KnipSter Journal

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March 12, 2003

A Family Portrait...

So we pack up the family to head to the church to have a family potrait taken for the Parish directory. As a supportive husband, I encourage my wife's continuing practice of her faith, and the raising of our children within that structure. A significant part of her appreciation for the church is the concept of community that surrounds the church.

Not being an active churchgoer ever, I come to this world with some misguided expectations. When I think of church services and events, I expect that the everyday self-centeredness and inconsideration for others is left at home. I expect that those who would take opportunities to gain by others would treat the grounds as holy. I mean, why not? Its church!

So we arrive at our scheduled time for a picture and the nice people volunteering for the church explain the process: "We take your name, and the Olan Mills people will call you when they are ready." Hmmm, Olan Mills, what a nice thing for them to help a church out putting together a nice directory with photos of the parishioners and their families, I'm sure they must get good referrals out of this.

Of course, we went out of our way to bring the whole family (including our 10-day old). Generally speaking, "they" say keep your newborn at home for the first 6 weeks, particularly in the winter months for disease prevention. But Lori was excited for this picture and we believed that her "community" would be considerate and understanding, and help us navigate the process efficiently so as to minimize the time we needed to be there.

So we wait for our turn in the makeshift photo studio, at which point the photographer, who is only doing his job, tries to talk the 10-day-old into holding his head up straight, and get his eyes to look at toys on the camera. Okay, maybe because he is so big, the photographer thought he was older, but please, if it were merely that the infant didn't want to hold his head up or focus his eyes, then we would have a whole new way of child rearing!

Then this guy starts taking pictures of just our daughter, and then wants me to put the infant in a makeshift plywood easel with a repeatedly used cloth covering it. Gross! What the heck does this have to do with the church directory?! So it hits me: Olan Mills isn't contracted to do the directory, hoping the Goodwill will bring it more business, its getting the church to pay for the sitting fees and talking the parish into all going through the process. The Church gets an unretouched print of each family (which is a no-cost output of a sitting), and the opportunity to 1-on-1 sell prints and packages to each family in the parish.

People taunt me for my paranoia. They claim I believe that "everyone is out to get me." I think its closer to "everyone is out for themselves, and they don't care if that costs anyone else (which includes me)."

I was explaining my expectations of "church behavior" to my mother-in-law, who was brought up in a strong religous atmosphere in a close community and raised her children in suit. Her reaction shouldn't have suprised me. She looked at me with this confused look as if to say "you really think that?"

Church is just another club or place where people are just people.... *sigh*

Posted by KnipSter at March 12, 2003 08:53 AM

Comments

Poor Demian! I see your point. I like to think the church truly had an initial interest in collecting photos of the parish. Olin Mills capitalized on it. I guess if you want, you pay for the extras but screw em. Don't take any!!!!! We did that when Billy was 3 months, however, not for a church function. We took our free 8 x 10 and ran. They TRIED to sell us more but I love when they fail. Please don't hold it against the catholic church. I find it hard to believe their purpose was to help Olin Mills get rich.

Posted by: Auntie Donna at March 14, 2003 10:25 PM

Oh sorry, not what I meant. I think the parish got what it wanted, but I think Olan Mills has a business model that seizes the opportunities that Clubs and Religious organization offer.

My greater point is that people are still people whether they are at church or not.

Posted by: KnipSter at March 14, 2003 11:01 PM

Olin mills is offering a service. You have the choice to accept what they offer or reject it. You are under no obligation to purchase those extra portraits of your little 10 day old. You know what he/she looks like at 10 days old. I assume it's not important to you that when he/she becomes 50 years old it would not be of any interest to them to see that portrait of them at such a young age.

Posted by: tramcam@mac.com at June 29, 2004 10:53 PM

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