” Art teaches us what it is to be human”

To which I say amen. That is why I photograph. That is why I pursue images with people. I’ve never enjoyed shooting landscapes or abstracts. But if you put a person in the frame in front of my eye my heart thumps in my chest.

I work hardest not at the technically “good” image, but rather at getting to know the people I photograph. I love the consults I have with brides and grooms. I get to know them and their story.

I studied (among other things) Anthropology in college but fell short of ever exploring another culture. So maybe I’m a frustrated anthropologist, my camera being my way of studying people.

Henri Cartier Bresson said the hardest thing was to get his camera between the shirt and the skin of the person he was photographing.

Maybe so.

I also think it is the point. To get not only between their shirt and skin, but under the skin and into their world and then reveal the captivating uniqueness of the person I’m photographing.

That’s why I shoot weddings and portraits. Because of this need to know and understand. When I’ve captured it in an image I think somewhere in my head I feel I’m contributing to the world body of knowledge of humanity.

Doing my part to learn and share what it is to be human.

(thanks to Kirk for the quote)

Do these images mean anything to anyone else? Does it matter?

I read on forums where people ask “What should I shoot? I’m bored…” and it amazes me. There is so much beauty everywhere. Who has time to capture it all?

You might need to read the entire post to follow where I’m going with this but those words struck a chord deep with in and they where resonating with in me still on Saturday when Beck and the kids and I headed out to Sea Bright for a little fun at the beach.

For those of you who are only at Santa Cruz beaches in the summer during peak tourist season you are missing out. A little known secret is that the best time to visit the beach is in the winter. The crowds have dispersed and the light is low and gentle and you can have all that beauty to yourself.

Heading out of course I brought along the camera and the 50 1.4. And like any creative I was pre-visualizing the images, meditating on the light, thinking about angles, etc. But when we got to the beach and settled into our day all that melted away and the images simply materialized before me as the story of our day together unfolded. To be honest that is exactly how I prefer to find images. Just watch the story and pick out images as they happen.

My best girl Beck. She really is a wonder woman. She’s the kind of woman that when you find her you forget your self, your agendas, your own way of doing things. She’s the girl those country and indi bands write tunes about. She’s the prettiest girl I know who doesn’t know it.

Kaleb is all about being nine and a boy in all the best ways. He likes dirt and picking on his sister and fart noises.

Sonja is her momma’s daughter and entirely her own person fighting hard to hold onto her last days as a child.

LAND SHARK!

My best day yet

Classic West Coast Nor Cal Sunset.

So like Kirk asked, “do the images work?” I dono. They work for me.

That first image of Beck is exactly how I always picture her when I’m not with her. Reminds me of that song by Rogue Wave “Eyes” the way she looks at me. The images of the kids are exactly who they are. The set of images will always be there to remind me of our day together. So they work for me.

So much beauty everywhere, every day in all our lives. Who has time to capture it all? Shame on any of us when we fail to see it.

Technical Strobist Type Stuff: the last shot was pretty basic: One SB 800 hand held with SC 17 chord TTL, knock down the ambient to pick up the hues of the sunset. Not the greatest shot but it works cause it means something to me. The other images were all 50mm 1.4 ISO 160 about 3200 shutter speed. But honestly, who cares it is who is in the images and that they were found that matters right?