This past weekend, my family and I tried to get a decent portrait. So many pictures. So much chaos.
No one can ever smile at the same time. And if they do, the smiles are creepy or weird. Someone inevitably blinks when the camera clicks. Another person is looking away. Someone's fussing with their hair. Stand still. Put your hands down. Then the frustration sets in. Grumpy faces and sneers. Finally, exhaustion.
This is how I feel when it comes to writing. (Because everything I do, I compare to writing!) Your characters are not going to cooperate. One of them is doing what he's supposed to be doing but then another is off screwing things up. Two people are growling at each other when they're supposed to be a couple. It's especially difficult when you have a big cast of characters. How do you get them to do what they're supposed to do?
Take multiple pictures.
Yup. That's the one and only trick. Keep rewriting until it's right.
Eventually everyone will be looking at the camera, standing still, and smiling nicely. Okay, someone might be fidgeting and there might be an odd twinkle in another person's eye, but the tiny quirks are okay. Keep those. That's what makes it unique.
Nope:
Almost.
Wait. We regressed and lost two smiles.
Yes?
Hi Christine - I can feel your 'pain' .. I hate my photo being taken! But those are lovely ... the "Almost" one is the best I think .. it looks like you're all having fun ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThose photos are hilarious! Or rather, your captions. Yup, you can't get it in one shot. Takes many. And the more people, the more shots you need.
ReplyDeleteand just like that you have a Christmas card :O)
ReplyDeleteYou all look great! We just did family pics too, and w/four grandchildren getting tired & cranky, we took what we could get. =)
ReplyDeleteMy partner hates taking photos and ruins every single one on purpose. Loved the captions. And it's a great way to think about writing.
ReplyDeleteI've pretty much given up with taking pictures of my brood, the faces they make. I can't even get them to cooperate. Very discouraging!
ReplyDeleteYours are truly lovely!
I love the picture progression; it's adorable.
ReplyDeleteI'm taking that tactic in my draft this time around, sort of. I just keep writing scenes, no going back, just writing the same scene but differently. I'll figure I'll go back when it's done and see if I have anything. :)
You made me laugh this morning. I remember the days when the kids were little and they would all make those fake smile faces. The last one is a winner for sure.
ReplyDeleteCute final photo! :)
ReplyDeleteNone of the characters in my NaNo novel are happy and smiling right now. But that's a good thing, considering their situation.... :)
And remember to EDIT. The beauty of modern day picture taking (and writing) is that you can rotate out heads. As long as you have all previous drafts, you have a TON of material to work with.
ReplyDeleteAwesome thoughts.
But if only writing was easy as snapping another picture.
ReplyDeleteTaking family photos sounds stressful - think I'd rather redraft a story.
ReplyDeleteHa, yeah, we haven't had a family picture in years. In fact, we don't have one with my son in it. :)
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful family, and now you have a lot of pictures to remind you of all three of you together!
Very accurate analogy, Christine! But yes, as in your photos, when you do multiple takes (or revisions) you do get it on the money!
ReplyDeleteLOL! As a pro photographer, that's exactly why I take multiples of every shot. Someone always has a tongue out or something. The last one of your family is very sweet.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos!
ReplyDeleteWriting is sometimes like a photo gone wrong. Sometimes it's the perfect shot. Great analogy.
If I have a large cast, side characters sometimes have a habit of wandering out of the picture altogether. Definitely hard to keep them all in line. The last picture there is very nice.
ReplyDeleteUgh, family pictures. These are cute, though, even if they aren't perfectly what you're looking for. Even worse is when kids grow into the fake smile phase. My son's still in it at 10. My daughter still genuinely smiles at 8.
ReplyDeleteCharacters can be such a pain in the booty. Just do what I want you to!
OMG to family pictures--every single time you have any group together, it'll take a thousand snaps to get a picture everyone's happy with! Even then, you'll post it on Facebook and tag everyone and some of them will remove the tag because they think they look fat or old or whatever.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one that can never seem to get everyone together for that perfect family picture. It was even more hilarious back in June when we were trying to get a photo of my Nana with her four great grandchildren. Oh the screaming!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain, not only in taking family photos, but in writing!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those who blinks or looks high because I'm halfway through a blink. LOL I love ghetto autumn woodsy background of th he first photo. :) And the metaphor for writing is so true. We'll go through many drafts, rewrites, and edits before our stories are picture perfect.
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those who blinks or looks high because I'm halfway through a blink. LOL I love ghetto autumn woodsy background of th he first photo. :) And the metaphor for writing is so true. We'll go through many drafts, rewrites, and edits before our stories are picture perfect.
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite pictures were the messed up ones. Life isn't perfect, so fictional life shouldn't be either.
ReplyDeleteYou guys look happy. That's the most important capture the camera can get.
I take a ton of pictures until I get a good one. This is an apt analogy.
ReplyDeleteFun photos! It's been a few years since I've had to deal with the pain of having my picture taken, I think. LOL. Also, really loving the analogy! I've dealt with uncooperative characters for far too many projects... XD
ReplyDelete