Wednesday, January 8, 2020

The Crazy Graduation Photo Adventures





Okay, so my son graduates in June, and yes, there are times when I want to burst into tears about it. Last summer he had to go in and take graduation photos, mostly for the yearbook, but we had an opportunity to buy. The prices were obscene. As in over $100 for ONE pose and only a few sheets. I ended up buying one pose, because if I wanted them all it would be over $1000.



I decided I'd take photos on my own. I bought the same color cap and gown on Amazon since Tommy's won't be in for a few more months. I'm not the best photographer, mind you, but I thought I could get some great shots.

Well.




Here's the thing with my son. It can be difficult for him to look natural in photos. Some people can easily do it. Others? Well, they smile like Chandler from Friends:






So I'd be like, "Tommy, relax your face," and he'd be like:





"No. Just look natural."




"Okay, better, but smile with your teeth! We paid good money to get them straight."





"Okay, now Tommy, you're starting to look crazy again. Please try and look normal."




"I mean. That's...better? How about we go for a serious look?"





"You look annoyed."

He was all, "I am, a little bit. How much longer?"

So I went, "Okay, smile with teeth."




"Can we try again with your baby photo? Smile with your teeth."




"Tommy! No. Relax!"



"Okay, son, it looks like you're pooping."




"Okay, let's change locations, maybe that'll help."





"Tommy, you're looking annoyed again."

"I AM! I'm tired of all these photos! Can I go inside?"

"Almost. A few more."




"Please relax so I can get a good shot of you with your baby photo."





"Okay, fine, let's try another shot."

"I'm over this."





"I know, please, just a few more. Look excited!"




"Nice! How about we do a few when you throw your cap in the air."





Which was a mistake, because we lost his year lanyard briefly. It flung off somewhere, so then we had to search for it. We found it under my car.




I asked him to look excited again and he was all:




I asked him to do a "looking up laughing pose" and he was all, "Why? I don't find anything funny," and I told him people do it all the time on Instagram and he was all, "But why?"

"I don't know son, they just DO!"




I told him he could be done after that, and he was thrilled.

"Finally! Geez!"

I did manage to get a few "not homicidal looking" shots.







But you know, I think I'll be using most of the silly ones. Because it's who he is.



48 comments:

  1. This had me laughing! I think these pictures do show his personality.

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  2. I LOVE the photos! Here kids do senior photos, which are just a regular photo session, over the summer and those go into the year book. Then in June parents can do cap & gown pics or whatever they want.

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  3. Graduation photos are so important and my kids both just graduated last spring. My daughter had a makeup session right before to prepare and luckily everything came out well.

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  4. The photos you took tell a story, and that is so much more important than just a pose in a year book. It sounds like you had fun shooting them as well. :)

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  5. I love this post so much! My daughter is graduating this year and I hadn't thought of it, but what a great idea to just take my own photos! Also, it's my 11 year old that I struggle to get a good photo of. I totally understand and I just post his crazy faces too. :)

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  6. OMG. Yes, this how it was with my nephew and me, because his mom thought he'd behave better with me. NOT. I got into the teen crazy looks, too. However, like you, I snuck into some really thoughtful looks.

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  7. He is hilarious! You will treasure these for a very long time. My son is 31 and it's the ones like those that I love the most.

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  8. This is how my youngest smiles. He too like Tommy does not cooperate for photos

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  9. These photos are so great! I love the ones of him holding his baby picture! That is so bittersweet for sure.

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  10. These pictures made me smile so big and I really needed that today. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us!

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  11. omg these photos HILARIOUS LOL....CONGRATS.......I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU.

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  12. Haha oh my gosh yes! So relatable. I think the one with the tassel on the nose is one of my faves. Reminds me of something I'd do >_< :D

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  13. I'm loving all these photos. They are so great. It's crazy how quick they grow up. Mine have a ways to go yet before they graduate, but I know it will come quick.

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  14. I love them all! The only one you missed was him copying the face in his baby picture.

