~ Say Cheese, Damn It! ~

So many members of my family are photogenic as all get out.  I mean, it’s hard to take a bad picture of my daughter, my mother, or my husband.  Even the cats are cute at any angle.  But my son and my mother’s boyfriend, Mike Buchanan,….well….they are,… shall we say,… a challenge.

It’s not because they aren’t handsome.

It’s not because they are shy.

It’s because…..well…..they are both like Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes.

Did you ever see the strip of Calvin where his dad is trying to take a decent picture of him and each frame Calvin does something ridiculous?  At the end, his father, pulling his hair out, says he’s got one picture left on the film and to quit messing around!  Calvin, being Calvin, well, you KNOW how that ended.

That is how my Critter and Mike are in front of the camera.

Case and point:

Last Christmas morning, I just wanted a couple of nice shots of everyone before we tore into the stockings and presents.  I got some lovely pictures of Mom, Troy, and Varmint.  And then I took a series of pictures of Mike and Critter.  I’ll let the frames speak for themselves. Wait, no I won’t.  I need to help tell the story:

One, Two, Three!  Aw, Mike!  Open your eyes!

One, Two, Three.  Aw, Critter, look at Mommy, Honey.  And try to smile, please.

One, Two, Three.  Ok, um, Critter not SO much smile.  Mike, dude, try a little harder.  I tell you what, guys, let me try getting pictures of you alone.

One, Two, Three…Good Lord, Critter, you look about as natural as Joan Rivers.  And would someone PLEASE take the rubber Chicken out of the Christmas Tree?

Work with me, People.

Ok, Mike, let’s try you again.

I give up.