Well...we tried to have holiday pics done

So I spent weeks trying to find outfits for 3 that coordinated (including my 4 year old)....let me paint the scene, we go to the Mall (all kids well rested and fed)...hoping for at least 1 good shot. Everytime we put them down for a picture (my 4 year old was fantastic sitting patiently)...the twins would run for the doorway of the picture room (no door on it...just a curtain) and bolt up the hallway...repeat repeat repeat. Me and my DH were sweating by this point, so we decided to just hold them and make it a family picture....no dice there either....arching backs, squirming, crying....

We walked out without any pictures...frustrated...and kinda mad too at not being able to control/bride them. I know I shouldn't be surprised, but it was totally frustrating...and deflating...I worked so hard to try and make this a nice picture for everyone. It was terrible. I just wanted to cry.

I was so depressed afterwards and I couldn't skake it...I kept thinking...is this the way it's always going to be?? Twins running wild? Not listening? A cloud of chaos following us every where we go! Am I going to be one of those frazzled looking Mom's that is always yelling at their kids??? I don't want to be, but I can clearly see how that could happen just out of frustration.

And people wonder why I never want to leave the house with them...seriously! And that sucks...I feel they miss out on similiar fun we had with our first. I want to give them the same experiences, but God help me, it's impossible.

Better luck next year....I hope.

Ok..my pitty party is over...

 

:hug: Marlena!
I am sorry that pictures did not work out how you wanted it to. I can promise you that it will get better as they get older. I remember when we took our two for their Christmas pictures at 23 months old and my DD kept running and dancing in the studio and my DS found the light switch and climbed on a chair and kept turning it on and off. But once it came time for pictures, the photographer was able to get to their attention and distract them enough to sit still and get a couple of photos in. DH and I were totally exhausted by the time it was over. I can tell you that this year's Christmas pictures went much smoother now that they are older. Hang in there!

 

What helped us what the picture place had a bead maze toy the boys had never seen before. We put the babies in front of it and we got some cute shots of them playing with it. We also gave them their lovies so they were more willing to listen/sit with their brother.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31580678&l=ff68a9034b&id=1532973347

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31580673&l=b2cb9a9399&id=1532973347

Oh and we accepted that Henry never smiles for strangers unless they are holding a puppy dog.

 

Hey, at least you tried! :hug: I've never even tried to get Christmas pics done because it was just too much for me to contemplate. This year I'm going to try and take my guys for their first photos with Santa. :blush:

Did you actually get any pictures of everyone together, even though some are struggling and crying? Honestly, in a few years, these might be your favorites and give you a good laugh looking back.

 

We go tomorrow and I am trying to keep my hopes VERY VERY low..Sorry it didnt work out for you, I am sure I will be cussing and sweating and bitching by noon tomorrow

 

i was going to say the same thing as Valerie. sometimes the awful pictures become the most cherished. :hug: i'm sorry you were feeling so frustrated! and nope, it won't always be like this. they will begin to listen! :hug:

 

Same here. I am NOT looking forward to waiting in line at the mall tomorrow with 2 boys that won't stand still, and then trying to plop them in some stranger's lap while we walk away to get out of the picture, when they'll probably be screaming bloody murder by that point. But I think it is a right of passage for every child to have one picture of them sitting on Santy's lap with a look of horror on their face :lol:

Marlena, hopefully you can dress your kids back up in their holiday clothes and get a nice picture of them in front of the tree. We tried to get pics of the boys in their christmas sweaters with santa hats the other week and they weren't having it! But I haven't given up yet. Though we need to be getting a good Christmas pic soon (either in front of tree or on Santa's lap) because this is holding up me finishing their shutterfly calendar that I intend to give as gifts.

 

This is exactly why I've never done a sit down picture with the kids at a studio. I just know it would be a disaster and I can hardly think about it, let alone live through it. SO good for you for trying!!! My twins group has a Santa at the Holiday party so that's when I get a Santa picture--however the last 2 have been with them screaming and crying but still my favorite pictures
For our Christmas cards I've done them at home. When they were that age I did it 3 different days. It ended up being a picture from the first round that was the best and that's what we used. Last year we got really lucky and a picture taken at Thanksgiving was a hit. This year they are older and I just don't see them sitting so we went up to a beautiful area where we live and I took a ton of pictures there.
I will not do sit down so I also have hired a photographer that comes out and takes our pictures. She's wonderful and imo cheaper because I love more of the pictures and don't have to pay even if I don't like them.
Give it 3 years and we should be able to do a sit picture... right

 

I HAD to reply to this. I could have written your post! Except we took the kids at 12 months, so not quite walking yet. Total. chaos. Everytime we sat them down for photos, on the floor, on a chair, with a prop, without a prop, they cried and crawled away instantly. I must have picked them up and put them down 30 times, no joy.

We ended up leaving with no photos either, and I was sweating and embarassed. It was one of those open concept studios (Portrait Innovations) so everyone waiting saw our disaster unfold.

I am resigned to the fact that we got no holiday or 12 month photos of the kids done. I too had picked out such cute outfits, and spent time worrying, making sure kids were clean. Hilarious.

5 minutes later in the car they were happy as clams. pulling their socks off and laughing. Oy.

 

I totally get your disappointment. As moms we want to have these perfect family moments. We also want something to show our friends how great our family is. When we don't get that, it's hard to accept.

I had a similar holiday situation. I envisioned a happy family touring a tree lot, listening to carols, and finding the perfect Christmas tree. The girls arrived happy, then took one look at the chaos of people throwing trees about and had a total meltdown. To make matters worse, some darn 4-ish year old cutie, having the time of her life, ran past my screaming twinkettes with her dad at her heels ("Daddy look at this tree" *smile*). We now have a lopsided tree with a bald patch and my Christmas tree picking dream belongs to that other dad. But, my girls love our funky tree, and we've filled the hole with a really big ornament.

