Photo vanity conundrum. Can you help?

[bisous]

Long story short:

Grandparents requested a photo book for Christmas and SIL is making one.

We have no pics with our whole family because I just had a baby less than 6 weeks ago.

I feel super unattractive right now. I've got about 10 to 15 pounds to lose for one thing and my stylist can't get me in until Monday and my hair needs her! Picture must be submitted Saturday.

We have no photographer but could ask a neighbor to take some photos.

I'm just super bummed that this family photo will be immortalized in the book.

I'm wondering if anyone super creative can come up with a fun solution that will make me smile in future years rather than cringe! All the other families have beautiful professional portraits and we...won't.

TIA,

Jen

[vonfirmath]

How about a photo of the family from before the baby was born, with the date on it. Plus a picture of the newborn?

Or a picture of you and husband from a while ago plus a picture of the kids all together.

My daughter was almost 2 years old before we got a family picture taken. it's REALLY not a bad thing to not have a new one 6 wks post partum.

[sariana]

Do you have any kind of editing software? Could you choose a well-liked head shot of each member of your family and make your own collage? That way you can pick and choose what works best for each of you.

Another option is to take an outdoor winter shot--in which you are wearing a hat! And bulky winter clothing.

We have some really nice family pictures that were taken by family, friends, strangers, or Mr. Tripod and Mr. Timer.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i don't think a most recent whole family pic is necessary for a photobook. esp when baby is so young. i would do a previous family pic that you really like and then a bunch of pics of just the newborn, sort of to highlight that this year you added to your family.

but TBH, it sounds like you are setting an impossibly high standard for yourself. you JUST had a baby, for pete's sake :) i highly doubt that most women who have a 6 week old are back to their pre-pregnancy selves and have their hair and body all looking all perfect. when i had a 6 week old most days was just happy to have taken a shower.

[nfowife]

I bet if you wear all black and throw on some makeup, you look fabulous. Some dangly earrings and a ponytail will be cute! Let your DH hold the tiny baby and put one of your bigger kids on your lap for the picture. They will cover you all up anyhow!
Remember "the mom stays in the picture"? You will never regret taking a picture even if you are not feeling your best. Be kind to yourself, you just had a baby!

[Globetrotter]

I bet if you wear all black and throw on some makeup, you look fabulous. Some dangly earrings and a ponytail will be cute! Let your DH hold the tiny baby and put one of your bigger kids on your lap for the picture. They will cover you all up anyhow!
Remember "the mom stays in the picture"? You will never regret taking a picture even if you are not feeling your best. Be kind to yourself, you just had a baby!

Believe me.. I understand your feelings because I am the SAME way, even though I lost the weight and look ten times better now! However, it's such a precious moment. I look back at photos from that time and wish I had more. I often hid from the camera because I hated my post pregnancy body, but I didn't look as bad in retrospect as I thought I did at the time.

Can you pull your hair back, wear black and have the kids in front of you to cover your body, if that is your concern. Frankly, I used to always hold the kids so I could cover myself. I also love the idea of an outdoor photo shoot in cute winter hats! That way your body would also be covered, since that's a concern, and you could come up with some creative images. Of course, I don't know how cold it is where you are and if this is a realistic thought.

[wendibird22]

Submit a copy of the Gisele Bundchen pic going around of her breastfeeding while getting hair, makeup, and nails done and claim it's you!

[Binkandabee]

I don't think down the road you will EVER cringe at the photo. It's a stage in life and this just happens to be where you are....embrace it and take that photo.

[anonomom]

How about doing something silly like having everyone wear those glasses with fake noses, etc? It will still be a cute shot (and I assume there will be several normal photos of your kids so it's not a big deal if their faces are covered), but the emphasis would be on the joke rather than on any person's specific looks.

That said, may I gently suggest that you give yourself a break? Chances are your family doesn't give a flying fig that your hair needs to be done, they just want a photo of the people they love. And believe me that I don't say this lightly -- I spent over a decade refusing to be in photos because I was ashamed of how I looked so I know where you're coming from. I finally decided this year to screw vanity and just be in some pictures already. I cringe when I see them, but my kids and husband are really happy to have some pics with me in them.

[squimp]

Put a kid in front of you, that is my strategy! Close up shots that kind of squeeze everyone together and avoid my giant saddlebag thighs are helpful too. I am definitely not at my best weight right now, but otherwise my DD will have no proof that she actually had a mom when she looks through the photo album. I want someone to photoshop away one of my three chins! We moms give ourselves too much grief about how we look in pics. I bet your photog friend will have some great ideas.

[crayonblue]

OK, I'll tell you what I did. Took the picture and liquified myself in Photoshop. Bam! Just a bit of the fluff…I didn't take so much off that I looked fake. Just improved. :) If you want me to do the same for you, send me the picture. :)

[bisous]

Okay this is really helpful! I know I sound like I'm being hard on myself but really it is just this situation! I realize it is unreasonable to look like a supermodel after my FOURTH kid, I just wish I wasn't going to be immortalized forever in that state, KWIM?

