Bad habits for a 3 year old huh?

elfving73

Howdy guys!
Long time no see! Thought I'd just pop in here, post a few pics and say hello! Here is my oldest son Liam. He fell asleep in the sofa today, when watching E.T. and if you fall asleep when I'm around - well heck, then I only say: suit yourself!

DON'T WORRY guys - I planted the liquor and beer and put on the hat! The pics are posted in reverse order from how they were taken, actually he slowly woke up. This is a toughened little bloke with lots of humor, and the next second he broke out in laughter. Haha! "Daaaaddy! Lemme see! Lemme see!"

Stay tuned / Matty

DoctorIt

Matty, you are an awesome dad!!! Haven't seen your photos in a little while, good to have you back!

urbanaries

The shot is very nice technically, I really like the lighting.

My dad took a couple of pics of me with a beer can when I was about 3. As I got older it bothered me that he thought the picture was appropriate. Kids have enough pressures without their parents giving them mixed messages. Not trying to get on a soapbox.....just something to think about.

elfving73

Don't worry! I KNEW I was gonna get it! You always do....

urbanaries wrote:

The shot is very nice technically, I really like the lighting.

My dad took a couple of pics of me with a beer can when I was about 3. As I got older it bothered me that he thought the picture was appropriate. Kids have enough pressures without their parents giving them mixed messages. Not trying to get on a soapbox.....just something to think about.

photocat

Funny... lucky HE has a sense of humor!

elfving73

Thank you! Haha! You know, it's just SO MUCH FUN makin' fun on the expense of others! Mohahaha! In particular to people that simply can't defend themselves! Just kidding! (But it is, isn't it!)

Yes, it's been a while! But now I'm back... and there is nothing you can do about it!

Matty

DoctorIt wrote:

Matty, you are an awesome dad!!! Haven't seen your photos in a little while, good to have you back!

urbanaries

photocat wrote:

Funny... lucky HE has a sense of humor!

I do have a great sense of humor, just don't think encouraging kids to drink is funny or appropriate. Sorry.

DoctorIt

urbanaries wrote:

I do have a great sense of humor,

urb, let me preface this by saying I don't want to downplay this for you, clearly it's a sensitive subject, I'm sorry for your personal emotions.

However (1) I'm gonna bet photocat was referring to Liam - for having such a good humor about his dad playing little jokes on him, and letting him photograph him. He's a good sport.

(2) let's focus on the cute kid, the great photos, ok? this is clearly staged, in good taste, and humorous. I'm invoking mod powers here - no soapboxes! thank you.

urbanaries

DoctorIt wrote:

urb, let me preface this by saying I don't want to downplay this for you, clearly it's a sensitive subject, I'm sorry for your personal emotions.

However (1) I'm gonna bet photocat was referring to Liam - for having such a good humor about his dad playing little jokes on him, and letting him photograph him. He's a good sport.

(2) let's focus on the cute kid, the great photos, ok? this is clearly staged, in good taste, and humorous. I'm invoking mod powers here - no soapboxes! thank you.

no soapbox, i'm not bitter or trying to get emotional, i just disagree that the photo is in good taste. we agree to disagree!

elfving73

Sigh! I just KNEW this was gonna happen! With all respect - in my family, we have a healthy relationship to alcohol, infact we don't drink much at all, (I've had that whisky bottle for atleast 5 years) and we do not have a history of alcoholism. We obviously have a complete different sense of humor - but if everyone would take in cosideration to please everybody with the same kind of "appropriate" (sorry, just hate that word!) humor, and make sure not to hurt or bother anyone, well..... I don't think there would be much "humor" left to laught at, now would it?! I just couldn't stand living in a world where "Two tomatoes crossed the street..." was cosidered as a benchmark for "appropriate humor". Guys - STOP MORALIZING!

"If you don't like my apples, don't shake my tree"

PS: Do you remember that scene with Monthy Pyton where John Cleese is a boxer, and he only fights children - knocking them out of their shoes and out of the ring, and the audience is going BUUU BUUUU and he goes "Yeah! Yeah! Who's the best! WHO!?" (Something like that) That is so inappropriate - but so god damend funny! That to me is humor! I guess I'm a sucker for "provocative humor". DS

DoctorIt

urbanaries wrote:

we agree to disagree!

ok with me. thanks for being cool about it

DavidTO

Hey, I hate those cutsie pictures of toddlers dressed up in grown up clothing, kissing, as well. Both kinds of behavior is inappropriate for children that age, and I just don't care for it. Wouldn't call it good taste, that's for sure! But like many other things I don't agree with in this world, I put up with them.

