1.09.2011

party of three: 1/52

I'm so excited to be starting something new on my blog! Lately I've been inspired by Stacey at S, D, & Double E. She has a very unique style of photographing her kids, and her blog is one of my new must-reads. Lask week she sent me a link to a Flickr site where a photographer took one picture of her four kids each week for an entire year. Some were posed, some were candid, all were fantastic!

And so my 52 weeks of Party of Three was born. One picture each week of my three kids together. Might sound silly, easy, not a big deal...but do you know I only have a handful of pictures will all three kids together? Time to change that.

OK, here's the format: one picture each week of my kids together. Maybe some tips (or tricks) or something I learned. And perhaps some outtakes that didn't make the cut. Sound good?

And now...the first picture of my 52 week project:
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I'm really excited about this project, and I think it will be so cool to look back at how my kids change over the course of a year.
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As promised, a couple tips:
1. Whenever possible, if I plan to photograph Livia either alone or with the boys, I use a stand-in (read: cooperative child). The stand-in sits there while I test the lighting and adjust my settings, before the Tornado arrives on the scene.

The proof (in his pajamas):
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I have such a short window of time where Livia will sit still, I can't waste time fiddling with my settings. I need to have that done ahead of time.

2. Can't get all your kids in focus when you're photographing more than one? One problem might be that your aperture is too wide open. The pictures below aren't the best examples of this, because the three kids are pretty much on the same plane. This would apply more if they were staggered, one behind the other.
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My widest aperture is f/2.8. If your kids are on all different planes, there's no way a 2.8 will work if you want them all in focus. Try stopping down to 5.6 (or whatever...there's no set number, you have to experiment). I just mention this because when I first got my new lens, every picture I took was on f/2.8 to let in the most light. One kiddo would be perfectly in focus, and the others out of focus. It was maddening! I didn't know why it was doing that or how to fix it.

And now for some more outtakes from Saturday morning.
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What can I say about this one? These pictures are going to priceless to me one day.
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I'm not going to say our little photo session wasn't without a hiccup or two.
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But nothing that couldn't be resolved with a lollipop.
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Right now my kids are one, six and nine.
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Can you imagine how special it will be for them to see these photos when they're 31, 36 and 39?
Or better yet...51, 56 and 59? :-)

I'm so happy to be able to do this for my kids! I encourage you to do the same with yours. The memories will be priceless. ♥

45 comments:

Unknown said...

What an awesome project you're starting. I can't wait to see your gorgeous kiddos every week.

Anonymous said...

I love this idea! I wish I had more photos of my kids together. My step~son's with his mom for a week, every other week, so it's hard to get photos of him & my daughter together. This is so inspiring. Maybe I will take one of them *together* every 2 weeks to start :] Thanks for being such an inspiration. I love your blog & your photography needs no caption. Perfect :] Have a wonderful Sunday!

Discovery School at First Baptist Heath said...

Great project.. and I love the shots.. and see, in almost everyone one of the kiddos is touching to other...They so love each other!

Unknown said...

lovely idea and i will enjoy seeing your children through your lens over the year. too ambitious for this mom of 9. four times a year is more than enough of getting them all into a shot - just sayin.

love you and this post!
jill
www.fnaphotography.blogspot.com

Melissa said...

Beautiful photos! Love the idea of weekly group shots!

Discovery School at First Baptist Heath said...

I totally made a new post,.. just for you.. and I am delaying finishing that tutorial..this would be the right day to get it done...

Natalie said...

These are deeeelightful! That 2nd black and white one is a treasure! I love this idea. I have yet to take a picture in 2011. Maybe this will get me motivated.

p.s (It's snowing out!!) :-)

Warren Baldwin said...

My favorite one - the pic where you say, "What can I say about this one."

Your project is a good idea. I didn't do that (35 film back then). But, I wrote down funny statements they made. Have a notebook full of them. "Verbal photographs."

Colleen said...

