He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Sometimes kids love me for no particular reason. Like the time last week when I went to the zoo, there was a cute little boy at the meerkat exhibit who couldn’t get enough of me. He pointed at countless pictures of meerkats, apparently just to hear me say they were meerkats. Then, when his mom took him away to look at the animals, he just kept smiling and staring at me instead!

Other times, kids don’t want anything to do with me. I had a session in April where the little boy was happy to be there, but every time he saw me he whined and fussed. He would give me nasty looks and run to mom or dad when he saw me coming. It was a challenging session, but it just meant we had to allow space and time for some good pictures to emerge.

I’ve found over the years that getting honest pictures of children has little to do with whether or not they like me. And the same is true for you.

When you photograph a child, look for things that interest them. Do they linger when they see animals? Do they run to smell the flowers? Maybe it’s mom or dad that they can’t get enough of – or running up and down a hill! Whatever it is, notice it. Then use it to engage them. That thing you’ve noticed is the key to the essence that glows inside. When you let a child lead the way, you see typical moments. There is truth in what’s typical.

When you photograph this way, those who see what you create will feel the sparkle of life in your images. There is an element of patience involved in creating portraits; especially with children. I’ve developed my skill for capturing honest moments through many years of practice. I started working with kids when I was still a kid myself. But that doesn’t mean you have to be a kid to learn to see the sparkle. I often know I’ve found it when I feel a wave of “cute” through my body and I can hardly keep from laughing. It’s joy in its purest form.

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The Fright Fest Kitty

A while back, I worked at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. I was employed there for six weeks or so, during Fright Fest; a Halloween festivity that the park has put on for many years. When I first auditioned for the job, I fully expected to be cast as an un-dead version of myself. I thought I would be creepy and scary, and maybe even part of the infamous haunted house attraction. I would frighten countless poor souls that Halloween season!

But instead of being cast as a ghost, a ghoul, or some kind of eerie monster, the directors chose me to be a cute orange cat in the children’s section of the park.

Meh…

I was disappointed. I knew I was good with kids (having babysat and taught dance lessons, among other things), but I was fresh out of college and I wanted to do Something Big. Something Bold. Something Unexpected. A cute orange kitty in a children’s play area hardly lived up to the dream!

I spent countless hours each weekend that season crawling through the obstacle course, collecting balls, “licking” my fur, and saying “meow”. It was fun, but from my perspective at the time, not special.

On the last Sunday of Fright Fest, however, things changed. A little girl walked in with her mother; a big smile on her face. She had a picture of herself with me – the friendly orange cat – and she had come to give it to me so I could remember the fun times we had that October. Suddenly it became clear. When I looked at that picture, I knew that I had, in fact, done Something Big, Bold, and Unexpected. As a cute little orange cat, I touched a child’s life. Perhaps she still looks at the pictures from that year’s Fright Fest and thinks of me. Clearly, I still think of her. And it’s all because of a little photograph. How cool is that?

A Girl From Long Ago

I remember a little girl I photographed when I was working for a mall portrait studio. She was so cute, with her hair in little braids, and wearing a plain white, sleeveless shirt. She was extremely shy, and didn’t really want to be in the spotlight. I think she was about 3 years old.

Her mother was quite upset because she had waited 20 minutes or so for her session to start – our studio was very busy that day. Every time the little girl looked away from me, her mother would scold her sternly in an attempt to make her cooperate. Of course, feeling the frustration from her mom, the little girl started to cry. She didn’t want her mom to be mad at her!

This continued for a while, and the more the girl cried, the more upset the mom became. And then, of course the girl cried more. And so on.

About 10 minutes into our session, I went to the mother and asked her to step outside of our portrait room so I could try working with the little girl without distractions. She agreed, and as soon as the mom was gone, the girl began to settle down.

I didn’t have much time left to take pictures, as more clients were waiting, but I’ll never forget the great shot I took in that session. The little girl was still feeling shy, and started holding onto her braids. Her hands were up near her head, she was turned to the side, and peeking at me with her eyes. She cracked a smile, and SNAP! I got it.

Mere minutes after desperate tears had been flowing, I got a photo that I would always remember as one of my best (I wish I could show it to you, but I was working for a large studio and the rights to the photo don’t belong to me). Kids are truly amazing and inspirational. They are so skilled at living in the moment. This is something we can all learn from them.

That session happened over 10 years ago. I never saw the girl again. I wonder what she is like now, as a teenager. Maybe she’s still shy, and maybe she still feels pressure from her mother. But I hope she still has the resilience that allows her to let her spirit shine through, even in the midst of a challenge. And I’m so glad her family has that moment captured so they can savor those times that are so far behind us now. That’s what it’s all about.

What Should You Wear?

