the family portrait photographer

despite the fact that such a skill has been overrun by the

digital cams at home, the PC that can pump out the cheaper pics that are so clear

that one wonders why they ever paid another to

prop them up against a hanging piece of old felt

squashed against family members in hope of a

spontaneous smile,

the family portrait photographer

still huffs it to the job

be them with family or without

in some way jealous of the families that come in &

in other ways disgusted,

but either way they document lives for the

moments &

find themselves withering away at the job

wondering what will happen when the digital eliminates their occupation

entirely---

they tell themselves that they will freelance,

but at the age that they are pushing

it just isn’t realistic, because all the kids have taken over

even that aspect of the skill,

again, with the digital revolution---

the overwhelming sense of frustration & anxiety enters their veins

as they help the children up to sit next to their parents

or tell the young couple to hold one another &

the build up of emotion must be hid behind the

fake smile which looms from behind the camera

telling the occupants of the coming photo to

“say cheese,” or some other such

nonsense.