2010/272
I guess the real question shouldn’t have been “what would you do for a Klondike Bar?”, it should have been “what would you do with a Klondike Bar?” and my answer is bribe my children to let me take some portraits for Scott’s latest assignment.
Yup, that’s how I got these photos: bribery! (And not ashamed to admit it!) Both pictures were taken on my front porch on a sunny afternoon, but on different days.
As you can see, her personality just shines through!
The typical teenager, just wanting to get this over with, because getting your picture taken is so NOT cool! And that look on her face? It means You did not just tell me to sit down on that dirty porch!!
The 7-year-old, who was watching TV, when I dragged her outside for a little photo shoot. Bored, and ready to go back inside and get back to watching TV. Are we done yet, mom?
The Daily Click 
LOL that is just too funny. Sara is looking so grown up!! I like the lighting on Sara a bit better, makes her look just gorgeous!! Melissa scares me….LOL I know she is sweet, she is just hiding it. 🙂
29. September, 2010 at 06:59
I bet you’re really looking forward to your kids becoming teenagers! 😉
Melissa is sweet when she wants to be.
29. September, 2010 at 07:25
LOL! so funny! They are great though, I think it’s the perfect example that a person doesn’t need to be smiling to make it a nice portrait. While I love the light/coloring, I think b&w would add to the “moodiness”….then I’d print them HUGE and slap these on the wall, maybe next time they’ll smile 😉
29. September, 2010 at 07:14
Exactly, Doreen! I’d rather get something like this than a fake smile.
I did think about converting them to b&w, but then decided against it. Kinda ran out of time, too, since I didn’t edit Melissa’s until yesterday and I had to get the post scheduled.
29. September, 2010 at 07:28
These are real portraits, showing personality – not just disarmingly smiles. Lovely. I wonder how you managed to make them pose, though….I would like the recipe 🙂
29. September, 2010 at 08:36
They didn’t have a choice and HAD to pose for me… they did get an ice-cream bar! 😉
I wanted both of them to sit on the porch, Sara sat on the step, and Melissa didn’t want to sit at all because she didn’t want to get her clothes dirty, and just squatted down and hugged her knees.
29. September, 2010 at 11:54
Great expressions! I would have even let you take my picture for that Klondike bar.
29. September, 2010 at 11:36
Really?? Would I have gotten that same kind of expression from you, too? 😉
29. September, 2010 at 11:54
LOL… Those expressions are priceless, and I think in a few years time you might be able to use these shots for the purposes of bribery too… lol…
29. September, 2010 at 13:05
Or embarrassment! The boyfriends won’t be seeing nakey baby pictures, they’ll get to see bratty teenager pictures! 😀
29. September, 2010 at 15:22
Well done. You’ve captured their personalities in good light. The 7 yo’s needs a little more head room which is my only quibble.
Won’t be long before the oldest one will want to spend a lot of money on her Senior portfolio. When photos become cool again. ;;-)
29. September, 2010 at 15:15
I disagree about the head room. That would have centered her eyes too much and I wanted to avoid that. Rule of thirds! 😉
29. September, 2010 at 15:21
I love the personality in these shots. Your 7 year old (Sara, right?) looks like she is trying to act all grown up like her big sister.
29. September, 2010 at 21:47
Oh yes, definitely! She wants to BE Melissa and will even come when I call Melissa’s name LOL
29. September, 2010 at 21:51
I do not like repeating what others have written, but there is not much to add. I really like the way you captured their mood. That is portraiture!
Well done Michaela.
30. September, 2010 at 00:47
Thank you, Carsten.
30. September, 2010 at 05:16
These are so cute in a brooding moody kind of way! I never knew 7-year-olds could do such good imitations of 13-year-olds. I remember when my stepdaughter had her senior portraits done and in maybe 40 different poses, there were only 2 smiles. Those were the poses we ordered! Her grandmother went the other way and ordered a folio with 8 pictures, all looking kind of pouty because that’s how she will always think of her as a teenager!
30. September, 2010 at 08:04
Thank you, Jennifer!
Sara has always idolized/worshipped Melissa, so the copying and imitating started a long time ago.
Melissa is 14, btw. and if I said anywhere that she’s 13, she’s going to be SO mad when she sees it!!
Senior pictures are just a few years away, and we’ll see if she’ll even agree to get them taken. We might have to get duct tape involved – pink, I’m sure! 😉
30. September, 2010 at 08:16
These are FABULOUS Michaela! I just happen to be one of those people who really like it when you can capture the ‘real’ portrait. The first one is exactly what Mel is thinking and feeling RIGHT NOW. No toothy smiles, no pretending.
And Sarah, well, she is just trying to act all grown-up and serious-like. I love the lighting and comp on her. Just perfect. I think there is plenty of headroom as you’ve not only followed the rule of thirds BUT also, a great artist comp rule that we prefer more negative space at the bottom of a photo than at the top (generally speaking – of course I’ve seen this comp rule broken successfully).
It is portraits like this that your girls will look back and chuckle about when they are older!
30. September, 2010 at 16:55
Thanks so much, Tracy! 😀
You know, when I take pictures (or process them afterwards) I don’t really think about the rules, and just go by what’s most pleasing to the eye. 🙂
30. September, 2010 at 17:06
Great portrait shots, your daughters a beautiful 🙂
30. September, 2010 at 22:13
You captured the portraits of your girls very well. The expressions of their feelings and personalities are so fine.
1. October, 2010 at 05:18
I didn’t wanna sit on the porch cuz it was dirty and there’s bugs a webs and stuff. yechh!(shudders)
And I didn’t know I had to sit on the porch so thats why I only changed out of my polo and not my pants, so my clothes got all dirty! grrrrr…
4. October, 2010 at 19:25
Beautiful shots, beautiful girls…If I were dad, that shotgun would be cleaned regularly whenever a boy came over. Sorry snaphappymel.
I struggle with that head room thing. It really is tough to decide where to crop the top.
6. October, 2010 at 09:09
Thanks, Michael. Thankfully, no boys yet, and the one she’s interested in doesn’t live anywhere near Texas.
6. October, 2010 at 18:59
I always enjoy it when you make portraits of your daughters, and these are particularly well-done! Wonder if Rob the Firefighter is too old to fall for the Klondike Bar thing . . .
6. October, 2010 at 17:53
Aww, thank you Gerry! 🙂
(Don’t know who Rob the Firefighter is, though)
6. October, 2010 at 19:00
Lol, I had to do the same thing and even that I can’t get a smile. 🙂
6. October, 2010 at 21:30