We're all familiar with how hard it is to photograph kids. So goes the famous saying: never work with kids or animals. There's a couple of categories, I think, that the frustrations for the photographer fall into and were all present during Chillax testing.
1. Sewing-mummy child abuse
If it's not jabbing your child with pins, or having them unexpectedly step on one (yep it's happened!), us sewing mummy's like to expose our models to arctic temperatures while capturing our summer sews out of season. And yet we still cry out, "Put your arms down! Look relaxed!!"
2. The unexpected prop
We usually have our own ideas about which props will make a good photo. But then sometimes our kids have their own ideas too. Cathie's son insisted on the windmill for e.v.e.r.y. photo (280 to be exact)! But I love that he still looks non-plussed.
3. The assistants
How may of us employ our other kids to help out on the shoot? But it would be better if they knew how to stay out of the frame! In our house, the whole production team bargains for payment in treats!
4. When model calls it a wrap.
This series explains it all.
5. That tongue
My daughter is a pro at sticking her tongue out in every photoshoot I attempt. Pity she wasn't a Chillax model otherwise I'd have a whole collage to show you, but it didn't go amiss in Marnie and Serena's shots.
Do you know what, there are more categories than this... I've just realised my daughter is an expert at photo shoot sabotage compared to the 25 tester's photos I've just reviewed. Perhaps, we will have our very own out-takes post when she models the next pattern :)
--- Article written by Nicola Falconer for Tadah! August 2015 ---