They Know the Assignment
Earlier this week, I had an idea.
With fall colors in full swing here in Minnesota, I thought it would be a great time to get some updated photos of me and the boys.
It had been a while since we'd taken some nice family photos, and with the beautiful fall colors, why not?
Of course, knowing me, taking a few pictures is never quite as simple as it sounds.
A Little Planning
The day before our photo shoot, the three of us headed out to scout some locations. We walked around a few parks, looked for fall colors, and tried to find some good backgrounds.
And here's something I really appreciate about Bennett and Hudson.
They just go along with it.
I mean, they're 14 and almost 12. They have friends, video games, and plenty of other things they could be doing.
Yet when I suggest we go wander around parks looking for places to take pictures, they come along. No arguments, no begging, no bribing.
They just know it's something Dad loves doing.
After finding a few spots, we headed to Kohl's to pick out some outfits.
Now, I'm pretty sure neither of them would have chosen the sweaters and jeans I picked out. In fact, I know they wouldn't have.
But they understood these were outfits for pictures, not something I expected them to wear to school.
And once again, they went along with it.
I don't know why, but I really appreciate that.
They Know the Assignment
Photography has been a passion of mine ever since Bennett was born. It was then that I discovered just how much I loved capturing people and the moments that make life special.
Bennett and Hudson have grown up with a camera pointed at them. Whether we're traveling, exploring somewhere new, celebrating a birthday, or just spending time together, there's a pretty good chance I'm taking pictures.
They've come to expect it.
If we're driving somewhere and I see something interesting, there's a good chance I'm going to want to stop. And if I spot a cool background, they know I'm probably going to ask them to stand in front of it.
But here's what I love most.
They don’t complain about the idea of taking pictures.
Now, that doesn't mean they don't complain while we're taking pictures.
That's an entirely different story.
Bennett and I are both Capricorns, and let's just say neither of us is particularly known for backing down.
We're both stubborn, we both have our own ideas, and it's no secret that we butt heads from time to time.
So naturally, when I start telling him how to stand, where to look, or how to position himself, things can get a little interesting.
"Turn a little this way."
"No, the other way."
"Move your shoulder back."
"Can you just look at me for a second?"
Eventually, one of us gets frustrated.
Meanwhile, Bennett and Hudson are busy bickering, hitting each other, or finding some other way to be annoying.
And there I am, just trying to take some nice family photos while telling them to stop being little assholes.
You know, typical family photography stuff.
But even when we get frustrated, we work through it. Nobody throws in the towel. We figure it out, move on, and keep going.
I'm learning to be more patient when directing them, and they're learning that sometimes Dad actually knows what he's doing behind the camera.
Sometimes.
What's also been fun as they've gotten older is seeing how much more they appreciate the photos afterward. They actually enjoy looking through them and seeing how they turned out.
Maybe they're starting to understand why I spend so much time trying to get the right shot.
Or maybe they just like having some cool pictures of themselves.
Either way, I'll take it.
Just One More Stop
Today was picture day.
We got dressed in our new fall outfits, packed up the camera gear, and headed out.
We had our locations picked out, but as we were driving around, I spotted a couple of other places that looked promising.
So naturally, we stopped.
Twice.
And once again, no complaints.
Now, there's another challenge when it comes to taking family photos.
It's just the three of us, which means I'm also the photographer.
Taking pictures of Bennett and Hudson is easy enough. But when I want all three of us in the photo, things get a little more complicated.
I have to set up the tripod, frame the shot, make sure everything is in focus, set the timer, and then hurry into position before the camera takes the picture.
And of course, hope everyone is looking at the camera when it finally clicks.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
And sometimes I'm running back and forth between the camera and the boys, trying to figure out why the photo didn't turn out quite the way I wanted.
All while telling them to stop messing around.
But that's part of the fun.
And honestly, I love that they put up with it.
They know the assignment.
