Family Photos in Twenty Minutes

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Devin and Callie’s family photos are proof that it is possible to have (successful and frameable) family  photos in twenty minutes and have fun in the process.  Necessity is the mother of invention, you see.  Between my unfortunately tight schedule in Jerusalem, Devin’s work responsibilities, and two adorably cooperative but increasingly hungry and tired children, the clock started ticking before I even pulled out my camera!

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Location.  For family photos in twenty minutes, pick a location that has diverse opportunities without extraneous walking.  In our case, Callie chose the beautiful Anglican International School of Jerusalem.  All these photos were taken in one hallway, a courtyard corridor, and a manicured garden; a perfect trifecta that allowed us to change locations without more than twenty-five steps!

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Flexibility. Callie and I had never met prior to our afternoon together in Jerusalem but have become friends through our work with Kindred Grace and our mutual North Carolina roots! Before trying to take photos, then, we had a couple minutes to snack and chat at a local bakery.  Giving the kiddos a chance to warm up to the crazy photographer allows me to have a functional rapport before I begin pointing a black box at them! (Plus, that meant the kiddos got to eat, drink, and decompress after their respective school-and-play days.)

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Cooperation. Jennifer with a camera in front of kids tends to be a mix of obnoxiously crazy (“look at me! look at me!”) and patient conversationalist (“hey, let’s be friends and talk for a bit while I wait for you to do what I want you to do!”).  If the parents are cooperative and focus on following their instructions, then when the magic moment happens with the young’uns, the photo is successful and frameable –  family photos in twenty minutes is possible!

(Also: massive props to Devin for going along with my “Find daddy’s nose! Does daddy’s nose make a noise when you push it?” craziness; that series of photos is among my favorites for obvious reasons!)

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“In my mother’s house/there’s a photograph/of a day’s gone past/always makes me laugh.”
Corrine Bailey Rae

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