I am a photographer and, as such, I have a very hard time handing my camera over to someone else and asking them to take photos for me. Or of me. In my head I always know the shot I want and I can generally achieve it. But when I give the camera to say, Dale, and try and get him to create what’s in my head . . . well . . . it doesn’t always go smoothly.
Take, for instance, the other day. I asked him to photograph me with my awesome new knitting mug that I got at Pier 1 Imports. I knew you’d all want to see it and I figured he could handle taking a photo similar to this one I took of Patrick last summer.
Here is his first attempt.
Yeah. Not exactly what I meant. The entire frame is focused and the background isn’t blown out at all. Plus there’s the whole squinting into the sun thing.
Let’s try again.
This is better but still not what I want. The mug isn’t big and in the middle of the shot and I’m still too in focus.
So I took the camera back and gave it a hug and a kiss and shot one of Dale, showing him just where to stand and how to frame the shot.
See? Like this. Now you take one just like that of me.
Ready?
Sigh. No, no, no. The mug, honey. It’s the mug that’s supposed to be the subject of the photo. I guess it’s sort of flattering that he keeps trying to focus on my face.
Okay, let’s try again.
This is certainly the best he did but still not exactly what I wanted. And he cut off the top of my head.
Sigh.
You know what? When you want something done right, just do it yourself.
There. I feel so much better now.
LOL! love that mug, too!
So funny! LOVE the mug. (I’m going to check out my local Pier 1 and see if I can find one for myself!) I also love that Dale wants to take the shot of YOU. . . not the mug! This also happens when Tom is taking photos of me in my knitting projects. I always have to say, “Honey. The SWEATER.” XO
“Mug” is slang for face, right? So he was focusing on the mug … the one HE’S fond of!
Thanks for the early morning chuckle!
LOL! My pictures look more like Dale’s, but I wish they looked more like yours! DH found our camera manual this weekend so I’m hoping to become better acquainted with it. Now that we’ve had it for 5+ years….
I’m probably more like Dale…LOL! I have a mug something like this from Starbucks. It lives on my desk.
Glad you were still laughing at the end! 😉 And there are a few great mugs in those pictures!
At least Dale was willing to try. He’ll learn if you give him enough practice. A see a little control freak coming out in you. LOL
My shots definitely would look way more like Dale’s than yours, much to my chagrin. Of course, I do agree with Ruth that he was shooting the mug he loves 😉
At least you didn’t ask him to try to knit!
DH and I had a good chuckle this morning – thanks.
I think the moral of this story is that YOU are the object of his affection, not that mug. ;^) The boy can’t help himself.
Pier 1, hmmm? Rushing there. I have one knitting mug from Starbucks that I won’t let anyone use including myself, and a sort of knitted candle holder thing from Bed and Bath. AND (tada) photorealistic cable knit flannel sheets from Garnet Hill. It’s possible that I might be going into a too-muchness.
Lol! That’s the pattern from the Starbucks mug I have from a few years ago. Love the tapered look on yours.
Oh that is adorable. It’s funny how as a photographer you see things differently. I would have taken the same shots Dale did! Great mug by the way:-)
Love the mug and all the effort put into getting the right picture.
This post it like a public service annoucement for knitters. Everyone needs that mug!
Don’t ya know…boys don’t take direction well. But, he gave it a good try. Loved the morning crack up!
Love the wordplay, the adorable mug, that cute cup and Dale’s helpfulness. BTW – as an aside – that one mug is sure slimming down – would it be because it’s a Running Mug? If I thought the “slender” look was a result of Dale’s Photo Skills, I’d say you should set him up in business (kinda the anti-the-camera-puts-10-pounds-on-you approach to portraiture)! But I suspect that your lifestyle changes are showing in your slender and younger-looking mug too! Way to go!
Love it!!! My DH simply hasn’t messed with the current camera (Canon EOS) enough to get the hang of it, and rarely gets what I want, but he does try 😉
Like Manise, I was reminded of my Starbucks mug from a few years ago!
As for the photo, a big difference that I can see is that there is more distance between Dale’s face and the mug than between your face and the mug — settings & framing play, too, but those last two of you would be darn close if your arm was as stick-straight as his. Also, he’s taller than you, so the perspective is going to be ever-so-slightly different — you’re shooting slightly up and he’s shooting down (lawn furniture).
You gotta love a man who loves his woman! As photographers Dale and I are in the as league. I now have coffee mug envy…..time stalk Pier One.
Love it! I think we will all be rushing to our local Pier 1s today!
You are the photographer in the family!!
If nothing else, I bet you both had a good laugh! The mug shots are all terrific as each subject was pleasing to the eye!
Great mug! Yeah, both you and the cup 😉 Srsly, though, at one point I thought that was Hannah holding the cup.
my wife is a photographer and i still struggle to explain what i’m looking for when she shoots my knits and stuff. sigh. apparently i need to assign her some blog reading. at least she does it for me!
love the mug!