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She asked the right people

When we were at the Phipps last week we were approached by a woman, about my age, who introduced herself as a student at the Art Institute.  She was carrying a camera and said she said she was working on a class assignment, taking portraits.  Her own sons were uncooperative, she told us.  She wondered if I would let my kids be her subject.

Crispian was not as willing as Myles and Brigid to let her take photos, but the younger two, so used to being photographed by strangers everywhere we go in China, were perfect subjects for her study. I didn't tell the woman why they were used to this.  She was just suprised they were not shy and not showy.
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Clare Krishan said…
Jen, please forgive me raising a red flag here your kids' innocence is admirable, but not all photographs of kids preserve the intent of the photographer. I was caught up short this morning reading an article on the spiffy new InsideCatholic site and, unaware of the cultural references made to a merchandiser of apparel (and being conscious of my obligation - since I teach CCD to teens - to inform myself of occasions of sin they may be exposed to) I googled this target of approbrium. And right enough they are deserved of all the approbrium we Catholics can heap on them.

What I wanted to draw your attention to was the perp's using a cute image of a wee Asian boy standing to the left of a cute Western boy in dark-colored muscle t-shirts, and I couldn't get the thought out of my mind that the pert bobbed haircut resembled Miles. I'm not linking to it since I don't believe you had anything remotely to do with the photo, and wanted to preserve yours and your children's innocence from the consequences of my idle curiosity. However, there is something natural and healthy in shy reserve of the photographer's own children considering the nefarious purposes photos can be put to in today's media outlets. Innocence is precious, sacred indeed, certain spheres are worthy of strenuous custody since maternal liberality can be abused. Our children deserve to know that this natural instinct is a good thing, to be nurtured as long as possible (until marriage preferably) and that Mary, Jesus' mom, is a model of perpetuating it until God calls us home!
Jul 30, 2010, 1:19:00 AM
Jen Ambrose said…
Clare, absolutely we proceed with caution. When Myles was doing the professional gigs, I was of course always at the shoots with him (and I even said no to two outfits because I thought they were too girly), and we always worked with the same few photographers. Almost always I got a catalog of the shoot, or was shown one, or shown older ones of the same clothing company.
In situations where strangers take pictures, whether they ask or not, it's impossible to know what they are going to do with the pictures or how they are going to manipulate them. I am more worried about people who don't ask and especially don't ask when they are using decent cameras.
Jul 30, 2010, 1:38:00 PM
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