The Making of a Hartley Family Photo

Sans help and with baby.

2 days prior to Easter
"Rob, I'm really excited about our first family Easter picture"


1 day prior to Easter
"Husband, I can't wait to take our picture tomorrow, Aren't you excited?"
-Blank stare from husband

Easter Morning
"Now, you know, I'm going to want a family picture today."

Easter After Lunch and guests have gone home
Me:"We didn't take our picture. Should we go ask the neighbors to take it, find somebody in the park or just set the timer and do it in the dining room?

Rob: "What?, a picture? Now? But look at me and my boy, we're so comfy on the couch"
-Blank stare from me

Rob: "Let's just take it in the dining room."

I'm okay with this because PA has some crazy plant that's blooming right now and sending my nose into a great allergic spasm.

I set a small table on top of the dining room table, not tall enough. Coffee maker on top of the small table, ugh, still not tall enough. Hmm, recipe box on top of the coffee maker on top of the small table. Okay we're in business- a little wobbly but okay.

Test shot of me pretend-holding baby.

Time Out - Baby spit up all over Easter Outfit and cries. Baby cries hard.
Rob reconfigures my set up and test shot while I clean up baby and my shirt.


The next attempt not shown due to how close I am to dropping Eli (No babies were harmed in the making of this photo). At this point, Rob is still in his T-shirt and jeans.


Me: And now, You're going to have to pretend like you like us.

Rob: Where did my head go?

Me: I think the baby should at least be facing the camera


Amazingly enough, for the next 5 auto-timed pictures Eli faces the camera until the last 2 seconds, despite my best efforts to keep his head turned outward.

Me: Take 17? Good Enough. We're done.