'Before & After' / Austin Portrait Photographer

Imaging USA was sort of mind-blowing.  The trade show was HUGE.  I estimate that there were, oh, I don't know, about a gazillion new album manufacturers present.  Among other types of vendors.  There are always some bargains on the floor, and I came away with some software and a deal I couldn't pass up on a lens I've been wanting.  The speakers were excellent.  I was able to take it in for a couple of afternoons/evenings, and while the expo and seminars were fabulous, it was the meeting new people, socializing and trading knowledge and ideas that I found most valuable.  Well worth the money and time spent to be there.

My husband always reads my blog entries, and he asked me about an image in particular from my previous post on the 17th.  It's the third from the top, a grainy B&W shot of our younger son, Zach.  It's not at all sharp and it's grainy (you can see this better if you click on it; it will pop up to full size on your screen).  He said he was surprised that I included it among the other images because it was so different than what I usually show, and while he understands that there is an artistic element to it, he wasn't sure my other blog readers would 'get' it.  So I'm using his concern as the topic of this post.

In most of my work, I tend to keep my subjects' features sharp, particularly the eyes.  Sometimes it's fun to play and do things differently though, such as showing motion by using a longer shutter speed.  Now, I have to admit, this shot of Zach was taken quite awhile back, before I really knew how to use my camera properly, and I was out shooting randomly to see what I could get.  It's a fun exercise and a great way to learn more about how your camera works.  Anyway, the little guy had just woken up from a nap (hence the crazy hair sticking up in all directions), and he had a fire in his belly that day.  I remember chasing him all over the yard and having the best time watching him, and I wanted to document the severe bed head because it was so flippin' cute.  Out of many shots, this one caught my attention.....I love his expression, his wild hair, and the motion in his little hands.  I immediately converted it to B&W, and later I added the grain to make it look like it was captured perhaps in another decade on high speed film. It's not likely win any awards, but I love it and it makes me happy to look at it.  It's truly a 'moment shot' -- completely natural and unplanned and essential.  It's quite motivating to capture something unexpected and see the potential in it and then love the result, even if it's 'imperfect' or unconventional. 

I like to share the 'before & after' from time to time, and I feel that this one calls for that.

I hope this inspires you to 'think outside the box' (sorry -- I know that saying is waaaaaay overused) when deciding what to display in your home.  Images that move you and make you smile are sometimes the unexpected ones.

I leave you with this thought until next time:

'I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination.  Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge is limited.  Imagination encircles the world.'

~Albert Einstein