Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |
Print
E-Mail
tool name
closeSunday, Dec. 28, 2008
Picture perfect: Family potraits keep giving for years
By Sara Schilling, Herald staff writer
KENNEWICK -- Liliana Blanco wore a red and white shirt.
Her mom also had on red and others in her family wore pink.
They wanted to be color-coordinated because they'd be reminded of the way they looked that day -- from their clothes, to their poses, to their smiles -- for years to come.
The Blancos were taking a family portrait.
It's a ritual familiar to many moms, dads, siblings and grandparents, especially this time of year. Pick matching outfits, make sure the hair is just so, smile and say "Cheese" as the photographer snaps away.
For Liliana, 12, and her mom and cousins, it was relatively painless. They took advantage of a recent family photo day at Park Middle School in Kennewick, where Liliana is in seventh grade.
The school teamed with Dorian Studio in Kennewick to offer free 8-by-10 and 5-by-7 portraits to families of Park students. Dozens showed up, filing into the library-turned-photo studio for their turn in front of the professional blue-gray backdrop.
Liliana and her crew giggled as the photographer arranged them in a sort of horseshoe, with Liliana in the back, her mom in the middle and the little kids in front.
They smiled through several frames and then giggled some more as the photographer showed them the shots in the camera's viewfinder after the session was done.
"It's just great that we can remember" this time, Liliana said.
The days after Thanksgiving and Christmas typically are the busiest for family portraits because far-flung relatives are home for turkey or stockings, photographers say.
The pros shoot everything from traditional studio portraits of Mom, Dad and their young kids to large extended families outside on their snowmobiles or tractors.
Some come in their Sunday best and others sport jeans and sneakers.
Sometimes pets -- dogs, cats, even horses -- make the cut.
Each portrait is unique in its own way, just like the families themselves, photographers say.
What they have in common is the meaning they hold.
"Pictures are snapshots of our lives; they record that moment, who we were then," said Rick Reil, owner of Realife Photography in Kennewick.
He encourages families not to replace their old portraits with new ones but to display them all together. That way they tell their own family history.
"The pictures really only gain value every single year," said Luis Sauceda, Dorian manager. "A picture you take today is so much more important 10 years from now" because of the memories it represents, he said.
At Park Middle School the other day, families shuffled into the library a few at time to sit for their portraits.
Some included moms, dads and kids. Some were aunts and cousins. A few of the families took advantage of the props on hand, such as Santa Claus hats and reindeer antlers.
Others were just themselves.
Yumi Henchi, 16, of Kennewick, and her aunt and cousins wore green, yellow and blue for their portrait.
They listened carefully as the photographer tweaked their poses, telling one girl to move a little to the left, having another tilt her chin down. Then, they helped him pick the frame they liked best when the session was done.
Sometimes, the process of having a portrait taken is itself part of the fun, photographers said.
"A photograph is not just the image. It's the emotion that's felt when you see that photograph, when you remember the day it was taken," said Scott Armstrong, who owns Elliott's Photography in Kennewick.
Yumi and her family were having a good time. They cracked up laughing more than once as the camera flashed away. They were happy with the finished product, the portrait they'll have to look back on forever.
"We just like to be together," Yumi said as her family left the library.
That much was clear. You just had to look at the photo.
Tips for a good family portrait
-- Coordinate clothing. You don't have to match but should all wear shades that complement one another.
-- Avoid loud prints or plaids that draw attention away from the face. Solid colors are best.
-- Wear long sleeves.
-- Skip glasses because of the reflection problems they cause. If you really want to wear them, try frames without the lenses.
* Sara Schilling: 509-582-1402; sschilling@tricityherald.com
@Nyx.CommentBody@