Macy Robison: Picture Perfect

Macy Robison is a teacher, performer, and photographer from Shrewsbury, MA. She was in the Music Dance Theater program at Brigham Young University and performed with the Young Ambassadors.  She also holds a masters degree in music education from The Ohio State University.  Macy has performed in professional, community musical theater productions in Utah, Ohio and Boston.  Most recently she has developed a cabaret-style recital Children Will Listen:  Reflections on Mothering which she will perform in Utah in mid-July.

After you leave a comment here (and become eligible for the $75 spa gift certificate), click through to Macy's photography blog, leave a quick comment, and you'll be eligible for a photo shoot.

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Sometimes I feel like a priest.

I'm actually a music teacher.  For the past ten years, I have taught general music, been a choir director and taught private voice lessons.  When people discover this, they immediately start confessing their musical sins.

"I'm tone deaf."
"Oh, you don't want to hear me sing!"
"My family doesn't let me sing!"
"I love music, but I just never kept up with (insert instrument here)."

 

 And most common:

 

 "I would love to sing, but I just can't…"

 

Sometimes the conversation turns into a debate over my firmly held belief that anyone can learn to sing.  Sometimes I just listen. 

 

I'm also a photographer, but I'm starting to feel like a priest in this role as well.  Photographic sins from both sides of the camera…

"My pictures never turn out."
"I would love for you to take my family pictures, but I'm not Christmas-card worthy."
"I always hate myself in pictures."
"I would get pictures taken more, but it's such a hassle."

 

It can be a hassle to have pictures taken.  Finding the outfit. Wondering if the outfit will photograph well.  Worrying about fixing hair.  Keeping that hair looking good.  Stressing over whether your son will pull that crazy face he's so fond of making every time the photographer takes a picture.  Screaming.  Crying.  Fights.  We all know the stories.  We've all lived the stories.

 

But when you look back at the pictures, do you regret the hassle?  Need to think about it? While you are pondering, I'll give you an example of why the hassle is worth it.

This last Christmas the stars aligned and my family was in the same place at the same time for a couple of days – me, my husband, our son, my husband's son and daughter and their fiancées.  Since the next time we would be together, we would be in wedding clothes, I wanted to get pictures of us together.  I scouted the location, we coordinated clothing, I got there early to set up my tripod so I could be in some pictures.

Everyone arrives.  We're ready to smile and have fabulous pictures taken.  We're braving some unexpected cold, but it's a lovely location.  Just as we start taking the large family group picture – my usually angelic toddler gives us this:

 

And this:

 

 

 

Here, let's zoom in so you can really experience the fun:

 

 

 

There was no consoling, bribing, joking, or anything else that would get this child to stop screaming and crying.  We finally broke down and gave him his beloved animal, hoping to calm him down to get a few pictures.  But instead, we got this:

 

 

 

So, with no cooperation from the toddler, what did I do?  I kept shooting.  The point of the photos was to document our family.  To show the relationships between us.  To capture our family at that moment in time.  Toddlers cry, kids make silly faces.  But if you keep shooting, you will end up with some fabulous pictures that you love. 

 

 

 

 

Eventually, our little guy calmed down.  Though he didn't crack a smile for the entire day, I ended up with some pictures of him that I loved.  Like this one:

 

And this one showing how much he loves his big brother and wants to do everything he does.

 

 

And finally, this picture of my husband, son and I that my dad took with my camera.

 

 

Is this a perfect picture?  No.  To start with, there's a branch coming across my husband's face.  I could remove it with Photoshop, but I love the memory of shouting back and forth with my dad about framing the picture and still ending up with a branch tickling my husband's chin.  

Is this my favorite picture of myself?  No.

Do I look as horrible as I imagined I did?  No.  (And isn't that always the case?  When I look at the pictures of myself from 10 years ago when I thought I looked awful and needed to lose 20 pounds, I want to reach into the picture and slap my 1999 self.) 

Do I love this picture?  Yes. 

In part because I got out from behind the camera.  My son needs to see me in pictures with him.  I have very few pictures of me with my mom. (Something I didn't realize until right this minute.)  I wish I had more.  She passed away suddenly almost 10 years ago.  I know she loved me and loves me still, but I wish I had more examples I could see.  I cherish the few I have. 

 I want my son to see our relationship and how much I love him.  And as Saydi Eyre Shumway  put it so eloquently in her post last week – I need to see myself in the picture with him.  See how much I love being with him; become the kind of mother I want to be.

 

 In fact, in addition to having another photographer take our family pictures later this year, I'm going to start work on a self-portrait series. I've been inspired by amazing photographer Davina Fear's self-portrait series to take more pictures of me with my son.  Not only when we're dressed up in our best clothes, but when we're in our every day clothes coloring together or working on puzzles together.