Point is: I totally get where you are coming from and understand your disappointment. Hopefully you can find an alternative photo that captures your family bliss. Maybe happy kiddos tearing open presents? It may not be timely to send out with the holiday cards, but it will be authentic.

 

BTDT!!! Yikes I remember those days, not fondly!
There are several years I chose the holiday cards with 3 slots so I could put a cute candid shot or each kid, not a remotely decent picture of the 3 together to be used.

I haven't done the mall pics since my twins were 15 months. I have a friend who takes great pics, I try it myself & I just found a photographer that does fun stuff at parks or our home.

Hang in there!

 

We have never done pics at a studio. I prefer to do them at home or outside. It just seems less stressful to me and I love the more natural shots. Last year it took us 4 attempts to get a decent shot. I have a friend or family member take them. We haven't tried yet this year. Maybe you could try doing an outside shot if it's not too cold outside and make it more casual. If you get a good picture, great, if you don't, that's okay, too.

 

How about (for now or for next time?) trying to find a reasonably priced photog who could do photos at your home or in a local outdoor setting? Photojournalistic style works great with active babies/toddlers/kids as it captures them as they are being themselves rather than the "posey" pictures that you must aim for at the mall. I have done both the mall photo shop and a photog at home and MUCH prefer the second and there are many great and cheap photographers that you can find online who are just starting to build portfolios and are willing to do work for a bit cheaper than bigger name photographers. Twins are always a great asset to a budding photographer's portfolio!

I would try that for your next kid or family shoot. Our best shots of all have always been ones capturing random, amazingly cute moments with a good (but not "studio") photographer.

 

I have 18 month old twin boys and a 3yr old boy. I have tried to take them into a studio a few times only to torchure myself... I have since hired a photographer to do them in our home or in the community and they have turned out so much better and it is so much more relaxed!! You may want to try that.

 

I'm glad (and I am sooo sorry) I'm not the only one! I said to my husband this morning I am ready to give up...I feel like constantlly chasing my tail in every aspect and then I cannot even get a decent Christmas picture of the 3.
Anyways, I know with everything, this is just a phase that shall pass.

 

I saw a great card that read, "Trying to wish you a very Merry Christmas", and it was a series of photos of parents and a squirming toddler, all flailing around, and it was hilarious. I thought it was brilliant to embrace the craziness of trying to get a good family photo with a toddler or two involved.

I have a great, inexpensive, photographer come out to my house and take photos outside of the girls in their Christmas dresses. I still only get individual shots, or maybe one of the girls hugging, but no group shots with everyone looking at the camera, and definitely not all smiling. I do a collage card with some individual Christmas dress photos and also a cute Halloween photo and a couple other action shots from the year that capture the girls all together.

My hat is off to you for doing the studio session. I have never been that brave...

 

My girls had no professional pics from 1 until 3 because they would never sit still long enough to have them. Our 3 year old pics were not even that great because they were done after the first few shots. This year was a great year for pics. Honestly, if I were you, I stick with doing them at home until they are more cooperative.

 

Good for you for trying. I have a 4 yr old DD and 20 month old twin boys. We have never gone to a portrait studio. It stresses me out too much. I have a photographer come to the house. Sorry it went so bad. I just remember it will get better (I think )

 

I have a 4 year old and 10 month old twins. I had this awesome christmas picture idea where we were going to have the twins in a gift box and DH, myself, and DS all around it. It was so cute in my head. It was HELL just trying to take the picture, and of course none of them turned out cute. Insteady of forcing it, I ended up sending out a card with three individual pictures. I also was in tears over it, so I totally feel your pain.

FWIW, we recently had family pictures taken outside by a professional photographer. It was much more casual and candid than the christmas picture I had planned, and they turned out amazing. She didn't do a lot of posed shots, which helped.

 

I feel your pain. I have VERY LOW expectations for any photo shoot situations. We always did pretty well with my 2 older girls but add the twins to the mix and forget it! This might actually make you feel better. My sister has 5 kids (including twins), I have 4 (including twins), and my brother has 2. Overall there ages are 11, 8, 7, 5, 5, 2, 1, 1 (my twins), and 10 month, 10 months (my sister's twins), and then a newborn (2 weeks). Yes, we were insane to try to get their pictures taken for Christmas. We had to coordinate all our schedules and meet about 45 minutes away at a portrait studio one afternoon. It was DISASTEROUS. I had to hide around the corner because my twins were hysterically crying and trying to run away. My 2 1/2 year old niece was screaming so much she almost threw up. And the photographer didn't even tell the older ones when she was taking the picture....so they aren't even smiling. There was so much screaming coming from the back room it sounded like we were at a flu shot clinic!!!! My sister and I were laughing hysterically around the corner because the situation was so funny...my sister in law was stressing out big time (with the 2 year old and newborn). Overall, I would say it was a bad idea. But we bought the picture anyway!!!! We are giving it out to my parents and all our family for Christmas tomorrow. It's going to be so funny!

Here it is:
http://www.shortstuff-ink.com/kiddos.html

I decided we were not going to even attempt a picture of my girls alone for our Christmas card so we took a non-traditional approach this year:

http://www.shortstuff-ink.com/christmas10.html

Taking photos can be sooooo frustrating. We try to just make the best of it and hope things will get better when they get older.

Shannon

 

those pictures are AWESOME! i love the WTH look on the oldest in the centre.

and that Christmas card is hilarious. those will be great memories to have. :wub: