Shotsnaps: Just Skip the Play-by-Play

I'm obviously not a portrait photographer, but my sister Becky needed a few pictures of her littlest twinnies. She was here (along with all seventeen of my children's cousins + their parents + my parents + Joel = bliss!) for a Memorial Day cookout, and right before she left she asked if we could try a few last-minute snaps.

Well, we tried (seventy pictures later), but little Jessica was exhausted from a long day of jumbled fun and chaos, and James was about ready to nap himself, so the results weren't what they could have been if, say, Rebecca had taken them again. Yup, clearly I am not a portrait photographer. (Also, these two munchkins truly are twins, even though Jessica's extreme daintiness makes her appear younger.)

I took a few pictures to test my settings while Becky corralled James.

And then Becky added the barrette. (It's a bad picture, but I love her expression.)

We tried hasty tricks to keep her awake. (I should have served hasty pudding, while I was at it.)

James did not want to sit still either on the floor or on the chair.

So we grabbed the milking stool. (What? Doesn't everybody have one of these lying within arm's reach?) It worked for a few minutes, as long as Becky shook things and tried to distract him

Jessica's just beginning to stand, so we propped her on the milking stool for a bit, too.

We had hopes that taking them outside would help James sit still long enough for us to get a shot of them together, but, instead, the wind lulled Jessica to sleep and the Great Outdoors tempted James too strongly. Until he woke her up.