averted disaster

Few other sessions could ever compare with the disaster or happy ending of this session. First, it was raining, and poor Mom just wanted summer pictures. Just summer, that's all, was it really so much to ask? I arrive a bit early to set up, since it's dribbling outside. Mom wass having issues with the strap on her dress (which she ended up sewing on crossways, re-ripping, and re-sewing while I was reading library books to Arabella and Matthew.) I commence to move every stick of furniture in the house, set up my backdrops, and get ready for indoor pictures. Immediately 6 seconds after Mom gets her dress all sorted out, combs everyone's hair, and I am set up, the rain stops. Outside we go. Pictures are going swimmingly except Arabella won't smile. Dad has a slightly warped sense of humour and apparently so does the sweet little Arabella. Apparently, the key to making her smile is gleefully exclaming, "Dead cats!!!" ~smiles and giggles everywhere~

We get *almost* finished. I am just doing Arabella's portrait, and i need her to put the parasol back just a little bit so I can see her face. She had a bit of tension in her arms, though, and the parasol sprung back, smacking me square in the tear duct. Thinking I'm OK, I continue working until poor Arabella gets this kind of stunned look on her face. Well no kidding - from behind the camera she sees blood dripping off my chin... apparently we broke the skin. A Kleenex and a few "Dead cats!" later, I manage to finish shooting the session, pack up the portable studio, put all the furniture back in place, and head home to nurse my black eye. (Which I got teased relentlessly about at work until it faded...) In the end it was all worth it, though - I got a blue lollipop from Mom, and the pictures are incredible. Especially Arabella with her lethal weapon, wouldn't you agree?