One other thing I want to mention....what a great forum where we can post images, talk about what they mean to us, and not get all snarky and mean. That's the cool part of this, IMO.

DoctorIt

DavidTO wrote:

snarky

i know you are, but what am i?

dragon300zx

I think this is a great series and funny.

To each his own on the personal views on these as well. After all people lets remember our community is international, we come from all over the world, and different cultures take things differently.

DavidTO

DoctorIt wrote:

i know you are, but what am i?

snarky.

elfving73

Hey! Haha! Knock it off know, guys! People have different opinions on my pics, some find them funny, and some find them highly inapproriate - yadda-yadda - just leave it there. No need for you to start an argument!

P E A C E P L E A S E !

DavidTO wrote:

snarky.

Phyxius

elfving73 wrote:

yadda-yadda

I love how I read that as "yoda". :

Really well done shots Matty! I really like the first and third shots.

And, you're obviously taking any crits in stride, but just incase someone pops up down the road...people remember also that americans have a very different view on alcohol than most countries. Our drinking age is much higher. While I grew up in America, I'm first generation and we were allowed sips of beer/wine even as young childern. So, alcohol has never been a forbidden fruit to me. I've never gotten drunk, etc. Haha, I'm also not so obtuse that I think ANY country thinks it's okay for a 3yr old to get drunk, but...that's part of what makes this set funny, right?

Harryb

Matty, Matty, Matty, whats a matter with you!!! :crazy Booze and a toddler come on man. Have you ever changed a diaper after the baby has been on a :boozebinge, no fun man. :nah


I would suggest some mild marijuana, if you don't want the lad to start smoking yet you could just sprinkle it over his food. End result a happy and quiet chld with no bad habits being reinforced. A definite win-win


Excellent shots BTW

elfving73

Hehe! Thanx!

Well, actually I mostly just sit back an enjoy the debate as it get heated. If people like my pics, I'm very happy - but if the don't, well honestly, it doesn't keep me awake at night. I have a tendency (ok, perhaps a slight predilection) to post pictures that evoke people desires for arguing and debating (and sometimes as a not wished for side effect, I get people moralizing) I guess that's part of my passion for photography, to take pictures that evoke emotions - of any kind. Yet, sometimes, the narrow-minded moralizing kind of people sorta "gets to me". [I'm not saying Urbanaries is one, I'm speaking in generall] Tell me that my pics sucks, that they are inappropriate, bad taste etc. and I'll just roll my eyes and shrug, but "moralizers" time to time "slip through" my safety net and actually manages to irritate me. But just a little! No big deal. And heck, I think it's just good for my hearth!

"I'm also not so obtuse that I think ANY country thinks it's okay for a 3yr old to get drunk, but...that's part of what makes this set funny, right?"

Spot on! Right on target! Exactly! Part of, indeed!
I have a rather broad sense of humor, but in particular I like "provocative humor" - you know, when people do completely unexpected, inappropriate "way-crossing-the-line"-kind of things. The more "forbidden" the funnier!

I once posted a "funny pic" featuring Jesus on the cross with a "thought-bubble" above his head on a forum at Dpreview. Gee! In a matter of hours, I had got hundreds of replies, some in a "laughing-my-butt-off"-style, but far more "You-blasphemer"-kind of. And soon enough I was banned from the forum! It was a bit untacticall of me, agreed, - but the whole thing, to me, just makes the pics even more funny! Haha! I really crossed the line, that time!

Regards / Matty

Phyxius wrote:

I love how I read that as "yoda". :

Really well done shots Matty! I really like the first and third shots.

And, you're obviously taking any crits in stride, but just incase someone pops up down the road...people remember also that americans have a very different view on alcohol than most countries. Our drinking age is much higher. While I grew up in America, I'm first generation and we were allowed sips of beer/wine even as young childern. So, alcohol has never been a forbidden fruit to me. I've never gotten drunk, etc. Haha, I'm also not so obtuse that I think ANY country thinks it's okay for a 3yr old to get drunk, but...that's part of what makes this set funny, right?

elfving73

Haha! Thanx Harry! Great tip! I'll try that sometime! And here is a great tip to you - how to teach children (works well on adult too) the fundamental "Hands off!"-commando. Get a sting gun, and everytime they reach out for something you don't want the to fiddle with, just give'em a little BzzBzzBzz! Can seem a bit brutal, but hey, it's brutally effective!