Choosing Clothes for a Photo Shoot

You’re planning to get your picture taken soon. You have everything ready to go – the appointment is made, and everyone is ready to show up. Except for one thing. What on earth should you wear?

Choosing clothes for a photo shoot can be a real challenge. You don’t really want to go buy all new outfits, but you definitely want everyone to look good! How do you figure out what to dress everyone in? Where do you start?

I would begin with choosing a place to display your finished piece. Too many people start with the photograph and just look around for a place to display it that looks okay. I suggest, instead, you start with the display location that you’re looking to fill, and design your portrait from there.

-       What color is the room?

-       What color are the accents?

-       What textures do you see? Woods? Fabrics? Glossy surfaces?

Once you’ve zeroed in on these features, it’s a lot easier to start choosing your clothes. If your display area has a warm, dark feeling, with heavy textures and earthy tones, you probably don’t want bright blue, red, and green colors with shiny patent leather shoes. You’ll want items like wool sweaters, cotton shirts, furry hats and muted tones throughout. You might want an accent color for emphasis – maybe on the kids so the attention is drawn more to them. Okay, so you have a style you’ve decided on, but how do you choose the colors?

1. Begin with the main color in the room you’ll be displaying the image. Is it white? Is it blue? Yellow? Green? Define the main color and mimic that.
2. Look at a color wheel or some sample color palettes to begin understanding how colors go together. Zero in on the ones that feature your main color
3. Look for patterns in the images you’re finding, and notice which colors are paired with your main color most often. Do you like the look? If you hung your sample image in your chosen display place, would it fit in?

Once you’ve reached this point, you’ve got your colors. Look through your clothes for appropriate textures and colors, and voila! You’ll have your outfit chosen in no time. Chances are good you’ll have some options already in your closet. If you don’t like what you see, at least you know what you need to buy.

Where to Take Pictures

It’s time for new pictures of your kids. You don’t want school pictures with the blue background and the straight-on angle. You want real pictures. Ones that capture your child’s essence, and allows you to remember who they were at this time in their lives. You’ve got a camera, and you (pretty much) know how to use it. Now what?

If you’re looking to take some pictures of your own kids, you’re up for a challenge. It’s never easy, no matter how much training and experience you have. Your kids just won’t act the same around you as they will around any other adult. They know what they can get away with when you’re in charge.

You need a place to go where the kids will pay attention.

I would recommend a new place. Somewhere the kids have never been, or maybe they’ve been there only a time or two. The new situation often puts kids a little on guard so they’re a bit more likely to listen to instructions. Look for a place with natural wonder – not play structures. Of course you want your kids to have fun on their photo shoot, but playgrounds have lots of distracting lines and colors to make composition more difficult, and let’s not forget the other kids! Who wants to worry about keeping them out of the frame? Too much trouble when you have your own kids to deal with.

If there’s a beach near home – but maybe a little farther than you typically travel – that’s always a safe bet (it doesn’t matter what season). A forest with a hiking trail, a grassy field, or a local public garden would make a wonderful backdrop. Think like an out-of-towner – where might you go if you were just visiting your area? Travelers often choose to visit places of beauty.

Find a beautiful place near your home that you don’t often visit, and you’ll be well on your way to a successful photo shoot with your kids.

Rainy Day Blues

It has been raining. And raining. And raining. And still raining around here. It just won’t let up. I know what you’re thinking – it’s Seattle; get used to it. But in my experience (only 3 and a half years, but enough to feel somewhat at home), rain in Seattle tends to be light and misty. Sure, it might rain all day long, but you typically don’t need an umbrella. As long as you dress in layers, it’s really no big thing.

This week, it’s been like a good old-fashioned rainy day in the midwest. Big, fat raindrops. Thick and heavy clouds. Puddles everywhere. Mud. Worms on the sidewalks. Eeew…

No, I didn't photograph this image. It's from the cover of McCall Magazine back in 1943! The maker's name is Nickolas Muray - he died in 1965.

I had my Beach Photo FUNdraiser this weekend. I got lucky on Saturday, and was able to shoot during the few hours the rain subsided, but there was no chance on Sunday. It was just way too gross. The whole thing got me thinking about my philosophy: Capture life as it really is. Accept what you see and make a memory out of it. Why did I decide enough was enough?

I think the rain is fun and exciting. Shooting in the rain is a challenge worth facing – and it helps to create some of the most unique images out there. I would be thrilled to have a photo session with my family in the rain!

But it’s not about me. It’s about you. I can truthfully tell you that photos in the rain – with the jackets, umbrellas, and all of that – are so fun! But I can also come to grips with the fact that some people don’t want to be pelted in the face with cold rain and wind after they’ve anticipated their photo session for so long. There’s Seattle mist; and there’s steady, fat, and oppressive RAIN. Your pictures will be around for quite a while. It’s important to be sensible and set yourself up to enjoy the experience of making a memory.

