Take a camera with you….

When I started taking pictures I knew I wasn’t interested in ‘things’. I took plenty of pictures of ‘things’ and although some were good and some might have been beautiful, they just didn’t move me. Early on I discovered that it was people that interested me. I started taking pictures of my friends and that is when I learned to see the moments and the expressions that I wanted to capture. It taught me to look at everyone differently, to see what expressions people make; ones they make when they don’t think people are watching and ones they make when they know a camera is pointed at them. I learned what the difference between those two situations are. I’ve taken pictures of close friends and loved it. I’ve also taken pictures of new friends and felt that the situation helped us come closer together.
My Dad and I shoot weddings together, it’s a different situation and a completely different environment. It’s always rewarding to finish a job and look back at the images you’re happy with. The best way to keep energized for those long working days is to take a break and do something just for the love of it. Every once in awhile I get the opportunity to bring a camera and a small light to a gathering of friends and take some pictures. This weekend turned out to be one those opportunities. It takes me back to that fundamental love of photography and it’s always a good time. I find it interesting to see who is the ham and who might have the big personality away from the camera, but in front it becomes a bit shy or uncomfortable. What might be one of the more interesting things about pictures is that the viewer might not be able to tell who was comfortable and who wasn’t. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes not so much. As a viewer of a completed image we bring an outsider’s take on the situation. Two people might see a different emotion in a photograph, interpretation is everything.  There are examples of that in the following shots. These are friends and new acquaintances…