Morgan Monks
Informant: Shelley Monks
Date: taken November 2013

Title: "One Crazy Family"

Genre: Family Picture

Informant: I received this picture from my mother who sent it to me via email. The picture was taken by a good family friend.

Context: This family photo was taken during the week of the 2013 Thanksgiving. My entire immediate family (along with my older brothers and their wives) were all in Henderson Nevada for Thanksgiving at my aunt's house. My mom instructed us what group of colors to wear and we spend a long two hours of picture taking and cheesy smiles. Finally we were allowed to take a funny picture and this picture was the result of that.

Text: On the far left of the photo the couple of the man in the white shirt and the woman in the maroon shirt are my brother Kelby (age 21) and his wife Shelby (18). The older couple to the right is my dad Jason (45) and my mom Shelley in orange. The two little ones below them are my adopted sisters Makenna (9) on the left and Malia (6) on the right. The next couple is my oldest brother Kegan (24) and his wife Sasha (23). The second little grouping is my little adopted sister Maggie (5) and adoptive brother Kooper (7). The last grouping on the right is my little brother Kaden (16) and I (18). That all adds up to the whopping total of a dozen. With all the new additions to my family including adoptions and marriages my family has doubled in size within four and a half years. It seems as if with every family picture the camera has to stand back farther and farther each time.

Texture: The thing that I really love about this picture is the individual aspect of it all. Each person in the photo was able to do their own face and pose and with knowing that individual person it makes sense. Take my younger brother Kaden for example. His purposefully goofy face shows exactly his personality. He normally will try and be very 'cool' but then one second later he is a complete goof ball. The same goes with most of all the other people in my family it just takes a little analysis and knowledge about the person.
I also have a strong connection to this photo because for one this picture is the last photo my family will have with all of us together for what could be about four years. It seems as everyone gets older its just harder to get everyone together on one place. And out of all the family pictures we took that day, this one still is my favorite. I think it is because it shows the reality of my family. We are a just a bunch of goofballs who love each other a whole bunch.