talk about it for weeks. This year, my middle son chose a trip to Chapters for new books, a visit to the aquarium store for new fish for his tank, and lunch at Wendy’s. While we were at the aquarium store he convinced me to bring home a new family member for the whole family to share. Although I was given special ownership privileges since my birthday had just passed.
Meet Sherman. He lives on our kitchen table and is a colourful addition to our meal times.
Don’t forget to photograph your children with their pets. It’s easier when they are cats and dogs but if you have smaller pets like fish, rodents, or birds, it may be helpful to move your pet to an area of the house where there is more natural light and space: it will be easier to take photos if you aren’t struggling with low light or a crowded bedroom. Even if your child can’t hold your pet you can still take photos of them looking into their cage, tank or bowl.
Week 22 : Underground
Every few years we visit the Diefenbunker in Carp. When the boys were little it was a great place to tire them out (lots of walking, lots of stairs) and as they’ve gotten older, they are more interested in the history of the building and the Cold War. It’s definitely a great destination for a cold or rainy day, since you are several stories before ground. Around holidays they often have special activities and events: on Father’s Day they had scavenger hunts for the kids and dad jokes on the walls all over the museum.
There is also an escape room that is open in the evenings and laser tag! Make sure you book your spot in advance
When you’re taking photos in museums you may notice that the colours in your photos seems ‘off’ or inaccurate. It’s often the result of the type of lighting that is used. All sources of light have a temperature and sometimes the temperature of light can make photos appear cooler or warmer. If you use a photo editing app or software, you can adjust the colour of your photo using the white balance settings.
Week 23: Talent Show
All three of our kids have very different interests and we have loved watching them try new activities and see what peaks and peaks (and keeps) their interest. My middle son has loved music since he was a baby and we enrolled him in Monkey Rock Music. Over the years he has learned to play the ukulele, piano, and most recently, the electric guitar. He tried out for his school’s talent show this year and was excited to be included in the show after practicing his son for many months. He played Iron Man by Black Sabbath and definitely rocked the house!
When you’re taking photos at performances or concerts remember that your flash only has a range of about 10-15 feet, which means it won’t illuminate the performer. Thankfully the stage lights will provide more than enough light for you to take the photo, which means you can turn off your flash so it isn’t distracting to the people around you.
Week 24: Helping Hand
All three of our kids help out with the business to varying degrees. My littlest is responsible for keeping the shoes in the front hall tidy and has modelled for many sessions and students, while my middle son often helps set up the studio for classes and with the courses I teach. My eldest has become an invaluable session assistant, set designer and painter, and helps with my photography courses and workshops. Even though I’m the one behind the camera, this really is a family business. My husband was away for work recently and it happened to be the same day I had a workshop and session in the evening. My eldest son stayed home to babysit his younger brother while my middle son came along as one of my models.
When you’re choosing outfits for your kids photos try to keep their personal preferences in mind, even if you have a ‘look’ you’re trying to achieve for your photos. When you look back on the photos you’ll be grateful that their personality and ‘style’ shines through in the photo. My middle son is known for his knee high socks, which he wears year round. I wanted him to wear soft pastels for these photos but just made sure he was wearing a pair of socks that matched so that the outfit was still ‘him’.
