Garden of Holiness: 7 Quick Takes--Photography Edition

Friday, July 22, 2011

7 Quick Takes--Photography Edition

Thanks to Jennifer Fulwiler, a fellow Texan, for hosting

7 Quick Takes Friday

1 - The picture on the header of my blog of the little bird in the branches was taken by a young man who read a book on photography and composition at the library and then began taking phenomenal photographs. He was kind enough to let me have this picture, one of his first. He's a minor, so I won't blast his name across so public a forum as a blog post, but I did want him to get credit where credit is due. You'll likely see more of his work when he is older. He's that good.

I chose this picture because it expressed my relationship with God fairly well. The light is breaking behind the bird, sort of sneaking up on it. I got clobbered from behind by the Light, so I really, really liked that aspect. There are plenty of buds, but little growth in the garden. The Spring is still early yet. The bird is nest building at this time of year, but has paused to focus Heavenward. My busy life is a lot like that. I try to stay focused on the higher things, but sometimes I can only manage a brief pause to glance upwards. The photo suited my needs on very many levels, and so now you know the story behind it, in case you ever wondered.

2 - I love photography, and portrait photography is one art forms I really love. I look at all the portraits, group and individual, when I am antiquing, and I especially enjoy having a record of my family in photographs. For this you can blame my grandmother. When I was a child she had a hallway that spanned the length of the house, dividing the bedrooms from the more public rooms. All along it was arranged a photographic chronology of the family. The first photos were of her and my grandfather's parents, next came their own wedding and family photos all the way down the century to the weddings and family photos of the grandchildren. I remember walking down the hall, studying the changes in hair and clothing, seeing the repetition of themes in smiles, cheekbones, and foreheads through the generations. I also remember laughing at my dad, not because he was a dork or anything, but because it was so hard to imagine him little like me. He's 6 foot and then some, and the idea of him being my size was simply ludicrous in those days. Still is.

3 - I have tried to document my own family like that, but haven't been able to pull it off every year. The very last time we went to a local family photo studio, not only did we not get a family portrait, the photographer made my autistic son cry. The other children did not cry but their individual photos captured their indignation at the photographer's treatment of their brother, so we were unable to use a single photo from that session. We still had to pay the sitting fee and I am outraged afresh every time that studio receives a local popularity based award--all I can say to that is that popularity does not always equate with quality.

4 - Simon is more than willing to smile for a photo, by the way. The last few months he has broadened his appreciation of being photographed to include wanting to join in the procedure more directly. When not monitored he will fiddle with various lenses and geegaws on a camera. We've been through three this year, so my little hobby of photography has been curtailed until he's learned better manners.

5 - In the pre-Facebook days, my mother documented my brother and I in 8 x 10 photos for her mother and father each year. We were an Air Force family and lived too far away for frequent visits, so she documented the changes via school photos and the USPS. I have a book of me, year to year, that she saved up. Does vanity explain why I am hooked on this art form?

6 - Although not all portraits, all the copyrighted photos on this post are Hannah Lou's, a friend of mine. I think she is amazing, so I am shamelessly plugging her work. Yes, she is a professional and yes, she is also available for hire. As you can see, Hannah Lou is like a snake charmer--she pulls the personality out of the subject and into the lens. I love her stuff.

7 - Hannah Lou is the reason I can rekindle my desire to document my family in photos again--we skipped several years, but are back to it. I just wanted to show her off a little and say thank you.