November 18, 2014

Today was Picture Day for the kindergarteners! I assumed it would be similar to what I experienced as a kid. You wear your favorite shirt or dress, do your hair nicely (or hope it behaves), and simply take one photo at some point during the day. I could not have been more unprepared for this morning’s events!

I don’t know how my experience compares to a public elementary school – though I can’t imagine they do the same thing! – but today was essentially a photo shoot! In all, the kids had 5 different photos taken plus a class photo. And it wasn’t one and done either. Each pose received multiple shots. For me, it was the equivalent of prom + wedding poses. In fact, I don’t think I had to take nearly as many posed photos for my wedding! Lucky for me, I had to take far fewer photos than the kiddos.

First, my class went in to take their class photo with me and the Korean teacher. That wasn’t too painful and was precisely what I had expected. However, what followed was a complete surprise to me! I had to take a photo with each student in my class! Yikes! The photographer didn’t seem to like my hair, hah, probably because it wasn’t straight or very tame. He sprayed some water on it a couple of times to try and contain it and then I guess he gave up. The photos I had to take with the kids took an amazingly long time. I’m sure he shot at least 20 (if not more) photos of me with EACH kid – that’s 6 kids total. Plus, after every round of shots he would stop to adjust me or my student, making sure our faces were angled just right. I also had to hold the hand of each one of my students in an awkward clasped fashion – basically I sandwiched their tiny hand in a posed photo embrace. I really can’t wait to see how those turned out!

After that, I realized that I needed to be documenting this crazy picture day. So for the rest of the morning I tried to capture some photos of my own and, inevitably, my camera fell into the hands of my students.

Waiting for Photo Shoot #2!

Picture Day Selfie!

For their next photo shoot my class took turns sitting at a desk stacked with books (from one of my older classes) and looking studious. It was pretty adorable and slightly ridiculous. Who thought of these poses!?After they finished with that photo they had to change into some clothes the photographers brought – a tuxedo vest and bow tie for the boys and dainty white dresses for the girls. Then they posed with some balloons! WHAT!

In the changing room!

Waiting for their tuxedo vests

I died when I saw this!

It’s the cutest and strangest photo idea!

I didn’t think it could possibly continue after these photos had been taken, but guess what, they still had 2 more photo shoots! We got a little break for lunch before the last two shoots thankfully. I was exhausted at this point but they all seemed to be enjoying it. I guess they are more accustomed to having a billion photos taken of them. It was during lunch that my camera was first hijacked.

I took this and then my camera was wrestled from hands

After lunch, my class went for their graduation photo shoot. Each kid was dressed in a very ornate cap and gown and had an extremely elaborate diploma! I am curious to see if they really wear outfits like that for their graduation in February.

The natives are getting restless

Leo looks very scholarly

Look at that diploma! (And Leo’s cute slippers!)

Jin is far too small for that gown

I managed to snap a quick one before the photographer kicked me out

I thought surely we were finished at this point but no, there was one final photo shoot in the library. This time the students were paired up and sat together at a table with some open books. I think they mostly took chummy photos that conveyed things like, “I love studying at SLP with my friends!” It was again, adorable, but so foreign to me! I could only snap one photo because each time I stood behind the photographer the kids would look at me. I don’t think he appreciated that.

We love to study together!

The kids were finally done with their picture day after this shoot and they could relax a little bit. I, on the other hand, still had one final photo to take – my individual faculty photo. I really wish it had been taken earlier in the day but oh well. I can’t wait to see how all the photos come out and hopefully I’ll get to share them here. I’ll leave y’all with some more images by the photographers of Cherry Class.