Baby Pictures

I have had at least one good camera for most of my adult life. I always liked to take pictures around the yard. Flowers and praying mantises were favorite subjects. I have always taken lots of pictures of the dogs and cats and chickens we kept as pets.

When I was working at Cal Central Press and we did the game programs for the Raiders and the 49ers, I started going to football games. I bought some nice telephoto lenses so I could take game photos. I was the official photographer for the Sacramento Raider Rooters for a couple of years, too. I have a nice album of photos from the last years when Kenny Stabler, Dave Casper, and John Matuszak were there. Great times!

When son Bob came along, I took hundreds of photos of him. His first couple of years were probably chronicled with pictures taken almost daily. Before he could talk, he knew to smile for a camera. When I'd take him for a professional photo, the photographer would always try to trick him into smiling with a toy or something. That would make him frown. Finally I'd suggest, "just tell him to smile, he knows what that means."

This is my favorite pro photo of him.

Taking human baby pictures is very easy compared to taking pictures of baby chicks. Especially if you're doing it unassisted.

I took a few photos last year, and kicked myself later for not getting pictures of all the birds. It seems like few of the adults I kept had baby pictures. I built this photo booth just for the task. It has three sides. I put it under a Solatube (which allows outside light into the room) and arrange some other lights around it.

I adjust the camera to macro, catch a chick, sit in the chair and get the camera ready, then put the chick toward the back of the photo booth.

You might think it's hard to keep the chicks from escaping the booth. You might be right. Especially if it takes both your hands to work the camera. Most chicks, though, are scared in new situations. They just squat down and try to hide.

This little cockerel would not stand. Ever. All he did was squat and give me a dirty look. Okay, so that will be his official childhood portrait...butthead.

When the chicks are just a little older, they are a little bolder. Like these two.

The first batch this year was older when I banded them and put them outside. It was early spring, and still cold outside. Now it's warmer and I can put the chicks out earlier. Now it's harder to get them to smile. I have no toys to waggle in their faces and trick them into smiling, and I'd need a third hand to do that, anyway.

I've created one of those situations I hate. I made a rule — take a photo of every chick before it goes outside — and now I hate having to follow my own rule. So I put off the chore, end up with chicks that are inside for longer than they should be, and pretty soon the whole system is overloaded, the house stinks, and I'm frustrated.

I know, my life is soooo difficult. (Not.)