Tuesday, June 18, 2013

A Study in Awkward...Again

STOP!  Do not proceed until you read #1-3!

1.  Please revisit this post from a year and a half ago about some terrible high school pictures I found of myself and classmates representing the FFA organization.
2. If you don't know me, you might want to skip this post.  I am about to make myself humble for the entertainment of my family and friends.  If you chose to read on, prepare yourself.
3. OK, you may now continue.

This weekend, preparing for Em and Luke's wedding led us to looking for some pictures of Emily when she was little.  Looking at a few pictures escalated to going through every photo album and baby book and sorting through every box of old pictures.  This was quite enjoyable and started more than a few family stories.  It also let to some gems like this one:

 But more on that later.

It is now time for more embarrassing, poorly representative, awkward FFA pictures.

This installment is all about finding a good place to take a group picture.  Because we all know that when it comes to awkward pictures of groups of adolescents, it is all about location, location, location.

First, find a large stone object to pose on.  Subject matter is not important, and rarely will relate to FFA jackets.
 If pose is not nearly awkward enough, challenge a teenage boy to climb inside part of said sculpture.

Another highlighted FFA picture pose is the draped background.  It suppose to look professional and planned, but really it is just in a busy corridor of a convention hall where a group of moms are holding off the crowds so that no one cuts through the perfect picture.  It also makes us look like we are in a giant play-pen.

Not good enough?  Find a person in a giant animal suit to pose with.

The layout of this picture might not be the best, but it is the subject matter I wanted to share.  I wish you could see the expressions on our faces.
 Where are we, you ask?  A stud farm.  Yes, I said a stud farm.  I was on a tour of a working stud farm, with teenage boys as companions.  You do the math.

Moving on, make sure you capture the essence of FFA judging experiences, such as this poultry judging team's look of success.
Any large piece of farm equipment serves as a valid and opportune photo back drop.  It is advisable to have the farm equipment stop operating before loading it with minors.
 And finally, it is important to recruit and photograph members young.  This is my kindergarten class during National FFA Week 1991.  I am on the far right in the front.  The grown up in the back is the man that would become my FFA advisor about eight years later, and would teach me about leadership, service, hard work, growth, and one of the greatest youth organizations out there.  So I guess the recruiting worked! :)

 Here's to humbling yourself for a little fun.  Later this month I will post some more humbling pictures of myself and how my personality hasn't changed all that much in 27 years.

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