by Donna Swagerty Shreve
John and I had recently married and had then moved to the east coast to a small town in Connecticut. We decided we needed to have a formal picture taken and use it as a gift for our parents. I asked around and found a photographer in our area.
He was new to being a professional photographer and wanted some artsy poses done outside and a few in the studio. We finally settled on an in-studio pose that was more conservative than some of the outdoor more unconventional shots.
I found an appropriate frame, wrapped and shipped the pictures off to el Paso and Stockton. John’s mother was very appreciative and said all the right things. My mother let me know that she was horrified and hated our picture. She informed me she quickly put the offending picture in a drawer not to be seen.
Her response did not bring out my best reaction. On our next visit to El Paso, we borrowed leather hats and posed as the meanest bandits we could muster. John had even grown a mustache to add to the effect. I carefully framed, wrapped and shipped our next offering.
This time my mother loved our new pose! She displayed it prominently on a shelf near the entrance to her home. I felt challenged to outdo myself with a more outrageous photo.
My next salvo was discussed and planned with John but somehow we never got around to following through. The pose would have entailed me sitting demurely in a rocking chair. My legs were crossed and my arms would be placed on the arm rests. John would stand directly behind me with his hands covering my breasts. This pose makes sense when you realize we were both in the buff!
By the time we thought about getting serious about setting up the pose, it was too late. Our prime time had passed. Mom got the last laugh.
Swagerty-Aldrich Family Web Site 