I got a rare opportunity to photograph a newborn, only 10 days old! So many people wait to have their baby’s portraits done until 3 months or so, and they miss out on this lovely opportunity. Thanks to the S family for welcoming me into your home.
I’ve put a lot of thought into posing. I prefer to show things as they are, to study expression, energy, and composition as they are presented in nature,
and harness them in order to display the beauty of life and nature as it really occurs. Our children are themselves every day without putting any effort into it. This is beautiful! It’s something we all cherish. The phases of nature pass us by, and through portraiture we are able to preserve these moments and experience their beauty for a lifetime.
Embracing nature as it is expressed is an ideal to strive for. But it isn’t the only way to work. There are often situations where the aim is to capture great portraits, but nature’s “poses” are not providing the best expression, energy, and composition for the photographic medium. In this case, a photographer might use what she knows to create a realistic scene that conveys a particular feeling that a person embodies. For example, after spending some time with the two sisters below, I found that they were energetic, happy, and fiercely competitive! Nature showed me this; I didn’t make it up. I used this knowledge to create a scene that conveyed this aspect of the relationship to the viewer. While this race didn’t occur without direction, it resonated with the girls and led to a fun, vivacious, and authentic portrait.
From Wallace Stevens’ poem entitled Add This to Rhetoric:
“It is posed and it is posed.
But in nature it merely grows.
Stones pose in the falling night;
And beggars dropping to sleep,
They pose themselves and their rags.
Shucks . . . lavender moonlight falls.
The buildings pose in the sky
And, as you paint, the clouds,
Grisaille, impearled, profound,
Pftt . . . In the way you speak
You arrange, the thing is posed,
What in nature merely grows.”
The world we live in cannot truly be portrayed through art. People are who they are, things exist as nature created them. Our portrayals are merely interpretations of reality as we see it. But portrait artists are assigned the task of creating pieces that evoke a recognition and a memory of the gift that nature gave the world, so that you may cherish it forever. Photography is special because it is created by the very light that shines on nature’s gifts. That piece is true to reality and does not need interpretation.
How does a photographer strike a balance between capturing nature as it occurs and controlling the outcome in order to ensure beautiful images? This is a skill that separates the good from the great.
My artistic training is rooted in theatre. I am a thespian at heart; a three-dimensional storyteller. One of the things I love about theatre and photography is that they both dig in and truly explore the ins and outs that make a person who s/he is. Photography brings me in touch with so many real-life characters, and each portrait session is a chance to study them and deliver my interpretation.
Here is Cam, about 6 months old. If you look at these images closely enough, you’ll start to notice the soul that resides in his little growing body. He’s like an old friend: inquisitive, good natured, and full of humor.
We tend to think of babies as cute and cuddly, almost the way we see our pets. They are adorable – don’t get me wrong – but so often we’re taken aback by the human qualities within them. Why? They’re human, after all!
[singlepic id="198" w="320" h="252" mode="" float="left" ]Cam’s inquisitive nature has already emerged – it sparkles in his eyes. It’s obvious that his discoveries bring him joy, and energize his drive to learn more. This is human nature at its best!
In each of these photographs you see a flash of a cute baby boy. With the entire image collection, however, you know Cam without having to meet him. He’s had wonderful adventures in his young life, and he has loved every one of them. Yes, he will change over time. He’ll grow, he’ll learn, and he’ll flourish. But for now, this is his story. It has been told.
Time keeps ticking, and children keep growing. I just love watching how they change almost into different people over time. It’s just amazing. Photographs can tell the story of your life. Beauty, wonder, and joy all wrapped up in an image without any need for explanation. Simply being. Words can cause trouble, or lack the meaning you wish to convey. I hope that families will continue to put a few dollars aside for high-quality photographs. There is no substitute. I know I will.
© Copyright 2010 | Lara Grauer Photography
