Say what Amy?
What do you mean?
Of course they tell the story.
Pictures are worth a thousand words, right?
Yes, that is true, and that is the reason I cherish and love all my pictures but, when you are taking your family photos do you just snap away not really thinking about the backstory, just wanting to get the subject with a smile on their face and their eyes open and call it good? Well, all of that is great but, I get asked all the time how I get photos that seem to "tell" the story and my answer is I write it in my mind before I ever put my eye behind the lens. The following is a picture I took this weekend during my son's baseball game. It isn't of Tucker but, it was one of many stories I wanted to tell that day, and for this little boy, Kenton, to be able to "see" when he looks at this picture 30 years from now with his child.
Now, before I talk about the photo, I want to say, what I am rambling about here today is my approach to taking pictures in my everyday life, like all of you do, not when I go out on a professional shoot with individuals I barely know, I have a whole other approach and other questions I ask to get the backstory on my professional clients to help tell their story's with the images I get of them. It is one of yet another of those times my counseling degree comes in pretty handy. But, that is for another day and another post. This is about life and our everyday documenting photos.
So, back to this picture of Kenton, I have known him since he was very little and I know his family and some of their story as a result. At the ballpark that day, I wanted a picture that told the story of a relationship for Kenton. You see the guy patting him on the back, in the photo, telling him "great job son" is his dad, Brian. Brian helps coach our team, has been at every practice with his son, and pitched every game for the boys, and Kenton is lucky enough to have a special relationship story, when it comes to baseball between he and his dad. Since he was a very little guy, I have always remembered Kenton with a bat and ball, he gets it honest Brian, his dad, played ball through college and baseball just "runs in the blood." This is a priceless memory, the two of them will share long after this season of little league baseball is over and between the two of them it is a deep one. A story that needs to be told and held on too. It speaks of love, dedication, and pride between dad and son, that both of them need to remember they have with each other through life.
On my end, I have not even taken my camera to a practice or game all season (we are on game 5) Even though I know most of these boys and their families, I have been observing and finding the stories I could tell when I did bring my camera. You, and I, when it comes to my own family pictures, are already at an advantage with this. You know your life and the stories you want to tell, I knew my son's baseball story I wanted to tell that day, and more on that later, but, what we need to do is that step of stopping, thinking about the stories that matter, write them in our mind, and then look for them as they happen and snap away.
Notice neither Kenton or Brian are looking at me. But, isn't that, smiling, and open eyes the golden rule of a great picture, you ask? And yes a lot of times it is, if you are going for the pose not the prose of your subject. I love that they are not looking at me, they are in a moment, they have no clue I am behind them and I got it, I got the story of what baseball is for them.
Now, to really drive this home here is another story told by my camera on the baseball field that day.
Yep, thats my Tucker, Mr. "goodtime Charlie" himself. You see being the best on the baseball field is not what it is about for him, I mean the boy is a farmer through and through, that is just not his story. But, this is, here he is after getting out on second and looking up to see me standing off field with the camera and quickly flashing his million dollar dimpled grin! You see Tucker's baseball story is completely different. He is there and loving it not so much for the sport itself but, for his love of life and people. Tucker hardly ever doesn't have a smile on his face, as a matter of fact he is hardly ever in a bad mood. He loves being out their with his friends laughing, hanging out, and making memories. That is his baseball story, and while I did get a few pictures of his hits and playing the game, for him, my main focus was telling the story of his love of LIFE no matter what he is doing. Here is another one of him in the dugout that shows the same thing:
I am sure I am catching him here laughing at something goofy he said or planning his latest prank but, the story is he's spending life smiling and enjoying his friends.
So, this is just my thoughts on photos, and an answer to how I tell the story with them. Doesn't make the posed smiling shots any less valuable, just wanting to try and give you something to think about, incase you were wanting to tell more of the story, with your life documentation.
So heres to some great summer pictures that tell the story!
Hugs,
Amy
