Say CHEESEy!

Our church has decided to update the membership directory and has been urging all members to make appointments to have their portraits taken with the photography company they've contracted with locally.  Members are asked to sign up for an appointment, and the family shows up at their alotted time over the course of a few weeks.  The family portraits will be included in the new directory, along with contact information, etc.

We've been dreading this event.  It's the typical song and dance, the followup "pressure" session to get you to purchase their "packages," none of which I have EVER liked for a host of reasons. 

• Why must they ALWAYS use BLUE backgrounds?  Is there a law?
• Everyone always looks posed and held hostage.
• At least one of the subjects has a goofy smile.
• The lighting is always bad.
• The colors always too bright.
• Posed huddles are just -- well, unnatural?
• Why must we have our hands strategically placed on each other, little group hug gesturing?  I live with four men.  They never "touch" each other.  This is a big clue that screams "FAKE."
• Who sits on stools to have their photos taken?  Stools?  Why must we sit at all, for that matter?
• This is especially painful for teenagers, thus the smiles are always forced and painful.

We attended our session.  We huddled, and touched, and grimaced smiled, and laughed on cue at all the tacky jokes the photographer rattled off (if only he knew it was making it even more difficult to make our smiles look natural), and after what seemed like an eternity, the torture came to an end, and we dutifully went to the next room to choose our pose for the church directory.  We heard the typical sales pitch, the "deals" they were offering, hoping we'd buy hoards of photos and packaged assortments. 

REALLY?  Uh, no thanks.

We chose our directory pose, agreed to buy two 5x7's, then ran for our lives outta there.

Can you say…

CHEESEY?