This is a wonderful idea. It's harder than you'd think to get all four of mine in the same room at the same time now that they're almost all teenagers, but I might just give it a try anyhow. If they won't do it once a week, maybe they'll go for once a month.

Anonymous said...

I think this is a fantastic idea!! And, I love seeing photos of your adorable kids. They always look like they're having such fun together (even when Livia is having a moment), and they so obviously love each other immensely!

Unknown said...

What a great idea!!! I might have to start a 52 along with my 365... although, I suppose for me it'll be a 51. XD

Tiffany Franklin said...

Gosh I havent been on all week due to a bad headache and I miss so many of your wonderful photos :-) I love stopping by these are all wonderful.. so im out of the loop what is 52? like weeks haha. I may do the 365.. we shall see.

Unknown said...

LOVE it! instead of all my kids (since at the moment I have only wyatt...) I think a family picture should work since we never see daddy. He hates pictures. seriously HATES them... when I have done some in the past of us he will only let me take 2.

TWO!!! thats it!

WHAT!?!?! that is not nearly enough for me to choose from... gr... THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFFERENTTTTT! cross your fingers.

Sarah Andrews said...

Super fun shoot! I love the one of them all laughing. Priceless for sure. My girl has the same shirt and possibly pants. Are L's pants from the gap too? Like a soft stretchy skinny jean-legging?? I will grab a shot of her in the same outfit this week. :P Keep snappin'!

Ashley said...

I LOVE this idea and can't wait to see your pictures! I really want to spend this year learning photography and then next year I think I might do this with mine. And thank you for the tips on the aperture when shooting more than one kid, I did the same thing with my new lens, now I get it. :) Oh and that pic of Livia on Collin's are? Be still my heart!

SarahinSC said...

What a great project idea! TT's little crying spell was adorable!

Anonymous said...

That's a fantastic project to share with us! I started a personal digital album of my boys in 2010 but didn't finish it at about the 10th week. You've inspired me to relook at it again. I actually love your outtakes, particularly the 1st one where she's crying and the one where she's holding a lollopop and the boys are laughing/smiling at her. Priceless.

cooperl788 said...

What a cool project Karli! I can't wait to see the change in them, week by week. This week, I love the one of both the boys looking in on her... so sweet!

Michelle R said...

Wow! Awesome idea - and wonderful shots! I wanted to pic a fav, but they all are great! And yes, I think these will all be treasured years from now.... even tomorrow! :)

I read somewhere that if you take a pic of your kid(s) 1x week/month and put it all together when they graduate high school, you'll have one awesome memory book showing them growing up. And really, 1 pic a week/month is usually pretty doable. And if you start this when they're born, you can end up with 600-900 or so pics! (sorry, I forgot the math and am too lazy to open the calculator and figure it out!)

Keli said...

Great idea! Can't wait to see the weeks to come!

Carrie said...

I love these! Your kids are so adorable and the colors in these shots are amazing. I really appreciate the tips.

Anonymous said...

I love this idea!!! Will you link up with our Momtographer Monday? It is to share tips for photography your kids. I just posted about it on my blog. I know a lot could benefit from your tips.

Mindy McGrew said...

LOVE this idea Karli! (the one of Livia laying her head on Collin-*sigh <3 ) Might just have to join you on this journey of weekly photographs. Didn't have as many from this last year as I normally do. I've always swore to never be a mom who ONLY watches my kids activities from behind a gadget, but I DO want to capture more memories, for me and for them. And with them in school now, I'm gonna have to start keeping a "gadget" with me more to capture the moments I have with them.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea!

And goodness.... that one of your daughter laying her head on your son is PRICELESS!

Wendy said...

Great project idea! Of course it will be priceless. Just keep a bag of lolly pops handy!

Joanne Fowler said...

