Learning to See Before I could be, I had to see. It became evident to me that one of the first things I had to do to create images that would speak was to see with different eyes. As a photographer, most of us are at a disadvantage because we see things as we have always been taught, evaluating people from the perspective of a photographer. How would we light them? Which side is the most flattering? How can I make this woman look thinner? All of these things are good, but they are not the point. The real question to ask is "Who is this person and how can I reflect that?" I needed to learn to see through eyes as a dad, a brother, a son, a mom or a wife. I wanted to see people and their relationships through the eyes of the ones that loved them the most. I had to detach myself from my profession and be a better observer. When sharing with other photographers, I always say, "I am more interested in my ability to see than my ability to create". This required putting a lot of my training behind me as I learned to watch and photograph the relationships and personalities of those in front of my camera.
What you don’t know can hurt you One of the most important things when creating an image that speaks is to be armed with information about the people you are getting ready to photograph as well as their personality and their relationships. Because this is so important, we do a design appointment with every session. This design appointment is NOT to pick out backgrounds and props, but instead to learn the story of this potential client. Every person has a story. I am not talking about some long drawn out life story. I am talking about the little details. Is this portrait celebrating something, and, if so, what? Is your son a mommy or daddy’s boy? Is he an introvert or extrovert, playful or quiet? These details will arm me with the ability to recognize something from the clients prospective that will capture the essence of who these persons are. Also, when I know the story, it changes how I see and capture those subjects. Once, I photographed a young lady who was in remission from ovarian cancer. She wanted a portrait with her two best friends who helped her through that terrible time. With that information in hand, I knew I did not want to put these ladies in a formal pose. Instead, I had them in a group hug with the lady I mentioned in the center. I had them give an extra hard squeeze and they all laughed. At that moment, when I hit the button, it captured that moment in time that represented their victory together. At the end of the sitting, I had them all clasp hands and I photographed their hands in a circle. As I look at that image today, I see a picture of total unity and friendship. It is my goal to have every image tell a story and to have every image speak.
You must deliberately set the stage for this type of imagery. You must begin to think differently to create images that move those who see them. Develop a style that reflects these thoughts and ideas. Put your skills to work creating from the heart and then market it to the public. You will be amazed at the response. You may find you have just put your finger on what people wanted all along. No better time exists for images that speak of life, love and family. We as image-makers have a very distinct privilege and yes, maybe even a calling to capture the moments, the people and the events that speak of people’s lives and love. "It is not the days we remember, it is the moments"
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Have you ever been in the company of someone that just wants
to "hang
out". Having nothing to say or contribute, they are content with status
quo. In my mind, they are the equivalent of the color beige. In other words,
they are very boring! Eight years ago, when searching my soul about my future
as an image-maker, I made a decision. That decision was a simple one in theory,
but a challenging one in practice. I no longer wanted my images to just "Hang
Around". I wanted my images to SPEAK!
In order to do this, a few things became obvious as I began to let go of
the technical training I had always held dear and began to walk the emotional
road. The first thing I learned is that your personality in the camera room
is critical! Before your clients will become vulnerable in front of the camera,
you have to become vulnerable yourself. Your subjects will sense a connection
with you, and the camera will begin to disappear in their minds. My second
thought is to watch closely when changing film because that is when the walls
seem to break down and people will reveal themselves. To me, body language
is more important than posing structure. If you watch closely, people will
show you what will look best on them. This is why I would prefer to watch
and react to what they do naturally instead of creating some pose that may
not be them at all. I watch for subjects that have their arms around each
other or their small child and encourage them to squeeze a little harder
or love on each other a little more. I then watch what happens because their
body language and expressions will improve tremendously. When silly things
happen while doing this, be sure to photograph that as well because sometimes
these are the most wonderful images!
The time is now.