I think I must look at photographs the wrong way. I stare past the subject’s smiling faces to search through the little things in the background. In my childhood photo albums I look past the photo of Thanksgiving dinner to see the plump arms of my grandmother, soft as pillows. I glance over the picture of my 7th birthday to search out the blurry outline of a stuffed kitten I slept with until it disappeared, the shirt I wore each summer that always smelled of fresh cut grass, and the paneling in my old bedroom that I could always see faces in late at night. None of these things exist anymore and somehow it’s these little pieces that speak to me more than the posed pictured ever could…those little details that make up a life.
Maybe I’m the only one who sees thing in that way.
But somehow I doubt it.
Lawson Family Portrait – 2007
What about you? Are there any pictures that you treasure for what they weren’t meant to show. Are you taking pictures of the day-to-day things you might forget to treasure until their gone?…your child’s toes, your fathers hands, a scar, the tattoo you never reveal.
Show me. Post it on your blog or email it to me. Best photo/story gets an original painting by a just-turned-three year old.
{ 51 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s an AWESOME portrait.
Where is Posey may I ask? Even Hailey’s feet are cute…how is that possible?
I LOVE those photos! Did I ever tell you that if I become independently wealthy, I will open an art gallery that only exhibits shoe art; photos, sculptures, ect. I’ll be giving you a call if it ever comes to fruition.
What a wonderful thought and an even better prize. Jenny, I really wish I could be more like you.
Apparently I’m nothing like you, because all I can see are THOSE FABULOUS SHOES on your feet. What? The sandals aren’t yours?
You know what I love? I love taking photos where the “subject” is out of focus, bringing the background in sharply. I love this, I’ll have to participate if our home internet service is working, tonight.
Hee! I love you guys.
Mary – Posey would not be bothered with a photo. Everytime I’d sit him up he’d go limp like his bones had turned to jelly. Can cats get mono?
Your shoes kick ASS!! Where did thy purchase them?
(Awesome pictures.)
Love this!
The shoes (mine and Hailey’s in fact) are from Target.
Target, please send me money for plugging you.
What a great idea!
PS You have sexy ankles!
Hey, Alyndabear at http://www.alyndabear.com has Parvo too! You have a Parvo buddy!
What a cute family portrait!! Love the footsies!
A fave family pic of mine: http://www.happykatie.com/happykiddo/2007/09/love-making-fun.html#comments
It’s just the silly kind of everyday shot that makes me warm inside. Great post
Great pics and great idea!
You guys have a pet Wookie?
Jeff,
Don’t pick on Victor like that!
*snort*
You guys kill me.
Jenny,
Here’s mine.
A Moment In Time
Dude! You saw faces in the paneling, too!?
Is that a cat, dog, or Ewok with your family?
Hailey has ADORABLE shoes!
Ok, I totally want to steal this idea… because I am steal-y like that.
Steal away, my child.
your daughters shoes/feet are precious.. i love that makes me think of all the sweet child hood moments ya know?
love your shoes!!!
hairy man legs mmmm urrr yeah that
That is a totally awesome picture idea. I’m so glad I’ve been able to find such creative people in my blogging “travels” haha.
Awwww….love these! I feel better that I wasn’t the only one distracted by those great fucking shoes!
http://markira.blogspot.com/2007/09/photos-with-twist.html
Here ya go. Great idea!
I love how Haley’s feet are all pigeon-toed and her socks are all bagged at the ankle. That is so freakin’ adorable. mk
Um, Jen, were you by any chance referencing a song in your title??
PS-LOVE the pictures!
I have a few pictures on flickr of X’s muddy feet and my muddy hands from working in the garden. Last night I took several pictures of him drawing because it’s not just the final result I love, but the process he goes through.
By the way, are the pictures on the left the after and before of your waxing appointment?
How COOL is that! Love it!!!
I have a hard time staring at photographed faces too closely. So yeah I see other things.
Very cool idea.
Julie
Using My Words
YIKES!!!
IF I didn’t totally crush you before (which I did), I’m swooning now. A foot family portrait?? HOW DID I NOT THINK OF THIS????
P.R.E.C.I.O.U.S.!!!!
I’ve got a poll up right now for Fun Monday’s theme next week, and one of the choices is pics of people’s shoes (and feet)…NOW, I REALLY HOPE that’s what “wins” (go vote…go vote…go vote vote vote–polls close in less than an hour, and I’ve never been more tempted to rig something…but I won’t :/…but I wanna).
