This is the last time I will attempt to photograph Akiva modeling his new shirt.

Gone is the perfect lighting of the covered bridge.

Gone is the smooth, unwrinkled linen.

Here we have a very round boy with luscious lips wearing an unpressed linen shirt.

He his posing for his mama in sub-optimal, dappled, late morning sun light.

He is doing his very best to follow all of her complicated requests.

He did a wonderful job.

I bring the kiddos to the covered bridge at L’Abri Végétal so that they can play in the river and afterwards maybe, just maybe I can take a decent photo of Akiva in the shirt I made him. Good luck to me! First, Akiva really doesn’t see the point in putting his clothing back on after he plays in the river.

When Akiva finally gets dressed, Hymie is shy and would prefer not to show off their matching outfits. Akiva is very protective of Hymie.

So I give up on Hymie. I decide my goal is simply to photograph my children, dressed, against the timbers of the bridge. The bridge is really nice because it magically turns harsh, mid-day sun into soft, angled light.

I try various, moderately successful techniques to try to convince the children to turn their faces to the perfect angle for optimal lighting.

This next series of photos proves that the issue it is not that my photographic skills have gone completely downhill. In truth, I was first gifted with an incredibly talented photographic model and then with a complete goofball.

I tried the photoshoot again. This time, I was thinking maybe Akiva could demonstrate how his new shirt coordinates so well with Hymie’s outfit. So here he is, thumb in Hymie’s pocket, his own pocket sticking out of his pants, Hymie’s arm stuck awkwardly up Akiva’s sleeve, and both of them with hair unbrushed for eons. I’ll have to try again…

After sewing a few dresses for Iris, I decided to try making a long-sleeve linen shirt to keep the summer sun off of Akiva’s precious pudge. He is a bit more difficult for me to photograph, as he does not take direction so well as his sister, & I get impatient at my inability to put him in a position I like & then I forget to focus on the lighting and whatnot. Y’all will just have to suffer, looking at this photo. Suffer like you’re getting your photo taken in a new shirt your mama made you and you really just don’t care.

A person can go FAST FAST FAST!

—or stop a lot along the way.

They both work.

It just depends on the person and the day.