This past week, just prior to Thanksgiving, we all went to the beach to take this years’ family photographs. Jenifer’s brother (who lives in Idaho) was in town for the Thanksgiving holiday; with everybody around we took the opportunity to snap some photos.

We struggled with lighting as the weather conditions couldn’t make up it’s mind. First it was sunny. Then it was foggy. Then sunny. Cloudy. Foggy. Sunny.

The foggy conditions were best for the photo’s, when it’s overcast it seems to bring out the best in a photo. But the weather literally messed with us for the two hours we were down there, so many photo’s were screwy. The beauty of digital camera’s – dismiss those who ask for it and keep the good ones. You’re an instant world class photographer.

I’ve published a sampling of the best ones. They’re quite extraordinary. Nevan and Liam have this incredible ability; a photogenic quality that even the Gerber babies can’t touch. Every parent thinks they have the most handsome boys or the prettiest girls and rightly so. I’m putting my foot down and claiming the same.

The URL is: http://mike250.com/gallery/v/year/2006/november/

My favourite is easily the close-up shot of my two boys (pic-040); Nevan’s arm is draped around his younger brother Liam’s shoulder, best buds hanging out at the beach. I also really love pic-096, a truly candid shot that no-one but the culprit behind the camera knew about. Dad (that’d be me) slightly blurry in the foreground, Liam clearly enjoying himself in the background. Not posing. Not forcing a smile. Genuinely enjoying the opportunity to run around bare-foot on the beach, taking a moment to get away from the task of more posing.

We weren’t alone on that beach either. A holidaying family appeared from one of the multi-million-dollar beach homes to throw balls around and play with their dog. Ragged looking fisherman were reeling in their catch, bucketing the big ones and discarding the small ones. Two para-gliders landing on the beach only meters from our site. Made for quite an exciting morning and the boys lapped it all up eagerly.

Enjoy!

Michael just received news that isn’t good and isn’t ready to talk about it yet. The day looks bleak. Perhaps the only thing that can probably cheer him up is the cricket that starts today at 4pm PST. He’s a cricket nut. A nut that can’t be cracked. He’s suddenly hungry.

Listening to Your Woman by White Town on >Abort, Retry, Fail?.