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Every summer, my mother's extended family throws a big picnic and golf outing to reconnect and remember that we're family. My mom and a few of her cousins were in charge of planning the whole shebang this year, and I threw in my services here and there to help pull everything together. I honestly only talk to maybe half of the attendees at these reunions, because let's be honest, I don't know my mom's cousin's kids like, at all. Let alone her cousins. I always have a good time, because who doesn't like chowing down on picnic food, watching kiddos whack at a piƱata, and participating in a water balloon toss that (almost always) degrades into a water balloon bombing? ;)
I took this as an opportunity to flex my photographer muscles and snap lots of pictures. Of course I forgot about my camera until the picnic was half-over, but I was still able to capture some sweet memories. I got a number of posed photos (the large family photo above is a tradition) and a bunch of candid shots. I still feel weird creepily snapping photos of unknowing people with my telephoto lens, but truthfully, those moments make the most genuine and charming photographs. I love the photo above of my great aunt and great uncles trying to figure out that camera...
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My mom caught that goofy shot of me clownin' with boyfriend and my favorite uncle, all of us lookin' like rockstars of course. ;) Then we have a fellow photog at the party... A fun party activity that I'll share more details on soon... And a precious moment of genuine laughter captured during a posed shoot. I love that. I love the slightly varying expressions on each person's face, revealing their subtle differences in personality. Plus this weird foggy effect happened in my camera, which I totally dig. Makes it seem sort of dreamy..
On a related note, I just received my pre-ordered copy of A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book! I have only had a chance to flip through the first couple chapters so far, but I am super smitten, as you can imagine. I am not sure why am I so surprised by how beautiful the whole thing is, but I was. Silly me. I hope I can develop bossy photography skills like those lovely ladies someday. Someday!
Don't you just love beautiful photos? :)
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You are a wonderful writer. Great photos and fun perspective on the day. Much love!
ReplyDeleteLove that last photo! Such a great capture of a moment!
ReplyDeleteMonica! This is amazin!! How wonderful to have everyone come together like that. You have such a great family and it is always nice to reconnect. :)
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