Coordinate the clothing. Come out from behind the camera. Embrace the hassle.  Document your relationships. Capture who you are -- who you want to be.

It will be picture perfect.

Promise.

For more on the importance of photos, take another look at Rebecca Ellsworth Menzie's post:  she too wishes she had some photos with her mother.  And Saren Eyre Loosli's post with her daughter crying?

There are so many ways to tell our story.  Macy chooses to tell her story through words and images and music via her cabaret act.  There are so many ways.  Take another look at Lizzie Christensen's Recipe Story, Rebecca Menzie (via her mother's journal), Stephanie Soper's painting, my soundtrack story.  Will you tell your story?

Any thoughts on how Macy's approach to photography is allowing her to Be her Own Batman, even as she's Robin?

When you finish leaving a comment here, click through to her blog and become eligible for her photography shoot. 

Comments

[Aaron]

Nice post Macy.

[Macy]

Thanks, Aaron!

[Lisle]

Macy, I love those pictures. I love ALL your pictures. And I'm a guilty confessor. Thanks so much for sharing--maybe we all need to see that perfection isn't the journey, but it's what turns up after you've gone through all the trouble and are sifting through the product at the end of your day.

[Shelly]

I loved reading this! My sister-in-law is a photographer too, and has three little boys, 7, 4, and 1, who she loves to take pictures of. I loved, loved, loved reading this.

[Rebecca]

Beautiful post.
It really is amazing how valuable these photos of us with our loved ones become. I think your self-portrait plan is a good one. I'd love to see what you come up with.
G & his big brother...how amazing is that photograph? I love these photos that tell a story in and of themselves. It's been neat to see your photography evolve and go from great to this amazing talent that you so generously share.

[amy jo]

Really great pictures, even with your son like that. I would not have given them a second thought. It makes me wonder whether or not we only notice real life in our own photos, or homes, or music and not somebody elses.

[Macy]

Lisle - I love that. Perfection is what turns up at the end of the day. I'm going to quote you on that.

Shelly - Thank you. I'd love to see pictures of your nephews sometime.

Rebecca - You are so kind. And I know you understand the value of a photograph. I thought of you when I was combing scrapbooks for pictures of me with mom.

Amy Jo - I really think you are on to something there. Thanks for sharing it. You've given me something to think about.

[Kate]

Macy, you're so talented! Down to earth and genuine! I love the pictures, and your philosophy about living life instead of blocking it like a show hits deep. Also, a funny/sad tidbit: my family only ever took one family portrait when I was 6 and my sister 18 months. When my dad died, we realized the opportunity missed. People, take pictures and have others take pictures of you!

[Jenny]

Macy: You're beautiful. And so is your post! You look so happy~ do hop into more of your pictures.

[Emily]

What a great post!! I am one of those people who don't want my pics taken. Thanks for pointing out the reasons why I should do it.

[Bonnie Tonita Whtie]

I am curious about your affirmation that anyone can learn to sing. I would like to sing.You have no idea how many times I have sat in Church and listened to a beautiful alto voice here or a soprano there. Their gift of singing that hymn was nothing less than divine. I have sung to my babies and sung to my gardnen and even to my dog. I love to sing but never in public. So how do you suggest one begins to learn? I don't even read music.

[Janika]

I love how the ruined "perfect" first shot led to many, many PERFECT shots that capture the real beauty of your family. I also appreciate Kate's comment to just "Take pictures." Sometimes I'm too worried about the perfect outfit, background, mood, etc. to just take the picture and save the memory!

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawm8ZGQNi4KwKN2Qud3dHGxl1EyE9YnBUIg]

Kate - Thank you for your kind words. I definitely agree that people need to take more pictures. It's one of those things we always put off, but wish we'd done more often.

Jenny - Thank you! You made my day! I will definitely be hopping in front of the camera more.

Emily - I'm glad this resonated with you. I'll count on you to join me on the other side of the lens. :)

Bonnie - I absolutely believe everyone has the ability to learn to sing. Beautifully, even. Not everyone will sing at the Met or win American Idol, but we can all sing. It's muscle coordination that comes easier to some than others - like any other physical skill. We can chat further through e-mail. I have a couple of sources to start you off if you are interested.

Janika - I loved your comment. Thank you. We do get caught up in the details sometimes when taking the pictures. I need to continually remind myself that it's important to just take the picture!

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=627020723]

Okay - that last comment was from me. I tried to sign in with my Google address and ended up with a website as a name.

[thechroniclesofemilymarie.blogspot.com]

Wonderful wonderful! tho it would have been nice to have all happy faces these photos make for a much better story!

[LL]

LOVED THIS!!!!
pictures are my favorite thing, but I'm guilty of everything Macy said not to worry about.
Love the part where you said, "EMBRACE THE HASSLE"
Looking forward to having you embrace the Lewis family photo fun :)
GREAT post, perfect reminder...THANKS!!!