Saturday, May 14, 2011

Today's Keeper

Today's portrait took some time. Hours, actually. Chasing. Cajoling. Entertaining. Ignoring. Chasing again. Waiting. Trust-building. Strategizing. Charming. And clicking away...until just the right moment.



Sadly, a simple photo can't really convey everything it took to get the photo. I shot a birthday party today, and knew this was a shot I had to get. The young lady had no interest in having her photo taken, so I knew it was going to be a long trek.

At first, I made it clear she didn't have to have her photo taken. I chatted with her grandparents a bit. I tried to engage her like I do other kids. No interest. On to other things.

Awhile later, I noticed she was holding a dinosaur. That was the start of the thaw. I talked to her about dinosaurs, and quickly found out they're her favorites.

I did the usual. I was silly. And snapped a pic occasionally, nothing special. Ignoring a kid is a great way to get their attention, so I did that, too.

As the afternoon progressed, I bumped into her again, and she was climbing through a tunnel in a jungle gym. She was eyeballing the camera, and I knew I'd have my shot. I asked her to act like a dinosaur, and she did. Between snarls, I got her. No forced smile. Just simple calm.

I get the feeling a parent could take a thousand photos of their kid and not get one like this. I hope they like it when they see it.

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