I think it’s fair to say that each of us, at one point in our lives thought about the notion of becoming a magician. Even today, go and see a magician and try not to smile. Sure, we may realize that this is all an illusion, but that inner (and sometimes outer) child still wants to believe in the magic. Some try to figure out how the trick was done, while others just embrace the moment.
As we get older, that sense of wonder and intrigue fades with time. Yet even as I continue my journey on this merry-go-round of life, I still hold to the notion that not all magic is an illusion.
The image above is a photograph of the Garden of the Gods I made in the spring of 2010 during a day trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado. There was a lot of magic on this particular morning. Some of the magic I anticipated and some I did not. Regardless, the magic carried the same amount of wonder.
For those of you who are unaware, the Garden of the Gods is comprised of ancient sedimentary beds of sandstone, conglomerates, and limestone in a wide variety of colors (including red) which over the millennia have been pushed into a vertical orientation. Add to that, you have the 14,110 foot Pikes Peak displayed behind the Garden so close you could almost touch it.
I had been to the Garden of the Gods for a sunrise shoot before. My wife, however, had not. So this particular Saturday morning we woke up very early and headed down to Colorado Springs. We arrived in the park, hiked to our location and waited for the sun to rise and do its magic.
My wife and I were set up and ready to shoot. As the sun began to peak above the horizon, the rocks began to glow. It started with a slight glow of intensity that slowly grew and grew until the entire Garden looked as if the rocks were on fire. I think it is fair to say my wife was rather amazed with this little act of magic that Mother Nature plays on a daily basis.
To experience this moment, and my wife’s first reaction to this event, was truly something special. It goes to show that when you are patient and know where to look, sometimes (even when you think you have seen it all) Mother Nature pulls another trick out of her hat and continues to amaze you.
The sheer brilliance and beauty of the scene and the emotion can be summed up in one single word. Magical. Houdini and Copperfield have nothing on this magician.
This image is available for purchase here.
It’s amazing to see a common, everyday item from a different perspective. Literally, by moving around and trying to expose a common scene from an uncommon perspective, you sometimes get lucky.
This is an image of a bridge on the Lilly Pad Lake trail outside of Silverthorne, Colorado in the fall of 2008. This bridge was built so hikers would not disturb the wetlands that stand between the trailhead and Lilly Pad Lake for which it is named.
What caught my eye about this particular scene was how the tall grass on either side of the bridge makes you wonder what is around the corner ahead. So, I looked around for some differing perspectives, found this one, got low, and pressed the shutter release on my camera.
This image really speaks to the uncertain future we all face. As much as we like to anticipate and believe we know what is around the bend, the fact is we don’t. In our journey, we sometimes utilize support mechanisms such as a bridge, to get from point A to point B. The simple fact is that we have no idea what is around that corner. Does that stop us from wanting to proceed? No.
The noble curiosity of the human spirit is inspiring. In my own experience, I’ve found that those unexpected encounters around the corner shape who we are as individuals and speaks to our resilience as a species.
Although we cannot always predict the future, we continue on our journey regardless.
For you skeptics out there I will concede that this is, in fact, just a photograph of a bridge. However, I would hope that by altering my perspective when I made this image your observation of the scene has changed. When you looked at the photograph for the first time, did you follow the path over the bridge and wonder what was to the right? I bet you did.
It’s all about how we view the scene and how you see the world. If things get boring, alter the way you see your surroundings. You’ll be amazed at the results.
This image is available for purchase here.
When people look to have their portrait made, it is interesting from a physiological perspective. Look, we all have some sense of vanity. We all have a notion in our minds of how we hope the world sees us. For me, a posed portrait is an opportunity for the photographer to make beautiful images of that individual's facade. Nothing more.
Candid photography can help capture the spirt of an individual below that facade in a way a posed portrait can’t. But, one of the best ways to get real, sometimes very raw, candid shots of your subjects is to set them up for the posed portrait and then do something off the wall to have them react. Then, the person is exposed for who they truly are.
For me, that’s where the true beauty lies.
This is a portrait of a good friend of mine taken in January of 2010 in downtown Denver. What I think makes this shot interesting is how she connects with the viewer via her eyes. Eyes are a window into the soul. And hence, a window into the true self of the person being photographed. I’ll let you in on a little secret - this was not the first shot in this proverbial pose.
This shot came about half way through this portrait session. As my friend was posing, I was telling jokes and making her laugh. Then, I said something I knew she would react to, and I got this. Her raw emotion.
Don’t get me wrong, a LOT of post processing magic was done on this shot. But, at the end of the day, I ended up with something that was unique, beautiful, and shows the essence of this individual.
Facades have their place in this image driven world. But, sometimes it is nice to contrast the social norm with something that is raw, captivating, and truly tells a story. A Look All Her Own, I believe, accomplishes this.
This image is not for sale. However, if you are interested in information for a portrait session, please contact me.
