TOMMY WILLIAMS / L’Observateur / June 5, 1999

Much like the “Invisible Man,” you’ve been there, done that, but there’s no photographic record of your existence to speak of. Common to many households,where one specific individual has been appointed the family photographer, your going to notice how rare it is to see yourself (the photographer) in any of the family photos.

In my home we average about four to six rolls of 24-exposure film per month; yet, I can count on one hand how many times I make my visible appearance in our family photos.

By using a tripod and the camera’s selftimer you can avoid this problem and keep all family members, including the photographer (meaning Dad or Mom), present and accounted for.

When I mention the use of a tripod (a three-legged camera stand), I am also referring to the use of any object that can serve as a camera support, something that can hold the camera in an upright position. If you have a tripod, fine, but ifnot, objects such as a table, stool, books or the kitchen countertop will serve our purpose. Books tend to be especially helpful because you can stack them oneat a time to refine the camera’s height in small increments.

Next is the camera’s selftimer, which is an electrical timing device that releases the camera’s shutter to take a picture. The selftimer normally firesthe shutter after 10 seconds, plenty enough time to make your way into the photographic area. If you have not noticed a selftimer button on your camera,review the camera manual to see if it is equipped with one.Putting it altogether! First, place your camera at a level (camera height) inwhich you can see the general area to be photographed in the viewfinder.

Remember to allow for a little extra room for yourself in the photo. Use a tripodor books stacked on top of a table to support the camera in an upright position.

Then, press the selftimer button and make haste to your desired position amongst the rest of the family and smile for the camera.

Using a tripod and automatic self-timer could be your solution to correct a common family problem, locating lost or invisible family members.

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