ANYWAY…I have a “last picture” of my father…and it’s exactly what you’re talking about here. But as I read your words, I thought about the ordinary things I wish I had captured when my babies were younger. Hold onto these thoughts, Jenny…they’re wonderful…:)
What a great family photo! *LOVE*
Great post. Love it.
LOVE the family portrait.
I’m definitely going to do this, but I have so many photos. I’ll have to think about this one for a bit. Do we have a time limit?
Oh & I saw faces in my closet door. Dude, there was *definitely* a witch there.
love, love that photo
I’ll dig something up tonight and let you know tomorrow 
I can’t wait to see all your entries! We’ve had some fabulous ones so far.
I’ll pick a winner next Wednesday so just get it to me by next Tuesday and you’ll be in.
Love the portraits.
Of course, Hailey wins.
I love Tar’jay shoes.
Someone needs to shave.
Where did you buy the furry slippers? Does Tar’jay sell those, too?
What a great idea, I think I would love to do something like this for our home! Thanks for the awesome idea!!!!
Great idea!
I posted mine here:
http://maternalbliss.blogspot.com/2007/09/family-portrait.html
If you can get a dog disease, then surely Posey can get Mono. Now I’m off to find a super-wide angle lens to get a picture of this ever expanding waistline.
i have a picture of my papa’s dog…pepper is in the center, and in each corner there is a foot:
papa’s, papa’s best friend’s, mine, and my precious uncle (who died in 2000).
in it, i see all the times i spent at the car lot with papa and his buddies…and how those were some of the best days of my life…
i’ll post it soon…
I have one that I love, it’s the back of me and my mom. I was about a year old and we were walking down a street holding hands. Maybe I’ll post it in a day or two. Tomorrow is Stop the Abuse Day if you’re interested. Here’s the link… http://www.troll-baby.com/2007/09/26/stop-the-abuse/
I love the shoes. I love photos in general. People, family, toes, skys, I love it all.
That’s a great idea.
I’m always careful not to crop too much of the picture out when I’m scrapbooking because of this very reason. The background stuff is sometimes more interesting than the subject!
I love it, love it, love it. My boys are pissed off now though because I keep telling them to stand still so I can take a picture of their feet.
Maybe they are related to your cat.
It’s so fun to see people’s unusual pictures.
Here’s my post:
http://icanhasnaptime.blogspot.com/2007/09/little-things.html
GOD those are cute shoes.
I like yours and Hailey’s, too, and also the dog’s. But Victor’s? HOT DAMN.
This is truly awesome! I cannot believe Hailey’s feet are even that damn cute or that your feet could be that sexy! You people are one of those perfect families everyone wants to hate but just can’t!
P.S. I love the cat one. Totally rocks.
That is a great array of feet. I like Hailey’s red shoes. I had red shoes once and I loved them. The dog feet are cute too. I need to do a family foot or shoe portrait.
My daughter has those same shoes. Uh, Hailey’s, not yours.
Here is a post I did a while ago that touches on this theme. http://mayberrymom.blogspot.com/2006/12/emblematic.html
It took me forever, but I finally finished my post (except it took three to finish it :/). The picture’s on the most recent one…
Thanks for the motivation
.
I just got the irrisitable urge to go take more pictures of my babies toes! Great motivational post.
Popular Wealth’s last blog post..The Best Blog Tools for 2008
I don’t know if you’re still taking comments on this, but I just thought I’d share a few of my favorite photos:
This one is my mom reading to my step-kids…they didn’t even know I was taking the picture. It’s the moment I really realized that she was accepting them as a part of our family. http://tinypic.com/r/2q83sk5/3
This one is my step-daughter on my wedding day…there’s something very whimsical about it… http://tinypic.com/r/1ibds3/3
Talk about moments that weren’t supposed to be seen…but I love that this captures the fun we had on my wedding day… http://tinypic.com/r/2dij1uh/3
I love photos where you’re, like, “caught being happy”, just a natural state of happiness: http://tinypic.com/r/29bzrwk/3
The kids, caught being kids: http://tinypic.com/r/2vl5km1/3
I will always and forever wonder what the heck he just whisphered in my ear to make me make this face: http://tinypic.com/r/29cuouw/3
And last one, I promise: http://tinypic.com/r/f0nl7s/3
Thank you for letting me share these with you.