I like to look at pictures in this way.
The photographer has to have a real experiential moment with his subject and setting that goes above the expectations of the original plan for the shoot or assignment. I often tell people I'm trying to find that story within the story, that something extra, that something unexpected.
I think this way in portraiture as well my journalism. When I'm thinking about my subject I think about a setting perhaps to play off, I think of items that help define the subject (i.e. a guitar player can bring his or her guitar, a baseball player a bat.) I don't really think of props just for the sake of using something.
I will let my subjects bring these items if they wish and we can figure it out from there. But a prop just for the sake of a prop because it was seen in some picture on Pinterest doesn't really interest me.
Recently I got to photograph my friend Mary's grandson Grif. I have used this setting of this tree in Cochranton before and really think its a wonderful symbol to use in a setting for a baby.
The tree of life.
It has been here probably 200 years and here's this baby just new into the world.
Grif's mom Ashley brought this basket to the tree and I, admittedly, wasn't hugely interested in it because it seems a bit trendy and done... but she brought it so I wanted to make a picture with it for her.
Now here is where this experiential experience comes into play. I wanted to still make a nice photograph for them so I tried hard to compose and get a good expression etc... and was happy with what I was getting. Then Grif started to move his arms and at this second he got this smile and his one hand went up.
I didn't know what i was seeing necessarily but instinct in photographing for so long said, movement - shoot! What happened is I got this image that has a comedy to it and a drawing you in quality. It's not just a picture you look at but, you become a participant in this interaction between Grif and you as he waves to you.
Try not waving back, you can't, you look at this and have to wave back. You become a participant.
I would not have gotten this picture with out the prop Grif's mom brought and I wouldn't have gotten this picture if I wasn't open to try to make a picture the best I could even if I didn't think it was my cup of tea.
I've learned to trust the way the universe works and be open to the possibilities. I seem to get some of my more memorable images this way.
This picture will greet the visitors to my website's home page when I get it up and running.
Thanks Ashley and Mary and Grif (I say waving at my computer screen!)
The photographer has to have a real experiential moment with his subject and setting that goes above the expectations of the original plan for the shoot or assignment. I often tell people I'm trying to find that story within the story, that something extra, that something unexpected.
I think this way in portraiture as well my journalism. When I'm thinking about my subject I think about a setting perhaps to play off, I think of items that help define the subject (i.e. a guitar player can bring his or her guitar, a baseball player a bat.) I don't really think of props just for the sake of using something.
I will let my subjects bring these items if they wish and we can figure it out from there. But a prop just for the sake of a prop because it was seen in some picture on Pinterest doesn't really interest me.
Recently I got to photograph my friend Mary's grandson Grif. I have used this setting of this tree in Cochranton before and really think its a wonderful symbol to use in a setting for a baby.
The tree of life.
It has been here probably 200 years and here's this baby just new into the world.
Grif's mom Ashley brought this basket to the tree and I, admittedly, wasn't hugely interested in it because it seems a bit trendy and done... but she brought it so I wanted to make a picture with it for her.
Now here is where this experiential experience comes into play. I wanted to still make a nice photograph for them so I tried hard to compose and get a good expression etc... and was happy with what I was getting. Then Grif started to move his arms and at this second he got this smile and his one hand went up.
I didn't know what i was seeing necessarily but instinct in photographing for so long said, movement - shoot! What happened is I got this image that has a comedy to it and a drawing you in quality. It's not just a picture you look at but, you become a participant in this interaction between Grif and you as he waves to you.
Try not waving back, you can't, you look at this and have to wave back. You become a participant.
I would not have gotten this picture with out the prop Grif's mom brought and I wouldn't have gotten this picture if I wasn't open to try to make a picture the best I could even if I didn't think it was my cup of tea.
I've learned to trust the way the universe works and be open to the possibilities. I seem to get some of my more memorable images this way.
This picture will greet the visitors to my website's home page when I get it up and running.
Thanks Ashley and Mary and Grif (I say waving at my computer screen!)