I Heart Faces - SMIRK

I truly heart this face! Today, Nicholas celebrates his 50th appearance in an I Heart Faces post!

On March 3, 2009, I first entered Nicholas’s “Messy Face” into an I Heart Faces’ weekly challenge. Since, I have posted 68 entries. The first 48 submissions were posted on my original blog, When I Grow Up. Thanks, in part, to I Heart Faces, I grew. Now, you will find all of my future entries here at Heller Ritz Photography’s Capturing Sunshine.

You might say I remain joyfully committed to "face"ing each of the demanding challenges that I Heart Faces throws my way.

“Demanding?” you say, “Really?” You try capturing Autumn Beauty in Florida. (I placed in the top ten in that one by the way.) And let’s talk about sun flare…ugh. (I think I may be a little bit blind now.)

The very most challenging captures; however, are the ones where I insisted that Nicholas participate. He’s the little guy that you will see attached to my knees most days, so that is why he gets the task. And, sometimes most times, I Heart Faces photo shoot is a task that he just isn’t up to.

“Wait!” you say. “Then how did he make the cut 50 times?” Well, it goes something like this:

Each photo challenge offered by I Heart Faces presents an opportunity for inspiration. With a goal in mind, I set out “on assignment.” After shooting for a while, I start to get some of those smirky “Mom, just take the picture and be done with it” faces that you see above. (For example: I took this photo during I Heart Faces’ “Yellow” week. Of course, you can’t see it in black and white, but there were yellow goggles, a yellow tube, and even a yellow flower during the shoot.)

Then, photos such as these are saved for a rainy day.

I believe that true smirk comes from within, and cannot be set up, so there will be no shoot this week, Nicholas. But alas, I am prepared. So, here is your 50th appearance!

Check out other smirks this week at I Heart Faces here.