Back then I had long, straight hair, so getting to run a comb through it before school pictures was part of the somewhat indulgent ritual.
And I'm a girl. So, you know, I liked to brush my hair.
Picture day was a day filled with great anticipation. Perfect hair. Most carefully selected outfit. Practice the smile at home the night before.
Each year I would bring home the packages of photos. Rarely would I peek preferring to keep them mysteries until we got them home to open them.
Afterall, these photos were taken on film. There was no chance to make sure they were good the day of. So the photographer would take his or her time. Encourage you to comb one more piece of hair out of the way. Tip your chin to the right just a bit.
Comb. Grin. Flash. Click. Wait.
That whole process went on each year until one year it didn't. It was junior high and I managed to close my eyes. I had them retaken on picture retake day and have a vivid memory of coming home with the package and holding it up next to my head declaring to my mom, "Look Mom! A photo that actually looks like me!"
And it did. Which wasn't good. We now lovingly refer to that shot as my "anorexic turtle" picture. Because if you can picture what a skinny turtle smiling with their lips pursed tightly to hide their braces would look like. Yeah, that.
Anyway, that was then. Now? No more combs. Which let me tell you is a big mistake. Especially if you have boys who actually seek to have their hair look like birds' nests. And strangely enough they now take photos twice a year. Double the opportunity to charge you $45 for a step above mug shots.
The twice a year schedule also means that at least once a year I completely miss that there is a picture day coming up.
No combed hair. No input on outfits. No smiling practice.
Leading to opening the backpack to find proof sheets that you didn't even know were coming home. Because you didn't know the photos were taken. As I opened the envelope, this headline was the first thing to catch my eye.
Take this one.
"Look Mom, here is a portrait of me standing next to a picture of me wearing a brown t-shirt under a Colts shirt. And no, of course I didn't comb my hair."
"And next up I will be painting some happy trees. I will use a background filled with an image of a confused boy."
And then we have Caleb, lost in space. I do like how he anticipated this ridiculous background and put a spacey look on his face to match.
But my favorite? Caleb in their "Designer" series.
I mean really, if Caleb's expression and lack of a haircut and random baseball shirt weren't enough? That background? What could possibly look good on that background?
Maybe they are right after all, pictures this good would be a shame to miss. And now I have to go see if I can find my anorexic turtle picture.
