Julie's Boggle

Jonathan (4y 5m) and Jessica (19m) in their second school portrait setting

Just eight months on, and we have another set of school photos, this time with Jonathan in Reception class.  For the record, I was far less impressed with this photographer than with the one who did Jon’s nursery portrait.  (The guy who took that photo made it look so easy, and I have twice as much respect for his easy manner with children – it’s a gift!)

The latest school photographer didn’t seem to have any flair for interacting with youngsters, she wasn’t particularly quick off the mark with capturing her shot, and she didn’t have a helper either which made it all a lot harder for both of us!

For the shot above, Jon was quite delighted with having Jess on his back, but he quickly started wriggling madly from side to side, laughing crazily.  Good from the perspective of making Jess giggle, but not at all useful for focussing.  He wouldn’t listen to my pleas for him to stop, and the photographer’s response was to look hopelessly at me!

We did try other poses too, but the annoyance factor was definitely rising.  Jon took his opportunity to crawl off amongst the lights, wires and umbrellas behind the photographer giggling like a lunatic, and once we had him back, Jessica kept crawling towards me whenever I called out to get her to look at the camera.  (The nursery school photographer had a fluffy toy on a long stick which achieved smiles and attention in one – this one had nothing!)  Sigh.

I came out feeling shattered – not to mention guilty about the long queue of parents and children behind us who we’d kept waiting during all the mucking about – but at least we managed to salvage a picture.  Jonathan’s solo portrait (right) taken later in the day is actually a much better shot of him, but the price for one set is extortionate, never mind two.  So we took our hard-won combination photo, and here’s hoping next year’s will be easier!