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  15. Great Post! I know with my kiddos the funny pictures are the ones I end up loving the most because it truly reflects are their personalities:)

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  16. These are the best graduation photos ever! I love them. So cool that you took some, I have one graduation photo, that's me in my gown on the town common shaking the hand of the man handing me my diploma. No. Other. Photos. Glad you did this for your family, so awesome!

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  17. All of these are wonderful photos! The funny ones, the serious ones - the point is, he's so happy in all of them. I always get my partner and I to take a nice one and then pull faces because it's out love language lol.

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  18. The struggles of getting a good photo with the kids. I know, we had this with our oldest when he graduated middle school.

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  19. Your son seems like an awesome kid! Also, great idea getting the cap and gown off amazon to do a photo shoot with.

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  20. Oh my this post made me laugh because it reminded me of my son doing the same thing when I took pictures of him when he was graduating. And yes mom, you will cry. Many joyous tears.

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  21. This made my day! I love ALL of his photos that you took! (First off, genius on ordering the cap and gown off of Amazon). He reminds me so much of my son. Brady does the exact same thing in photos haha!

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  22. I needed that laugh! It's cute how he was trying to please you though. I think you did a great job with the pictures! Having a sense of humor is a wonderful quality, so good for him and his silliness!

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  23. Congrats on graduating, Tommy! I love all the poses and I know you'll cherish these as you look back on this time in his life.

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  24. Mama Maggie's KitchenJanuary 10, 2020 at 5:57 PM

    Aww..Looks like he's really having fun taking these adorable photos. Loving these shots so much!

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  25. He is really enjoying the photo shoots These are really fun photo shoots. Love it.

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  26. Photos can be such a tough thing! I hear you about trying to find that elusive perfect shot..

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  27. Haha these are so fun. It's definitely a great day

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  28. That is definitely the in thing when taking graduation photos, the crazy and funny, the memorable it can be. Thanks for sharing this to us.

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  29. I love this! Congrats for graduating Tommy. I can't believe how expensive graduation photos are! I'm so glad that you have these pictures - Tommy has a great sense of humor!

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  30. Photos can be complicated thing at times. These are si unique and funny, I bet you both had a blast taking them.

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  31. I was planning on taking my oldest sons senior pictures. But once covid happened, we got sidetracked. I was able able to take photos with my good camera when he graduated. We did a personal graduation and I’m glad we choose that option.

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  32. I love some of those expressions! Tommy cracked me up and you're comments were hilarious. Looks like you're pooping. lol

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  33. I am incredibly happy you made this fun. I love all of the different things you asked of Tommy. I am glad he played along.

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  34. This gave me such a good laugh! I could also relate to this because I'm a professional photographer and I get clients going through this same situation with companies that just charge way too much for senior photos. But these pictures you took of your son are worth so much more!! I could only imagine how fun it was to capture them!! ��

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  35. I am so happy for him. Graduation photos are bitter sweet.

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  36. I’m so happy for Tommy! He did a great job with the photos.

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  37. C'mon Mom you got some great shots with personality!! Congrats Tommy!

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  38. Great photos! They are all beautiful even if they are a little crazy, but this the beautiful part. Love them all!

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  39. Aww... he looks sooo handsome on those photos. He is really enjoying those moments when he is on his graduation gown.

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  40. Honestly though, this is like trying to take a picture of my husband LOL. Congrats again on this milestone for him! and you :-)

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  41. Nice pics! Haha I love every poses he made. He's so charming.

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  42. Yay congrats! Graduation is such a fun time, it's great to create these fun memories.

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  43. I love all these photos. They are so great. Such fun ones too. Congrats to him!

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  44. Your son is so expressive and cool in his pics. You did a great job on taking the pics.

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  45. These photos made my day!!! Love how fun they are shows he has a great personality!!!

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  46. I think you did an amazing job taking all of these photos! Congratulations to your son, so exciting!!!

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  47. I like the one best that is smiling and close up. All of them are great and seem fun.

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  48. These photos are absolutely adorable

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