When I first heard about our family reunion, I knew I would be the designated photographer. This time, I decided to approach things differently. I knew I’d enlist the help of My Pop Art for some of the finer photographs.

Every 5 years, we have the big occasion down in West Virginia on my Aunt’s farm. It’s utterly beautiful there, with tons of room. Some people camp, some stay in the various small houses she has on her property. We all have a blast.

We usually do a big, group shot but this year I wanted to capture smaller group pictures, where we were more “in action” as opposed to the big, posed one. Of course, I’d have to do that one too - everyone expects that - but I wanted to be experimental this time. So I go shots of a tug-of-war, for instance, that are just priceless; the pained and determined look on everyone’s faces just makes me laugh. Then I got another of everyone chowing down on one of the best, homemade dinners of all time. Another one captures the moment of rest: people lying on blankets, reclining on chairs and being very “Southern.” All of these shots showcased my family at rest and at play - not just posed, with big smiles plastered on their faces. This was the real deal - my family!
I sent these into My Pop Art and used these gifts for various occasions throughout the year…and I’m so glad I did. No one expected these non-traditional family shots…but they certainly worked and very much “captured the moment.”