Ok, maybe we really are sharing a brain? I was just thinking earlier today that I need to shoot more of my kids and wanted to do at least one a week. Plus, we are shooting a lot of the same things lately! lol I admit I did get the tree-through-the-lens image from you as well as the thankful tree (love that idea!). But the others are totally random and either stuff I shot or have on my list! Unfortunately your application is going better than mine! P.S. Love the ones of her crying and big brother gently touching her foot. *sweetness*

Jenn said...

These are fantastic! I think I will do this same thing with my four children. I've been trying to think of a theme to do once a week. I can't beat this one now!

One more question...is that natural lighting or did you use a flash bouncing off a ceiling??

stacey said...

Okay, I finally got the chance to sit down and comment. Thank you so much for your sweet words.

LOVE that your are doing this and LOVE your results for Week 1. Can not wait to see more.

I pretty much think you're fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Those explanation points are just for you!)

stacey said...

And by "your are" I obviously meant "you are".

Kari said...

The concept is amazing. I'm already doing two P52s...I guess another won't hurt. I'm gonna end up doing 365 with all my P52s! Am I still speaking english? You know what I mean. Anyway, love it and love the advice. Sometimes I wonder if i'm torturing my 3 year old with all these pictures. Like you said, one day she'll appreciate it. XOXO

Clare B said...

great project - my mum was a prolific photo taker and there are quite a few shots of the four of us at different ages. I can remember hating having them done, but I love them now.

elizabeth said...

what an awesome idea!!!! I can't wait to see their growth -
and can't wait to see the images you capture -
I only wish all 3 of mine were little again to do this -

Naomi said...

Oh that Stacey! She does do a great job! Anyways, this is such a great idea and I can't wait to see more! Love what you did this week!

Natalie said...

AWWWWWWWWWWH What do I say to these cute 'together' photos?! The tips are awesome, I remember asking you how you got all your kids so nice and focused when I first stumbled across your blog and now I shoot with a "smaller" aperature when it is allowed, i used to use 1.8 constant but not I got up to 4 and 5 and times or 2.8 if it's only Dillon. The tip about adjusting settings before attempting to photograph a monkey child is a great tip, I do it when my younger sister is around, she's about the age of your boys ;) But if it's just me and Dill its kinda hit or miss HAHA

And lastly so i don't bore you to tears with this mile long comment, it WILL be precious memories for you later on in life, and they will SO APPRECIATE you doing this! Have a great week Karli!

Natalie said...

Oh and wanted to let you know I passed along an award to you!!
http://dillonsmommajonswifey.blogspot.com/2011/01/ive-been-given-another-award-to-pass.html

Susan said...

Thanks for the great tips! I love coming to your site...

Jaymi said...

aww these are so cute! your kids are perfect models! I love the last b&w one especially! so sweet!

Katie said...

This made me smile - I love all those real life and super happy shots! It makes me want to bribe my own kids into a photo shoot. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm hosting my very first photo challenge! The lucky winner will have 2 different scarfs to choose from. You should link up & spread the love. Thanks friend :)

Casey Martinez said...

I LOVE this post! It's amazing how precious it is to see kids together in a picture and to see their personalities come through. Your children are beautiful!! Great job with these!

Love Letters To China said...

What a fantastic idea! I'm already doing a 365 project, so I might just fit one of these types in each week. I have the same problem with my two. They never like to be close to one another long enough for a good photo op. Love your helpful hints!

Grace

Anna said...

I am in *LOVE* with the one of Livi leaning on big brother's arm--SO stinkin sweet, just melts me...he's so protective.

Ashley Sisk said...

I totally missed this before but what a great project! I'm a bit jealous of your tiny tornado. I was always the oldest so I never had two big brothers to look after me. I guess it's a good thing I've got you and Jill to look after me now. I wonder if I'll feel better if you call me the tiny tornado...nah, I guess that's too much.

deb duty said...

I love this idea and it looks like a lot of others do to. Have you thought about hosting a linky each week for everyone to link up a photo of their kids together? It would be fun!

Anonymous said...

I have to tell you my daughter just saw these and clapped her hands and yelled "MOOD SWINGS YES!!" LOL yeah...she's 13.