Family Photos

Family photos are great, no? I love looking back at cherished moments. Smiling faces set into paper, hanging on the wall in the hallway for all time. They say, "I was there and I was happy about it." Although that doesn't really fit in with the whole history of photography does it?

Let's travel through time shall we? Hop into my time modulator and let's journey back to the early days of photography. When photography was first developed people didn't really know what to do with photos. For portraits there was painting, duh, and for Facebook pics there were...oh wait, no Facebook! How did these people live? HOW? WHY? WHAT WAS THE POINT?

Oh, I digress. Anyway, early photography (did I mention I have an MA in art history? It's pretty obvious right, wink) was a strange phenomenon.There was no standard. Before then I think people were mostly living in caves and eating bugs, that's how it went right? The point is that people really had no idea what/ why they should take photos. Sure it was a novelty, but what was the point? Early on they did creepy things like photographing their dead. Then, thankfully, someone had the bright idea for family portraits that were more affordable than royal paintings. No, we're not talking laser background studio portraits at Kmart, not yet anyway.  Obviously the average Joe couldn't afford to hire a painter to capture that certain je ne sais quois that their family possessed and so Joe began to think about family photos.

The early camera did not fit into your pocket (unless you were a giant, then perhaps) and the process of getting your family portrait was no small ordeal. You had to go to a professional, wear your Sunday best, sometimes people brought props. Most importantly you had to sit very still while you had your portrait taken lest you look like a blurry headed demon as the exposure time was S_L_O_W. So, early photos were generally not of smiling families. You did not want to hold a smile while you waited for that exposure. Your cheeks would cave under the pressure and your head would probably just fall off, better to keep a straight face.

Anyway, as technology progressed and people stopped living in caves eating bugs (I think the year was 1974) they also began smiling in photographs. The new standard was set. We now smile. We must smile. We can't not (double negative anyone?) smile.

I am just saying that is a lot of pressure. What if you're not feeling it? What if you happen to...oh say be at a corn maze with two families? How can you expect everyone to smile and freeze at the same moment? It is impossible. Don't believe me? I have proof. Feast your eyes on these puppies....













I wish I had a happy photo where we got it right in the end, but it didn't happen and I am pretty OK with that. These photos are way more real, this is what it is like to be in your 30s---to have kids and go to a corn maze with your friends who are in the same boat. It is funny, weird, embarrassing, wild, fun, all in one.

Corn Maze 2013

Last year was the first annual Wimmerson (Wolfson+Wimmer) Corn Maze Adventure (click here). We didn't exactly agree to make it an annual event or anything, but when the Wolfpack told us they were going while we were in Montana last week we cried for hours. Then they texted that their plans had fallen through due to weather and we were like, "Oh no! So sorry to hear that!" Then we were all, "Well...want to go together again?" So it was born, another Corn Maze adventure!



Last year Elise and Ari were still learning to hold their heads upright so the fun was limited. This time around we had four very wild children who were ready to do the corn maze right. 

For the record, Eric took nearly all of the photos (unless otherwise labeled) check his work out here. Since we were at the maze we took about 10 million photos, it is the law. There were vats of dried kernels of corn, a train made of old barrels, hay art(?), mazes, tire swings,etc.


Chillaxing in the corn pit


Ari


This


Entering the maze


Josh at the maze


Sarah taking photos for her blog check later this evening


I took this photo with my phone, no filter, wow.


Corn angels (camera phone)


Guiding us through the maze


Elise in the corn (camera phone)


Eric in the corn (camera phone)






Barrel train


Me, chill in the hay/corn


Barrel train


Josh and Sadie


Eric and Cordelia (shot taken by Sarah)


Cordelia


Ari has big plans


Sadie and Cordelia are so adorable together!



So far I have found corn in my pockets, Elise's diaper, the washing machine. To be clear the corn was in this morning's diaper...

CORN MAZE Twenty-Twelve

We decided to be awesome parents this weekend. Along with our friends, affectionately known as The Wolfpack, we hit up the local corn maze. We took a short drive out of town and found ourselves parked alongside a ginormous field of corn. The Wolfpack met us and with children clinging to or trotting alongside us we all made our way to the maze. We did not have an aerial view, but I hear tell that the maze was shaped like a bucking bronco---is it vegan to walk in a rodeo themed corn maze (I kid)?




Dads


Sarah



Ari is so crazy adorable.

Before we entered the actual corn maze the 3year olds checked out the toddler hay bale maze. Meh. The girls were far too advanced for such simple Tom Foolery. Onward...to the maze!



I don't think any of us really knew what to expect with the maze, but I'm pretty sure we did it wrong. We followed paths, twisting and turning, only to return right back at the beginning. Eric studied the map and decided that we'd been only in a very tiny portion of the maze.


Inside the maze

So, we went back in, certain that we'd make it through. Well...we were chatting and watching the kids...we did not pay attention to where we were going, at one point the girls led the way. We were not excelling at solving the corn maze.



Rebel teenagers would occasionally plow through the corn, ignoring the paths. We passed other groups of confused families and then we were right back at the beginning. We totally gave up at that point. We stood there feeling a bit defeated before spotting the corn pool. What, you may be wondering, is a corn pool? Well, my friends, it is a pool of corn kernels. The girls were into it!


Wading in


I stood aloft a mighty hay bale for a good view of the corn pooling (that's a phrase I just invented...think hot tubbing only with corn, no water and add hay bales in place of a hot tub)


Corn pooling

Cordelia ate the corn...that will be fun in a few days.


Cordelia and Sadie

Once we were all corn pooled out it was time for pictures!

For the record family photos are insane with so many people. When I looked through the shots my whole family was making the craziest faces...here was the best...


Family picture. Elise preferred not to smile, instead opting for the drooly and slightly cross-eyed look.

The Wolfpack totally showed us up


Wolfpack


BFFs 

So there you have it, CORN MAZE TWENTY-TWELVE!!!!