It is well known that candid moments set up the best photos. The combination of comfort and expression of genuine emotion sets the environment for a person to look and act like themselves. With this, the photographer can frame the photo to get the subject's best version of themselves on camera. If done correctly, laying eyes on the photo calls forth empathy for the subject and gives the audience the ability to feel the same emotions the photo portrays. It is my belief that the “art” in photography revolves around showing the emotions you want to emphasize.
In order to obtain projections of emotions, a photographer’s job is to either appear invisible to the subject, or connect with the subject. Both of which require highly developed experience and talent to achieve perfection. It is every photographer’s ideal situation to have the subject act exactly how they would in a given environment (unless the goal is to do the opposite of course). A subject posed to be reading by a photographer should look like they are reading, not thinking about reading. As subjects, we add the extra layer of thought to put ourselves in the shoes of the photographer, imagining what we should look like, but that's not the case. So what do photographer’s do? They take themselves out of the picture. There's no photographer to remind the subject about that extra layer if that other person is just a friend, or better yet, out of sight and mind like a wallflower.
One conversation with a relative of mine, Luke, who is a professional in the field, reiterated this skill of photographing people. Luke had the opportunity to work with Platon Antoniou, a master photographer, who photographed people such as world leaders and actors/actresses. Luke told me that he helped on the set with Platon, and watched as Platon had sat down on a small crate with the person he was photographing. He noted how Platon sat down right in front of the other person, with the crate putting himself below eye-level of the subject. No photography was done for the next thirty minutes, Platon and the person simply just talked. I’m sure that at first for both sides the conversation it feels like the other person is just taking the opportunity to talk with someone successful, but deeper down something more is happening. The two get to know each other, and get to become familiar with each other, not just what the person does for a living.
My girlfriend, Liv, introduced the idea to me, but I only started to truly understand when I read Be a Dick by Marc Ensign. Dick who is simply put, a nice, wise, and old man, has a conversation with Marc which reveals that Dick was a famous actor back in his working days. Dick replies to Marc, who was marveling over his achievement, by saying “It’s just something I do”. Marc writes about how that made him reflect on labeling himself by his achievements and profession.
Still today, I cannot put into words what it is to quantify who I am without stating what I do, what I have achieved, or what I have experienced. I try to wrap my head around understanding that I do not need to quantify who I am, but just know who I am. I haven’t found a way to do this with myself just yet. I’m learning how by knowing who my friends and family are, by being there through their triumphs and mistakes. Stealing some words from Dick; Photography is just something I do.
In those conversations with Platon, both Platon and the person start down a path of understanding who each other is. They get to know each other. This is what makes Platon such a good photographer: he breaks down the extra layer that prevents the subject from presenting their real self.
A few months ago I jumped into the deep end, taking proposal photos for my older sister, Lindsay, and her fiancé, Matt. Because they’re family, I didn’t need to get to know them, but I also didn’t get to direct posing because of the circumstances. The good thing is that there is so much genuine emotion during proposals, especially during Lindsay and Matt's.
I got the opportunity right after Christmas when we visited Longwood gardens, and used my flash for the first time. I was excited to toy around with the flash, but also nervous, because the proposal was out in a dark field illuminated only by dim Christmas lights wrapped around the trees. I had to fully trust the equipment I was gifted to take some cool photos, or else the backup was everyone's cell phone cameras. The good thing is that I wasn’t hired to do the job, I was just bringing the camera along to make the most out of the moment. Matt helped relieve pressure by letting me know that it was all good if the pictures did not come out well too.
Walking throughout the garden with the family, I got plenty of shots to prepare myself for the big moment. Going up to the chosen spot, with everything according to plan, I asked Lindsay and Matt to take a picture in front of the tree to align themselves before the real deal. Lindsay was completely blind of what was happening, thankfully.
Then when Matt got down on one knee, I had to take rapid fire flash photos. The flash was not built for rapid fire shots, but fortunately a photo every second or so was more than enough for the moment.
Both my family and Matt's family celebrated throughout the garden, enjoying the biergarten and beautiful sights. We stumbled upon the site Matt originally wanted to propose at, and decided to take a posed photo here as well.
Dissecting the two photos of each proposal shot, both the real and posed proposal, it's very apparent which one is real as well as feels real. During the real proposal, Lindsay and Matt didn't have a care in the world that I was taking a photo of them. I was a wallflower to them, blending in with everyone else enjoying the moment. They felt and showed real emotion in that photo, and you can sense it when you gaze upon it too.
Sharing that experience with Lindsay and Matt, having that conversation with Luke, and understanding the wisdom my girlfriend and Marc Ensign provided has opened my mind even more. Photography has so much under the hood that wouldn’t be known if you didn’t try it out.
Thanks for sharing the moment Lindsay and Matt.
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