Choosing to have a family photo taken with a child can lead to all sorts of interesting outcomes. Generally the child is going to be the most alive and interesting person in the photo because they still aren't sure what it's all about. These are basically "smile for grandma" shots.
The Sepia Saturday prompt this week is a family portrait of three people. So I give you three portraits, each containing three people. All of these photos were given to me by my friend Bert and one of the photos was originally posted on November 16, 2010. The first two shots are from the George Kallman estate.
I have no information on any of these people.
Click on any image to see it larger.
Posts
Love all the 'smile for grandma' shots (and I'm going to pinch that phrase to use myself).
ReplyDeleteAwesome! The baby and the father in the last one catch my eye. That baby is actually happy.
DeleteKathy M.
A super 3x3 set! Taken in order I'd say c_1925, c_1940, c_1915. What I like in these and similar photos is the contrast between the look of obvious pride in the parents and the inquisitive, slightly suspicious look of the child. By age 3 that diminishes and then disappears altogether by age 13-14.
ReplyDeleteGreat set of photos. Apart from the children it was the man's hat in the last that caught my eye.
ReplyDeleteThe child is always in the middle.the child is always held firmly!the child always looks troubled!
ReplyDeleteToo bad mom and dad #3 weren't reversed. He's so tall and she's so short even seated! But I'm not a photographer, what do I know?
ReplyDeleteI especially like the first two photos. It is sad to think that there could be ancestors out there who would love these photos but there is no way to identify who they are.
ReplyDeleteAwww, I like the third one best. The baby looks so happy. The dad in the first one looks mad.
ReplyDeleteI love the chair the mother is sitting in - so ornate!
ReplyDeleteI love all these, and you are right, they are "smile for grandma" photos for sure! Having a relatively young child myself, we have made tons of these types of pictures!
ReplyDeleteI like the first one. The composition reminds me of Kristin's rug beaters photo.
ReplyDeleteLove the stylish clothes in the first picture...especially mom's hat.
ReplyDeletevery nice looking photo. i like first two photo very much.Visalus
ReplyDeleteSo the photographer tells the subject to push his hat back so that the light will cover his face. And the subject ends up looking like Goofy. Why does he have to be wearing a hat in a portrait anyway?
ReplyDeleteGreat trio or trios!
It does seem very odd. I'm guessing that in trying to control the baby it got knocked back. That kid had to be bouncing. I'm hearing a big "Whew!" from all when it was over.
DeleteDefinitely on theme - two adults with a child and all unknown. Getting a child to sit and pose nicely for a photograph is a nightmare. I speak from experience as a teacher who has stood behind many a school photographer and 'encouraged' my charges to 'smile for grandma'.
ReplyDeleteI like that smile for grandma- which in today's age is kind of changing- or maybe I'm shooting to many photos! Not again Grandma! Ha! Ha! Great photos!
ReplyDeleteThey are all lovely photos but I like the top one best. The dress styles might help date them but you're still left with a mystery about who they are. Frustrating!
ReplyDeleteThat first image is almost so perfect you could half imagine it was posed. You can almost lip-read what they are saying. Some times it doesn't matter if we know who they are or we don't : the image has a life of its own.
ReplyDeleteYeah, haven't we ALL been in that situation,
ReplyDeletehaving to smile for the camera?!?...
That girl in that first pic seemed so annoyed.
But the parents in all three cases seem so proud.
Thanx 4 sharing!!
:)~
HUGZ
I think people always get loads of pictures done of their first child and then when later children come along they are too exhausted! At least that's what happened in my family.
ReplyDeleteThese three shots are very similar in pose, and perhaps purpose, but are so different on character, that they make a good comparison og how the portraits were achieved at various times. Interesting study.
ReplyDeleteThose children clearly are suspicious of the photographer. What funny little face they have.
ReplyDeleteNancy