What is it with boys and pictures?

3.21.2012


I've been annoying Jordan with pictures for almost three years now. Pictures of us at dinner, in our apartment, walking to the mailbox. You know, the exciting parts of life. But despite my attempt to get him to understand that I am obsessed with pictures and will always be this way, he still rolls his eyes and sighs and acts squirmy when I pull out my camera.

To his credit, he does usually let me take the picture, but it's only after I remind him that he loves me and that this is the only day in our lives that will ever be this day again. (This worked extremely well on our honeymoon; I just kept saying, "But this is the only honeymoon we'll ever have" in a dramatic voice, and he crumbled like a graham cracker.) So this whole time I've been assuming it's just him who's weird about the whole picture thing because he's shy and because I am loud and have embarrassed him many times in public.

My illusions were shattered this weekend when my brother Daniel was here visiting. We fed him and took him to a Thunder game and played games and in general showed him what a good time you can have in OKC. And--this being the first and possibly only time my brother will ever come to visit us--I busted out the camera for the purpose of solidifying these precious moments forever, never thinking that my own brother--who is not at all shy--would get squirmy. 

Still, though their initial reaction was a roll of the eyes, both Jordan and Daniel were good sports about it, and they eventually took the picture with minimal grumbling.

But...awkward much?


Note: this picture was taken after I gave them a fair amount of warning. This is the pose they chose to assume after hearing me say, "Okay, stand together and smile." They are neither standing together nor smiling in a non creepy way.

I glared at them and told them to regroup. What emerged is clearly not a great picture either--for Jordan, anyway. (He's going to kill me for saying that and also for posting this in the first place.)


Then at the game, I wanted my brother to take a picture of the three of us. He has the longest arms ever, so I figured this would be easy for him. Not so.

Daniel managed to cut his own face off while thoughtfully including a nice shot of Awkward Lady sitting a few seats down the row. I suppose technically she's not really that awkward in this picture (except for the fact that she looks kind of sad), but her husband was (awkward, that is, not sad), so that makes her awkward too. Awkward Man sat next to Jordan and kept shouting unintelligible things at the players. Normal shouting and cheering is encouraged at basketball games, but when you're sitting 10 rows from the top of the stadium, shouting an individual player's first name over and over just isn't necessary.

Anyway... in conclusion to my original question about boys and pictures, my findings are thus: boys neither like taking pictures nor being in them. Nor are they able to take a decent picture without coaching and/or a second attempt.

Being someone who loves pictures of all kinds, this is something I cannot fathom. If I'm honest with myself, however, I admit that I knew this about boys and pictures. And I suppose I should accept it, but I can't. The camera is here to stay, so the boys in my life better just get used to it.


(And yes, warning was given for this picture too.)




Black and White Wednesday
Unknown said...

LOL! I love randomly awkward shots of people I don't know!

We are having a black and white photo contest over at my blog.

http://likechristmaseveryday.com/2012/03/black-and-white-wednesdays-maddy.html

You should enter!

Anonymous said...

Wow, this is a ridiculous amount of proof against the men. I too have a man who is more than a little afraid of the camera, resulting in multiple attempts of the same shot until he can manage a smile that DOESN'T look like he's being subjected to Chinese water torture.

However, I would like to point out your error in thinking Jordan should be used to your picture-crazed tendencies by now, given that you've been this way since you met. I just want to remind you that him knowing that (or being used to it) doesn't automatically change the fact that he dislikes it.

And, to be fair, look at it the other way as well. After all this time you too should be used to the fact that he doesn't like it and will sigh and roll his eyes and throw up his arms every time you pull out the camera. Right?

I like how, on your black & white days, you always include a color photo too, kind of just like, "Eff you, rules. I do what I want on my blog." I could be wrong about the fact that you always do it. Maybe you've never done it before today. I don't know. But I'm going with always.

-A

Ketrin Jones said...

haha love the call out to that lady in the background. I just posted about the Austin Rodeo and there is this picture with this girl smiling in my photo. like up right beside us.. it is so weird.

& Guys.. ugh why must they be that way with pictures. I need to try your charm with Tiel & make him crumble :)

Happy Wednesday!
xoxo

Ketrin Jones said...

haha love the call out to that lady in the background. I just posted about the Austin Rodeo and there is this picture with this girl smiling in my photo. like up right beside us.. it is so weird.

& Guys.. ugh why must they be that way with pictures. I need to try your charm with Tiel & make him crumble :)

Happy Wednesday!
xoxo

Melanie said...

Hahaaa... you are so cute! Girl, you must have a great glare like me... works every time! Loved this post, & great shots!!

The Lady Okie said...

Audra, yes, you are right. I should be aware that Jordan doesn't like the pictures, and I have tried to tone it down...for the most part :) Also, "Chinese water torture"? That made me laugh. Sounds terrifying.

-R

genie said...

After an awful day your post has made me giggle and that is wonderful. Awkward Lady and Awkward Man are just tooooo funny. Love the post and all of your real life photos. Thanks for brightening up my day. genie

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