Two Inches
Something happened yesterday that fits perfectly with today's photos.
Hudson asked me to measure his height.
It's something we've done for years. In our previous homes, we'd find a wall, doorframe, or whatever was convenient and mark how tall the boys were getting.
Since moving into our new house a couple of months ago, our official measuring stick has become a random 2x4 in the unfinished basement.
Nothing fancy. Just a piece of lumber with a few marks on it.
Well, when we measured Hudson yesterday, we realized he'd grown about two inches since we moved in.
Almost two inches!
In just a couple of months!
It's crazy how quickly that happens.
When you see your kids all the time, you don't necessarily notice the little changes. But then you measure them against a piece of wood or look back at an old photograph, and suddenly realize just how much they've grown.
And looking through today's photos, it hit me again.
Bennett is getting so tall, and Hudson is changing right before my eyes.
They're not the little boys I used to photograph.
They're growing up.
Every time I look back at photos, that becomes a little more apparent.
I love watching them grow and seeing their personalities develop, even if those personalities occasionally involve being just as stubborn as their dad.
But there's also a part of me that wishes I could slow things down just a little.
Not forever.
Just long enough to enjoy these moments a bit more.
More Than Just Pictures
After we finished taking photos, we headed out for dinner.
Somehow, the conversation turned to when we'd last taken family photos. We tossed around a few possibilities, but none of us could really remember.
Clearly, it had been too long.
And as I started looking through the photos tonight, I found myself thinking about something.
Sure, I love photography. I love finding the right light, picking out locations, and capturing moments I can look back on years from now.
And yes, I'm probably going to take way more pictures than anyone actually needs.
In fact, I'll probably end up sharing close to a hundred photos from today.
Because, well, that's what I do.
But what I appreciate most about this experience has very little to do with the camera.
It's that my boys are willing to be part of something I love.
Think about it.
We spent yesterday scouting locations and walking around parks. We went shopping for outfits they weren't particularly excited about.
Today, we spent hours taking pictures, stopping at a couple of additional places along the way, and then went out for dinner.
At any point, they could have complained.
They could have told me they'd rather hang out with friends, play video games, or do just about anything other than stand in front of Dad's camera.
And honestly, I would have understood.
They're getting older. They have their own interests, friends, and things they want to do.
But they didn't.
Even when Bennett and I butted heads, the boys argued with each other, or Dad decided we needed just a few more photos, they stuck with it.
They may not care about the lighting or composition. They may not understand why I need 15 pictures that look almost exactly the same.
But they know photography makes me happy.
And without making a big deal about it, they're willing to be part of it.
I don't know if they'll ever fully understand how much that means to me.
But I hope they do.
Just the Three of Us
And now, here we are.
It's Saturday night.
Bennett and Hudson are playing Xbox, and I'm sitting here with them, going through the photos we took today and writing this story.
Nothing particularly exciting. Just the three of us hanging out after a really good day together.
And I can't help but smile.
When I think about today, I realize the best part wasn't necessarily the pictures.
It was everything that went into them.
Walking around parks, picking out sweaters at Kohl's, laughing, arguing, stopping at unexpected places, and going out for dinner.
And now, sitting here together at home, doing our own things but still enjoying each other's company.
Those are the moments I love.
Someday, when I look back at these photos, I probably won't remember whether the lighting was perfect or whether everyone was looking at the camera.
I'll remember spending a beautiful fall afternoon with my boys.
I'll remember how much they've grown.
And I'll remember how grateful I was that, despite having plenty of other things they could have been doing, they chose to spend that time with me.
Maybe they're so willing to go along with my photography adventures because they've grown up with a camera in their faces.
Maybe it's because they know how much I love it.
Or maybe it's simply because that's what we've always done.
Whatever the reason, I appreciate it more than they'll probably ever know.
They know the assignment.
And I couldn't ask for two better guys to do it with.
Love you guys
❤️ Dad
