I’m not a prop photographer, I photograph people. People doing what they normally do. Not dropping you in the middle of a scene and saying right lets do this because it will look cool.
If I were a nature photographer, I would be that rather eccentric photographer prepared to sit in a hide for 6 weeks to capture a close to extinction bird/reptile to get the ideal shot in their own environment.(I know some, so I need to be nice here 🙂 )
As a portrait photographer, that transcends to my sessions with people. I talk to my families about getting shots that are about them. I like to create images, that families will look back on in years to come and say, that was us. Sometimes though, the kids bring that themselves.
This image was created. The family are doers, they all do their thing, and for this one, mum brought his favourite activity and we picked out a general location close by. As the family session progressed however, this image became an apparent essential element. You see, as both mum and I were unaware, this is his favourite place. Its where he goes to explore with his mates, as boys do. Think mud, logs, creeks – the perfect hide. I am of course, now, sworn to secrecy as to its location, because it’s his, and no one else can know about it.
The longer the session went on, the more and more this image just had to happen, right here, if anything, just to have this part of his life captured. As he is, as he does. If you look closely you can see, wood was flying everywhere, which is typically him, perfect for the images I like to create, as this image is now, all about him. Doing his favourite thing, in his favourite spot.
I really hope, he looks back at this image on his parent’s wall in 10, 20, or 30 years, and all his childhood memories come flooding back. After all, isn’t that what photography is really about.
Keeping the session about them