Somewhere during his 16th year—a year in which he is currently residing—my son Cole decided he didn’t love being photographed by his mother as much as he may have in his earlier years.
In other words, getting him to tolerate a basic snapshot is not on my present skill set list.
As a mom who makes her living in the memory-keeping business, I try not to play the “But-photos-buy-your-X-Box-games!” card too often.
With my daughter off to college I rely on a lot of Snap Chat screen shots to tell her story, but lucky for me, I still get to live full-time with the boy and guess what? When it comes to sports, I have his blessing to shoot away.
Praise the Gods of my CMOS Sensor!
It goes like this: I rent a big-assed lens for about $30 and I just walk the sidelines, shooting at will.
Of course, I aim to get shots of the whole team and I shoot a ton in the hopes that I’ll get one or two really amazing photos. Like this one (not of my boy, but my favorite of the recent batch.)
(In the sport of Ultimate, what you’re seeing above is called a layout. And they’re kind of the shizz, y’all.)
But my favorite part of doing this is all the unrestricted photo access I get to my kid. My teen-ager. The little boy who once said, “Mama, I will ALWAYS snuggle with you.”
That proclamation about snuggling? It didn’t really pan out. And that’s okay.
I’m in the middle place right now, smack dab in that era of my knowing that my baby will only be at home for another two years before flying off to college. And that baby is not a baby at all anymore. I get that. Still, I want to tell his story, but the parameters have changed. So my approach needs to change, too.
As much as I love watching sports—and I have since I was a kid because it was one of the ways that I connected to my Dad growing up—I realize that today, it affords me an opportunity to feel closer to my 16-year-old. It lets me stare at him for uninterrupted periods of time. It lets be part of something that he is passionate about and I get to capture just a sliver of that passion in glorious digital color.
Lucky, lucky me.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! It’s {inter} National Scrapbook Day this coming Saturday and over on the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog, we’ve got stuff for you on the hour every hour starting bright and early on Saturday morning! Our team will be sharing pages inspired by pages from our Spring issue and there’ll be free downloads and great giveaways. I’ll be sharing a new layout (plus a free hybrid template) featuring, what else, ultimate. In fact, I’ll be spending both NSD and Mother’s Day at an ultimate tournament and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So join us over on the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog this weekend!
Karen (NZ) says
Ahh, young men! My son is a little older than Cole and I like to take my camera along to his soccer games. The first game of the season he asked if I had any of his teammates playing which I did. I have now become their unofficial photographer and they look forward to seeing what has been captured.
Michelle t says
This is where I am. I so get it. My 16 year old twin boys, the same. I’ve had to get inventive in telling their story, too. I just told them yesterday, “My reason why? I want to remember. I need to remember. I NEED.” They didn’t, for once, have any kind of comeback. Love these awesome photos. Michelle t
Maureen says
Your action shots are beautiful! That lens rental was well worth the $30!
I went through this a few years ago with my youngest bonus son. He didn’t want any part of having his picture taken and I respected that “most of the time”. Now looking back at the pictures of those few years where he was “there” but not in the pictures, he now wishes he had been. Live and learn I guess and now he has no issues at all with being in any picture I want to take of him (he is 19 now). I am positive Cole appreciates that you make the trip to see him play, pictures or not and he will appreciate the pictures when he is older for sure.
Cathy Zielske says
Thanks, Maureen. I feel it’s worth the price, too! Hoping he will appreciate this in the future. I think he already does. 🙂
Madeline St Onge says
great shots Cathy. Teenage boys are a special breed 😉
Cathy Zielske says
Oh, you can say that again.
Jackie says
I couldn’t agree more! At least Aiden is your snapchat friend! My 20 year old son is in college playing Ultimate. Luckily they were playing nearby one weekend and I was able to get some great shots of him and his friends. Many of them made them their facebook profile, so I was quite a happy mom :}
Cathy Zielske says
Aw, how fun! You always love to see them use the shots, huh?
Lida says
Some great shots! Well worth it to rent the big lens!
Michelle Battitori says
Your post is so true! My son is 13 and the sweet little boy who hung by mommy’s side now wants to be as far away as possible…unless I’m driving him to baseball practice! I would love to know where/how you rented your lens. That’s a wonderful idea!
Cathy Zielske says
Hey Michelle! I rented from a local pro shop called West Photo. I know there are places online, too, that will ship lenses right to your door. My place only charged $30 to pick up on a Friday after 2 and return by Monday at noon. An incredible price for a weekend with a giant zoom. Much more affordable than buying one of my own.
Abby Pimentel says
Oh HELL yeah on those shots! And I’m getting to include my 23- and 19-year old boys’ perspective via their SnapChat screen shots to. I absolutely LOVE that they are adding to our PL album and it’s not all Mom’s perspective. How’s girlie doing BTW?
Abby Pimentel says
damn it: *too*
Susan says
where do you rent this magnificent lens?! ( i am local) With soccer season a couple months away I would love to be able to rent this one to try it out before the season begins. Those are some awesome pictures!!
Cathy Zielske says
West Photo in Minneapolis!
Theresa says
Parenting win!
My son is currently 11 and says he’ll always snuggle me – so that hit hard. Holding back tears now lol.
Thanks for the constant inspiration – scrapbooking and otherwise 😉
heidig says
Nice layout photo! I’m guessing you were loving that lens. Oh, and just so you know, my girls will only allow me to take their picture if THEY deem that they are “photo ready”. Whatever that means….;)
Shana says
Stunning action shots Cathy! He’s a lucky boy. ?
Nicky h says
Those are amazing shots! I know how you feel. My 16 yo doesn’t play sports so I get lots of shots of his “mom you’re annoying” shots. Lol
Denise says
My son is 5 & says he’ll always snuggle with me…and you’re saying that may not be the truth?!? 🙁
jenell says
Man those shots are good. I am going to see about renting that lens (and then maybe even learn how to use it). Love mid-air shots. Thankful that Cole let’s you take those – he’s such a good guy! And thankful that you share so much with us!
And Happy Mother’s Day, Cathy!
Cynthia says
Way cool shots and always I just love your memory keeping perspective! What a wonderful storyteller you are:) bringing a bit of extroidnary to those ordinary moments!
Cathy Zielske says
Thank you, Cynthia!