Friday, September 07, 2012

Capturing memories

I love taking photos, and I love to blog.

And I don’t really know why it took me so long to get a family photoshoot and blog about it. Oh yeah, cos of budget constraints. Haha! But nah, I think budget priority is what we make of it. And I guess in the last five years, it just never occurred to me or the hubby for that matter (and if the thought of a photoshoot has nary passed my mind, you can be sure it is further away for him!). So for Jay and Xav, I neither did any pre-popping professional shots (make that hardly any shots at all cos I hated looking like a whale), no Anne Geddes-esque newborn shots, and possibly these are things that I can’t “turn back the clock” and replicate. So I will just have to make do with pictures taken by my own camera.

And I think I am catching up on “lost” time.

steph-tan-sandra-0012 Photo credit: Steph Tan Photography

A couple of months back, I learnt that Steph Tan, a local mummy blogger and photographer extraordinaire was running a special photo-marathon for charity, and I knew I had to be a part of this cause. Thankfully, she had a slot for us, so I dragged the hubby and two sleepy boys out of bed last Saturday and made our way to the Botanical Garden. And captured this family shot. Possibly our first, I think. And definitely one of our nicest.

The process took a lot out of us, in trying to get two cheeky boys to follow instructions, and though the shoot lasted only 30 minutes – trust me, it was a LONG thirty minutes! Run with streamers? Nah. Check out the ducks by the pond? Nah. In fact, for the two boys, I suspect Steph probably thought they didn’t have a good relationship cos she could hardly get them in the same frame together! Haha!

But my boys just don’t take too well to instructions apparently.

After the shoot had ended, and the perspiration wiped from our brows, and the hubby saying not to arrange something similar for a LONG while… and the magic happened. The boys walked off by themselves, and started playing by themselves, and the bubble gun. And how Jay showed Xav how to press the right button to get the bubbles out. And how sweetly Xav smiled when he finally managed to squeeze one bubble out. And how Jay decided his younger brother had enough time with the bubble gun and took it back. And how Xav gave his typical crying face to show his immense displeasure, while Jay was amused at that expression.

This is how they interact everyday. The shared laughter and the shared toys (though not for long durations).

Memories of growing up. :)

Linking up with…

11 comments:

Sherry said...

Awww, I love your new family photo! Yes, it can be hard to get pictures all together with young ones. We have found it easier to just do it ourselves and not pay for a photographer because then we don't stress as much as we would if we were paying lots of money. We had portraits of them when they were babies, but we mostly just take our own pictures now. I really always like more "natural" shots of the kids just doing what they do anyway! :-)

Ai Sakura said...

That's a beautiful family photo :) I love anne geddes too but never took any pro shots for Lil Pumpkin when she was a baby :/ I'm catching up on lost time too this year haha.. look forward to the rest of your photos.

Ai @ Sakura Haruka

libpuritan said...

Thanks for sharing, Mommy S! :) Linked this to my Photo Marathon post. Hope you don't mind (Let me know and I'll take it down). :) And no worries, little ones are best captured when they forget about the camera. ;)

Unknown said...

@Sherry: Thanks! It IS true, getting the two boys to pose together was a backbreaking and frustrating endeavour! Haha... I am just so happy and thankful the pics turned out GOLD! :)

@Ai: Yes! I saw your shots too! So fun... hope the next time your lil gal feels better and up to taking more shots! :)

@Steph: Oh of course. I am blessed you will link me up! ;)

Anonymous said...

Your half hour was worth it. Well worth it. That's a great photo.

Unknown said...

@jesterqueen: I concur! But the hubby would probably require some MORE time to recover before agreeing to another round. So... in a year's time! Hahaha... :P

Jamie Miles said...

Great picture. It is hard making the effort to get those professional photographs taken but it is worth the time and spending the money. You'll be glad you did.

Anonymous said...

What a great picture!

Alison said...

What a great family picture!

Galit Breen said...

Your family photo is lovely!

I'm so in love with what you wrote about shared laughter and memories of growing up. I feel the same exact way - those are the moments that i most want to slow down and capture - they tug at my heart every.single.time.

I also so hear you on not doing family shots in the early days - I felt the same exact way about posed shots - but those outdoor, playing, candids? Are pure gold! Love!

Mirjam said...

It's a beautiful family picture! we don't have any of those either. I should really do that...