Your suggestions are all really helpful. Luckily the album will feature candids and other shots from throughout the year. But each family is presented in a glossy big photo page so that's what we are needing to shoot.

I like the idea for something quirky--the winter outfits or the costumes. I think that is what I was thinking of but I'm just having trouble coming up with the perfect idea for our family. Winter won't work because we don't have any! I like the idea of doing fun glasses. One thing our family likes to do is have funny hat play time so that could definitely work.

I love the tips on posing and outfits. I think I can definitely try wearing black, having my hair up and wearing some earrings. That is a really different look for me and it might be fun. Maybe I can find someone to do a nice updo (I'm COMPLETELY inept with my own hair!). Putting a kid on my lap is genius. That makes me rethink where we'll shoot. We'll need to have some place to sit. (DH is a big "natural lighting" guy since we don't have a lot of lighting equipment!). DH is really good at photoshop so I do have that in my corner. I'll have to ask him about "liquefy".

Thanks again!

[AngB]

One more suggestion is to have you all lay down with your faces up on your elbows and maybe lay the baby a few feet in front of you with the rest of you looking on at the new baby? That will hide your body at least.

I feel your pain. DS2 was born Oct.26th last year. We did huge group family pictures Thanksgiving week so I was about 6 wks pp at the time and there were so many people there was no way to hide my body that well. I don't really mind those pictures now though, it is obvious that DS2 was teeny tiny and had just been born.

[onyx8]

Throw a Santa hat on everyone to cover your hair!

[indigo99]

Put a kid in front of you, that is my strategy! Close up shots that kind of squeeze everyone together .

Absolutely. Put yourself in the back. Sometimes it's easiest if you're all seated, and you can angle your legs back behind DH. Make sure that the photos are well exposed and in focus. If you really need one edited then PM pp or me, and we can make you gorgeous :D Also, some women lift their heads up when trying to avoid double chins. If you're worried about that then do a "turtle" so that you move your head slightly forward toward the camera but don't angle it up. Practice in front of a mirror so you get the feel for how far forward to go without looking weird. It works.

[MamaMolly]

Or it could be a shot taken over your shoulder ( from behind, or a 3/4 view) with you gazing adoringly at your new little one in your arms. You could even blur yourself a bit.

What about a spin on a newborn photo? You could have everyone lay down on the floor and do a shot of everyone's bare feet.

[Momit]

I bet if you wear all black and throw on some makeup, you look fabulous. Some dangly earrings and a ponytail will be cute! Let your DH hold the tiny baby and put one of your bigger kids on your lap for the picture. They will cover you all up anyhow!
Remember "the mom stays in the picture"? You will never regret taking a picture even if you are not feeling your best. Be kind to yourself, you just had a baby!

Totally agree with this. You can all load up and run to JCPenney or Picture People for a quick session - those always turn out far better than I expect.

Love the idea of posing with funny hats. Or maybe all lying on your backs with your heads close together.

[carolinacool]

I bet if you wear all black and throw on some makeup, you look fabulous. Some dangly earrings and a ponytail will be cute! Let your DH hold the tiny baby and put one of your bigger kids on your lap for the picture. They will cover you all up anyhow!
Remember "the mom stays in the picture"? You will never regret taking a picture even if you are not feeling your best. Be kind to yourself, you just had a baby!

This! I had DS on Dec. 4. A week later, I set the three of us in front of our tree and took a picture with my little point and shoot set on timer. Had to get a pic for the Christmas card! While I probably should have rethought the chunky beige cable knit sweater I had on (WTH was I thinking! LOL), I'm so glad I have that picture. I'm not particularly shy about taking my picture :ROTFLMAO: - I wish more moms could be like that!

[bisous]

Good thoughts, guys. Lol about the beige cable knit sweater. :) I have one and was considering wearing it for the pics (it is a nice color for me, in my defense!)

I'm going to wear black and start seeing what we can wear. I'll throw some silly hats together, get a couch or something to sit on and play around with posing before we start. Thanks!

[indigo99]

I'd vote for just sitting on a blanket on the ground rather than a couch so you can have your legs angled away from the camera. If you do have to sit on something like a couch or bench then sit near the edge. IME sitting with your legs coming toward the camera isn't very flattering.

[crayonblue]

I'd vote for just sitting on a blanket on the ground rather than a couch so you can have your legs angled away from the camera. If you do have to sit on something like a couch or bench then sit near the edge. IME sitting with your legs coming toward the camera isn't very flattering.

Totally!

[twowhat?]

I can't remember how many kids you have. Do you have a minivan? It might be fun to take a funny shot of everyone trying to push their way out of one side door of a minivan, and you can carry the baby football style or something.

Or something else similar to convey the "we're not pulled together right now - just had a baby". Maybe the baby in a tub on the counter and everyone else standing behind the tub with wet hair and holding various bath implements. That'd be awesome especially if the baby was crying...and there would be no expectation to look nice.

Or, put baby in a stroller on the sidewalk. Have all family members behind the stroller, running as if the stroller was a runaway. Wild hair, panicked faces, hands reaching out. Get your friend to take the shot from in front of the stroller.