I've learned a lesson.

We haven't done any packing today. The only update I have on the relocation is that We are handing our four week notice to the landlords mid December. Instead we cuddled up on the sofa under a faux fur blanket and watched some films. We watched both Wayne's World films, Heather's and Paranormal Activity.

I won't give the plot away but it's the most boring overrated film of all time. "It terrified America." is what the advert states. What? Terrified them with crapness? There's a camera in the theatre in the ad and it shows some cinema goer jumping ten feet in the air with fright. I think this person has the most extreme nervous disposition I have ever come across. Save your money, even Twilight is better than that pile of crud and Twilight is terrible.

I heavily disliked the couple in PA. The guy, "Micah" I thought was a complete tool throughout the film and it was his toolness that ended both their lives. I consider this not to be a spoiler because the film tells you they died before the whole thing starts anyway. It's the lamest film ever.

While we were watching it, I did get an idea that I'd like to buy a video recorder to make cute home movies for us to watch we are old. I want something more than photos. If we decide to have children I'd like more than photo's to show them how cool we were in our youth.

I'm always trying to take photos of Phil but he hates having his photo taken and he's not very photogenic.

Not true.

Phil is very photogenic he just exudes awkwardness because he hates smiling and that is what makes him look like a mong on camera. Now when I snap him naturally smiling he is devastatingly handsome. His forced smiles are crap. He looks like Chandler.



Everyone makes him smile on camera and every photo I've seen of him smiling, I can see him s*****ing himself as though he's looking like he already ruined the photo. After months of telling him that I could make him look good on camera, he finally agreed to do a little shoot for me.

"I don't know why you're bothering Claire, NO ONE has ever taken a good picture of me."

"Don't smile, be yourself, and you'll see I can make you look good." I replied.

So he didn't smile he was himself and when I showed him the photos he was shocked.

"Wow I do look good!"

*I told you.*

In fact he looked so good I had a few messages on another website
"Is that your husband? He is SO hot!"

Mmmhmmm that is why I married him.

He's more comfortable with having his picture taken now he's seen he can look good in a photo and he does sometimes complain but I remind him that when he's seventy and we get the family album out he'll thank me for documenting our lives with beautiful photos and he'll see that he was a very handsome man.

Most photographer's I have come across in my life always try and get people smiling in photos and I've learned a lesson from this. Smiling doesn't always bring out the best in people. forced smiling can ruin a photo as I learned in my own wedding photos.

My wedding photos are horrible and it makes me so sad and we don't ever get them out for people because they are so staged and we don't look in love at all. The few people that have seen them say they are nice but it's not what other people think it's what you think that counts. We had to smile like ****s in every one and as Phil tenses up he looks like he doesn't want to be there. Every time we tried to give a slight smile the 'tog was like

"No, bigger smiles! It's your wedding day!"

Happiness in photos doesn't mean you have to smile. I would have loved at least one photo that showed how in love we were/are. But our faces ached so much we look like we met that afternoon and are regretting it already.

A while ago I came across this photo [I will delete it if they ask me to]:



It was taken with just a powershot by a guest. It's the most beautiful wedding photo I've ever seen, I'm seething with jealously that non of my photos were as candid as this showing a just married couple so in love.

Instead we got photos like this:



Do you feel dizzy? I did when I got a photo with this effect this back.

Sometimes we say we're going to redo our photo's but... It's not the same unless it's your actual wedding day. We might buy some smart casual outfits and find a deserted beach in Devon and get snap happy. But it's not the wedding photos that tell the tale of a solid marriage. I'd know I'd do a beautiful job.



So I always try and get people to pose how they feel comfortable in. If they think they look best scowling so be it! They feel more comfortable and I get glowing reviews.