This session was awesome. First of all, Trip (his initials are 3 Js) is just adorable. And sweet. And cuddly. And soft. And he smells good. Secondly, this was my first session in my "in-home studio". When I say that out loud, I say it with mock pomp and circumstance. It sounds so
professional. Which is why I have to add the sarcasm, because the "studio" was anything but professional! I should have taken a picture of the whole shebang, but I didn't. I'll try to describe: The location is a 10x12 room (my home office) that is already crowded with furniture, books and a computer. Photogs will understand exactly how far I was jammed up against the wall to frame the shot with my 50mm 1.4. For the rest of you, I have a prime lens, which means you can't zoom, the focal point is fixed. With a 50mm you have to be pretty far back to fit anything in your shot. It's an awesome lens though, and I made it work. I have, however, added 2 things to my wish list: a house with a big room with great natural light so I can have a real studio, and a new zoom lens. No big deal right? Someday, God willing. Also in my 10x12 room filled with furniture: a 4'x6' piece of white paneling and a wide baseboard, both of which I procured and had cut to size at Home Depot (I felt like a champ loading it in my husband's truck by myself), 2 fabric backdrops that were tacked into the sliding closet doors with thumbtacks, (yes, I know that was a bad move, my husband told me). I also had borrowed a "baby poser" from a friend, and unearthed every soft, fuzzy blanket I own.
Everything came together when Trip arrived. That's not to say that there were no incidents where things happened outside a diaper that should have happened inside a diaper. It was definitely a learning experience for me, and I am so grateful that his parents (who are also my friends) care about supporting me in my endeavor, in addition to their desire to get great photos of their precious pup. I knew I could be trusted to get great shots, but I also knew the session wasn't going to be a smooth as it would have been had I had more experience. You know that moment when something just clicks? I had about 14 of those during our session. The thing about photography is once you get it, you get it. The other thing is that there is just a lot to get.
Anyway, I'm not sure why I felt the need to explain all of that. Maybe because it was the first, ahem,
studio experience. You'll probably notice (as usual) the overarching theme of the idea of motherhood throughout. I love capturing the family, and of course the baby by himself, but to me there is something so glorious about the relationship between mother and child. My mother-heart wants her to look back at these photos when her son's 5, 10, 20 years old and feel, if only in a flicker of a memory, how she felt while she cradled him close, heart full to the brim. And for the record, the daddy moments were just as sweet. These are special times. And I want Mom and Dad to have them forever. So much more than a technically correct image, I want to give them a treasure that will warm their hearts long after they are old and gray. If I can achieve this, I'll consider myself a real photographer.
