Photography, especially portrait photography, should be more than about what others look like. It is an imprint that they are an individual, alive, in this era. They are unique, they have personality, they are who they are NOW. We aren't taking pictures for what we WANT them to be. We are simply remembering who they are today so that others may reflect back on who they were.
Allow life to unwind, observe it, capture it and look back on it. I've had one too many people tell me they don't like the way their hair was, the squinched up eyes, the overly expressive child or the way a sweater bunches up in the image.
Why are these things so important that it often causes stress and turmoil? Why are people so concerned with 'appearance' that they forget to remember what is important? I guarantee you after the passing of a spouse or the moving out of a child to college.. Will they really still hate the way the child was hunched over or the way their loved ones sweater was bunched up or will this bring back the moment and memories of that day?
Please tell me you said 'no'. because if you didn't.. we are not on the same page of what photography means to me and what it means to you.
It is evident that this image of siblings I've posted would be every parent's nightmare to have taken but this image has more power than if each child were to be sitting still, looking at the camera, smiling and posing. The children were in the process of scattering as I walked through with my two dogs, Millie and Lola. The moment was priceless to me as I was able to remember the chaos of this very moment and the reaction of the children as they saw my two dogs.
This image represents a moment that will not return. The chaos, the laughter, the curiosity of a child, the innocence and the playfulness of this moment.
I'm not trying to sell myself to children's documentary work.. I am trying to make parents realize that they will never be able to relive these moments with their children, so try not to be so hard on them when you do schedule a session. I don't want to photograph them as how you think they should be.. I want to photograph them as they are!
