I did not expect to love this image as much as I do. It started out as a sub-par snapshot and ended up kinda cool-looking with the application of a little Photoshop magic.
I had googled things starting with the letter u for inspiration, and I decided on uvula because I thought it would make for a comical image. I enlisted my younger son to give me a wide-mouthed expression and he offered me but a single shot; once he heard the click of the shutter, he was off to play in the yard, and there was no reeling him back in. Technically it began as an underexposed mess (see before & after below). However, I was happy with his expression and that his uvula was indeed visible and sharply focused. This shot I could work with.
I decided that this particular 'pose' and composition called for a high-contrast (but not too high) finish with a grungy border. I'm not sure what 'style' this image calls to mind (Irreverent mugshot? Lomography? Vintage photobooth?), but I'm pleasantly surprised at the end result (again, see before & after below). I even like the shallow depth of field causing some of his features to be a bit soft, coaxing more attention to the uvula. It reminds me of a pomegranate seed.
The icing on the cake is that he is wearing a T-shirt with Texas on it.