Regards / Matty

Harryb wrote:

Matty, Matty, Matty, whats a matter with you!!! :crazy Booze and a toddler come on man. Have you ever changed a diaper after the baby has been on a :boozebinge, no fun man. :nah


I would suggest some mild marijuana, if you don't want the lad to start smoking yet you could just sprinkle it over his food. End result a happy and quiet chld with no bad habits being reinforced. A definite win-win


Excellent shots BTW

urbanaries

deleted post on second thought.

i'll let elfving have the last word.....i'm a narrowminded moralizer!

Blonde Moment

Even though you have an entightened view of life!!!

If you get divorced and their is a custody battle for you kids, your spouse will definatley use these photos to prove and win the custody!!!

They show 2 things:

1) no matter what you believe, the court will beilive you to be an alcoholic.

2) you do not have the childs best interest as formost of your live and you are not a responsible person.

delete, destroy, whatever, even this thread.

THESE PHOTOS WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU

elfving73

I what way could this be interpetated as a pic that is supposed to encourage anyone to drink? And is humor about "encouraging people" to do surten things?

urbanaries wrote:

I do have a great sense of humor, just don't think encouraging kids to drink is funny or appropriate. Sorry.

elfving73

Oh boy! Great! You do obviously have a great sense of humor and a vivid imagination! Haha! Man, if my pictures would be used against me, I could be locked up for life! Hahahaha!
Matty

Blonde Moment wrote:

Even though you have an entightened view of life!!!

If you get divorced and their is a custody battle for you kids, your spouse will definatley use these photos to prove and win the custody!!!

They show 2 things:

1) no matter what you believe, the court will beilive you to be an alcoholic.

2) you do not have the childs best interest as formost of your live and you are not a responsible person.

delete, destroy, whatever, even this thread.

THESE PHOTOS WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU

elfving73

Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that you are a narrowminded moralizer. I was speaking in generall, but I admit, perhaps I put it in a way that could be interpreted that way. Sorry!

urbanaries wrote:

deleted post on second thought.

i'll let elfving have the last word.....i'm a narrowminded moralizer!

Blonde Moment

No offence taken and no offence implied, just a suggestion you protect your butt.

Unfortunately, these type of photos have been used in court in custody battles and they will continue to be used in custody battles.

In court it is not what you believe, but what the court believes by the evidence put before it.

Child Services use thses to get there way as well.

elfving73

Ok, well, thanx for your concern! I guess you have a point, but still. Perhaps it's a cultural thing, and perhaps I'm naive, but I just can't see that comming. Not in ol' little Sweden. We don't do such thing around here! *Haha* I'll better be a good father and a wonderful husband then, to make sure not getting into a custody battle.

Matty

Blonde Moment wrote:

No offence taken and no offence implied, just a suggestion you protect your butt.

Unfortunately, these type of photos have been used in court in custody battles and they will continue to be used in custody battles.

In court it is not what you believe, but what the court believes by the evidence put before it.

Child Services use thses to get there way as well.

urbanaries

elfving73 wrote:

I what way could this be interpetated as a pic that is supposed to encourage anyone to drink? And is humor about "encouraging people" to do surten things?

well, if you ever try to talk to your kid about not drinking, this image will certainly make it difficult for you. that's all I ever meant to say. The images are great. Just might send mixed signals to your kid down the road.

kres

It's about the art - not your personal hang ups.
...and that's about all I'm gunna say on that tired topic.

ANYWAY -> Love the lighting. I think I like the sleeping picture the best. It's clear that it's a joke, but at the same time it's stereotypical passed out postition.

What kind of diffuser were you using?

gus

elfving73 wrote:

if my pictures would be used against me, I could be locked up for life! Hahahaha!
Matty

What about that 'mob shooting' you came across on the road that night about 8 months back which you photographed & posted here ?

Dramatapix®

urbanaries wrote:

well, if you ever try to talk to your kid about not drinking, this image will certainly make it difficult for you. As you are well aware in your role as an artist, images speak louder than words. And to a child - with an underdeveloped sense of right and wrong - this could certainly be seen as "daddy thinks the thought of me drinking is funny." and that was my initial objection......not that the image offended me per se.....it didn't.........but what it may say to your son (or others) down the line. that's all. just wanted to provide a perspective on the impact it might have. I am aware no one wanted my parental view, so I backed off, but you asked now, so I appreciate the opportunity to clarify.

I'm an artistic director of both dramatic and musical theatre. I've directed and taken photographs of the shows that I've directed, including Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, Oliver, and more... that doesn't mean I advocate racial prejudice, eating of human meat pies, and the abuse of children by an obvious pedophile name Fagan!!!