July 09, 2008

Keeping tradition: the naked photo

My teenage sons are horrified at my tradition of posting naked photos on my blog. No matter how much I protest that the nude shots are incredibly tasteful and discreet, they say things like, "My eyes are STILL burning. I'm not reading your blog anymore." One male extra claims he's going to have to go therapy someday to talk about the time he glanced at my blog and saw a naked photo of me. And that's a kid not even related to me. I hate to think how much my sons will have to pay for therapy.

But Tie-dye Brother-in-law, a faithful reader of my blog, has said that he would happily pose naked. Because, you know, he's got all kinds of respect for tradition.

Last week, I decided to test that great respect for tradition.

We had all traveled by boat to an island out on the river, where we like to swim. It's a pretty public spot, just across from a state park jammed with campers up for the Fourth of July weekend, the busiest tourist weekend of the summer, and in full view of the channel, where motorboats zoom up and down in the deep water. His two kids, Suburban Nephew and Dandelion Niece, had already expressed their views on the matter of naked blogging photos. My nephew shuddered in horror and disappeared with With-a-Why to a different part of the island, while Dandelion Niece took the route of completing disowning her father. "You'll be UNCLE Tie-dye to me from now on."

We were standing on the highest point of the island, looking out at family members happily swimming and washing their hair in the cold river water, fishing boats anchored in shallow areas, and speedboats going past, filled with tourists. I said to Tie-dye Brother-in-law, "Oh, here's a good spot for a photo. Jump off the rock naked and I'll take your picture."

Without hesitation, he stripped off his bathing suit, tossed it on the rock, and leapt into the cold river water below.

Blogging tradition:  a naked photo


(Readers who want to know the history of the naked photo tradition can check it out here and here and here and here and here.)

26 comments:

YourFireAnt said...

ArRIIIIIIIIIIGHT!! Just what the dr. ordered! Nice one.

FA

jo(e) said...

FA: I knew you'd appreciate another naked photo.

Anonymous said...

It's about time!

Ianqui said...

Hah! Good thing you captured the photo just right, because it might have been difficult to ask him to do it again!

S. said...

That's more like it.

(Your reputation is secure again.)

Zhoen said...

Puritanical children, horrified at adult bodies...

Good one, brave man. I'd strip and turn my back for your camera, if you ever make it to this part of the world.

And I don't say that to just anyone.

undine said...

Very brave. That river water was cold last week!

BrightBoy said...

Okay, so, I love you. And your niece's response literally made me laugh.

Anonymous said...

In a word shrinkage, that's why I didn't do it!!!

Rev Dr Mom said...

jo(e) you are too much!

Great shot! How are you going to top this one?

Urban Sophisticate Sister said...

I KNEW there was a good reason for me not to be at camp!!!

Yankee, Transferred said...

We've been waiting...it was worth the wait!

concretegodmother said...

hurrah! go, "uncle" tie-dye, bold soul! i was thinking what ianqui said; it's a good thing you're good at this! the framing is really just perfect. it was coming due for one of these... :-)

Anonymous said...

So this almost is NSFW. But not quite.

Kathy Rogers said...

Hilarious. What a good sport!

And blonde-haired-BIL beat me to the Seinfeld joke.

Liz Miller said...

What a great shot!!!

Cathy said...

How many times did he have to jump to capture that photo just right?

You all sure know how to create memories, don't you?

jo(e) said...

Oh, he only jumped once. Luckily, I got a good photo on the first try.

Gawdess said...

sheer exhilaration!

Anonymous said...

great respect for tradition

Just call me "Tie-dye Tevye".

:-)

Anonymous said...

Awesome, awesome picture! Way to go, Tie-dye Brother-in-law!

landismom said...

Wow. Just wow.

Anonymous said...

I love it! That is just awesome. I think your family is WAAAYYYY more free-spirited than mine! Nobody in my family would do anything like that!

Wayfarer Scientista said...

Good on him - and against the pressure of his children!

Magpie said...

That is a great photo. And I understand the nude business better for having gone back and looked for them...

Jeff said...

Jumping with naked abandon & joy!
:) Great shot.