I canceled photos on Sunday because it was the best way to make our time together FUN. That’s what this FUNdraiser is all about: Kids having FUN at school, and you having FUN with your family. This kind of rain is just not fun.

If you want to find some beauty in the rain, check this out. These photographers know about rainy day beauty. You could see it too. You just have to be open to it.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

As I write this, I’m watching hail beat down on my back deck. It’s March in Seattle, and it’s hailing. That’s unusual, to say the least.

Less than a week ago, I went out with a boy, his mother, and two of his friends. The temperature was in the low 30’s, there were snow flurries, and the wind was ferocious. It was picture day. Now, you might think it was a bad day for photos, and we should have rescheduled. But I would have to disagree.

It was an unusually cold day, and ice had formed over all of the puddles from previous rainfall. The kids were freezing, but they quickly found ways to make the day fun. They walked on the ice to see if they could break through it with their weight. They found walking sticks, and began using them to break the ice as they walked by.

Eventually, it became a team project to stop at every puddle and destroy the icy cover together! Kids are amazing in their resilience. Put them in a tough situation, and their adventurous spirit will emerge. Then you make sure you have your camera ready to capture the sparks that are uniquely them.

When our session was all said and done, we wrapped things up, and headed out for hot chocolate and cookies. It was a worthwhile afternoon, with good friends and good fun. You should try it some time.

Artist’s Statement

I make images because I’m compelled to tell stories of life through visual means. Photography is exhilarating to me. Each time I pick up my camera, I pluck moments from their physical existence and use them as a foundation with which to examine life’s underlying currents that we so often miss. Many other art forms seek to examine moments in time, but photography begins with an element that comes directly from our world and grounds the artwork in objective reality.

I began my artistic journey in theatre, where I explored the human spirit and how its energy affects every element of its environment. This life energy is a crucial piece to performance and story-telling in theatre. I’ve applied the idea of life energy to my work as a photographer. In doing so, I’ve come to appreciate the fact that there are relationships among all objects, living and non-living alike. All things have perspective, and we as humans, relate to all things because we are part of the world.

In my current work, I continue to deal with our situation as human beings. Specifically, I aim to celebrate the world and its wonder. I find that a lot of artwork is steeped in struggle and pain, and in response, I attempt to invoke marvel, love, and determination. Hardship is only a perception. All things exist as part of an interwoven system, which serves to support itself. We must experience hardship in order to experience success, relief, and exhilaration. I work to alter negative perceptions and uncover the “diamond in the rough”, and thereby invoke an emotional response from those who discover it.

Elements of Composition

There are many elements of composition to be considered when creating an image. Be it a painting, a sculpture, or a photograph, these elements are important to keep in mind. If you are looking for ways to improve your photography at home, composition might be one of the simplest places to start. It doesn’t cost anything in terms of new equipment or fancy software; just a few moments of thinking about what you want your finished piece to look like and creating that image from the beginning. To start you thinking about what is involved in composing a piece of artwork, here are some elements of composition:
Center of interest: The place you want your viewer to rest his/her eyes.
Subject placement: The area of the frame where the main subject is placed.
Simplicity: The idea of keeping out extra information that does not enhance the image or add to its impact.
Viewpoint and camera angle: The physical place from which a photograph is taken in relation to its subject.
Balance: The placement of different objects within an image that allows for a frame to be evenly (or unevenly) utilized.
Shapes and lines: The use of shapes and lines can help draw the viewer’s eye to certain areas of an image.
Pattern: Repeating elements in an image, or across a set of images.
Volume: How much or how little you use certain visual cues: color, pattern, size, etc.
Lighting: The quality, angle, and strength with which light falls across the subject and the background.
Texture: The visual communication of how something might feel to the touch.
Tone: The use of different hues to control the mood of an image.
Contrast: The degree to which middle-tones are used in an image.
Framing: The decision to include or exclude particular elements in an image, and where each element is placed.
Foreground: The area between the subject and the camera.
Background: The area behind and beyond the subject (farther from the camera).
Perspective: The literal and figurative place from which the artist created the image.

The list is long, and in some ways the elements overlap. But each can be considered with every click of the shutter. Every image has composition. Whether or not it was intentional plays a big part in the quality of your work. To start the ball rolling, what elements of composition can you recognize in the image above, and what does it say about the child who is featured?

Some elements I utilized intentionally for this child’s portrait include: perspective, camera angle, texture, lighting, and simplicity. What other elements are utilized, and what do they say to you? These are things to think about with every image you see – and every image you create. When you become more intentional with your photography, the quality of your work increases by leaps and bounds.