old school vs. new school

How many of you remember getting your high school senior portraits taken (if you opted to at all)? Most stories I hear from people my age or older include stuffy studios, older male photographers, hideous wicker props, or an item of clothing that was forced upon them. My experience wasn't bad, but it wasn't fun either. I remember one particularly uncomfortable pose on a fake column that had been laid on it's side on the floor. And then there was the ugly black sweater that I hated but the photographer made me put on. My husband told me that his senior photographer put a clip on the back of his shirt collar so it would open up more in the front. But what he didn't realize is that he also clipped the back of my husband's neck. As a shy, polite teenager he didn't say anything and spent half the session with a clip on his neck.

It seems like seniors and their parents are looking for more these days. They want photos that show their true personalities. It's not always easy to get natural, candid shots right off the bat with adults (as Kate just talked about), but once we both loosen up, they shine through. With me, they have lisence to be as serious or goofy as they want. You want to throw on a hoodie and a pair of ridiculously huge sunglasses? Go for it. You want to bring your Hello Kitty guitar and rock out on a park bench? Absolutely. I want these kids to walk away feeling beautiful and empowered. I want them to have an experience that they can talk about positively 10 years from now. This is a wonderful, fun, difficult and strange time in their lives and maybe these photos will help them remember it in the future. 

I would love to hear your memories of your high school senior photo session–good or bad . And a picture of it would be a bonus!

in need of practice

Photographing kids is simply a matter of rapidfire optimism. I’m fine with kids, not self-conscious as a photographer because they’re not self-conscious of themselves. I don’t have to tell kids what to do with their hands.
 
But when it comes to adults—here I am, and you may take my picture, and please don’t make me regret it, and where do you want me to stand?—I’d rather shoot incognito from behind a bush. Pervy, I know. But otherwise, I clam up.

The gorgeously ripening Bon asked me to take maternity portraits of her at nearly 29 weeks (given her moody diva of a cervix, this is a fabulous accomplishment achieved thanks to many months of strict bedrest) and when she did, I balked a little.

Inside I was thinking GOD yes! I’d LOVE to! Every time I’m with you my trigger finger’s twitching for want of my camera, but I’m too shy to ask.

When the day came I knew what I wanted—more her than the belly, notsomuch the typical, something un-contrived and non-cutesy—but was amazed at how much it felt like juggling.

I’ve got to go all-manual instead of aperture priority because I need to trick the camera into over and underexposing because that’s what I want, but how do you do that again? I need to hold down the +/- button and click the clicker at the same time, then hang on, now that’s going to be too much, let me check… <click>

She says Oh, have we started? I think I blinked  and I stammer sorry, just checking my settings, you can sit for a bit… and then it occurs to me: adults need guidance, reassurance, chit-chat. When you look through your lens and think to yourself that’s perfect!  you need to say it, tell her how lovely she looks by the windowlight.

All that and I hadn't yet considered composition. So busy thinking of rapport and focus and exposure, I cut off her arm for fifty frames in a row—visually speaking—and the angle of it draws energy straight off the edge. Her face, expression? The light? Dreamy. But the damn arm, the arm! GAH! How could I have not seen that? Even drastic cropping can’t seem to reinvent this creative stumble.

Fascinating, though, and I want to do more, much more.

Sisters, I need your help. What are your principles for taking great portraits—intentional ones, not candid—of adults? How do you keep all the balls in the air?

What Must Be Given

I don't believe beauty can ever be won by force. A beautiful portrait either gives itself up willingly or consciously or it is captured delicately, breath held, finger poised, easy...easy...now!

"Photogenic" is nothing more or less than a measure of the soul's aperture. Children are so photogenic (and so vulnerable) because theirs is open wide. The difference between a photogenic adult and one who is not, is a difference of consent. You cannot "take" a beautiful picture of someone, it must be given.

Like a naturalist in the wilderness with her subjects, I have let my children become so accustomed to my camera, they no longer notice it as a mechanical object. It is an extension of their mother's eye, no more obtrusive to them than my eyeglasses. Just another tool Mom sometimes has to help her see. When its lens takes them in, it is my gaze they perceive and respond to, not the camera (and sometimes their response is to ignore).

Shooting them has become a form of caress, as natural as reaching out to brush bangs back from their eyes. I see my reach in the photos. There is nothing objective about them. "This is how I see you," is the caption written invisibly on every one. "This is how love sees you." It is how I think we all wish to be seen, all our lives, even when the aperture narrows or is jammed.

What about you? What portraits reveal an exchange between subject and photographer, the trajectory between the eye of the beholder and the one so carefully held?

 This guest post was written by the amazing Kyran Pittman of Notes to Self.

free

This post is along the same lines as Tracy's yesterday, when she was talking about obsession. I think artists are especially interesting because the evolution of their life is out there for everyone to see. When I look back at my earlier work, with the perspective I have now, it seems like a whole different world. Buttoned up, and posed, and trying hard to be"perfect". My portraiture was an extension of how I lived my life, which was very aware of the critique. Then it started to get exhausting. There wasn't a turning point moment. Just the fact that lately I haven't been editing as much as I used to...in life or in photography. I'm not as afraid to show the messy bits...like the ones where mom is leaning in to fix her daughter's hair; or the ones that are so out of focus, they turn into impressions. People can make up their own minds. Either way I feel the same about my work, and about myself. I feel like I've begun to let go of the illusion of control. And my photographs (and I) are a teensy bit more free these days. What about you? Do you have any shots that make you feel this way?

Chopping Heads

The above photo was an accident. I intended to capture Roxy's whole body, but because I wasn't looking through the viewfinder I chopped off the top of her head. But I actually really like it. I realize now that some of my favorite photographers go around taking headless pictures all the time and I am often really drawn to those photos. But it had never occurred to me to do it on purpose until I took this one. I think there's a certain element of mysteriousness to a photo that is cropped below a person's (or animal's) eyes. What's the first thing you typically look at in a portrait? The eyes, right? I know I do. So when that element is taken away, you are forced to take notice of other details.

Most "old school" photographers would tell you to never, ever cut off someone's head in a photo. But I don't really care what they say. And think I'm going start experimenting with this a little more. I did some poking around Flickr to find some good examples. Although, let me encourage you to never search Flickr with the words "chopping heads". I am still scarred from that. However, after looking through the streams of some of my own contacts and the Shutter Sisters pool I quickly found what I was looking for.

Our own Tracey, chops heads all the time with great success! And I see lots of maternity photos taken from the neck down. It's a great way to focus on those big beautiful bellies.

Here are some more of my favorite headless portraits:

Beebee Mod 

Emily (RWP) 

strawberrygoldie 

camerashymomma 

I could go on, but I'll stop there for now because I want to hear from you. How many of you find yourself cropping heads out of photos and how often do you do it on purpose? Of course, I'd love to see examples!