Photo shoots in our household

Getting a small child to cooperate for a photo can be such the struggle... look at the camera, sit still, AND smile at the same time.... This often feels like quite the feat for any child birth through 5, especially if they are boys! :-P~  Multiply this times three and it is merely impossible.  At least one is antsy and can't sit still for a millisecond (aka Justin), one sometimes tries a little too hard and the smile looks forced (aka Kaylin), and the other will smile up a storm UNTIL the camera comes out (yep, you guessed it, Evan).  I thought I'd share the process it takes to attempt at finding one decent photo of all three children, sometimes successful, sometimes not so much.

First task: a photo with children bearing smiles and Ravens shirts for PopPop

Attempt #1- Evan is still getting warmed up to the idea of sitting on the couch with bro and sis, "What's going on here?":

 #2- oooooo Kaylin and Evan looking cute.... oops, Justin, remember, look at the camera!

 #3- Evan getting silly and wiggly.... Kaylin and Justin cracking up

 #4- Are we done yet??  Haven't you taken enough pictures already?

 #5- Losing a little focus.... pay attention, pay attention!

 #6- Looks like the big kids have had enough already, but Evan is just getting started!

 #7- Three smiles, three children looking at the camera- this is as good as we're going to get!!  Success!!

Next task: Christmas card photos.  Why do these always seem like the most difficult?  We tried and tried... I tried keeping the flash turned off since photos always look nicer with natural light... but there just isn't enough light in the basement.  So, I took some with the flash and some without.... My most favorite one with them all looking at the camera and smiling didn't quite turn out since Justin was a little blurry (the child can NOT sit still for the life of him).  The flash was off, requiring a slower shutter speed... hence... blur.  Oh well... I ended up using it anyway, along with one of the others.  Can you guess which one? ;)