In True Color...: Living in the Moment...

I love photographing boys. I guess it may be because I currently live with four (five if you count the 47 year old boy I am married to) and am beginning to understand their particular sense of humor. I have three adult daughters who taught me a great deal about being a mom and I already knew quite a bit about being a girl, but these boys are leading me into a whole new world. I am inspired by their creativity, energy and sensitivity. They are funny & silly & kind, but most of all they seem to understand that it is all about living in the moment. And for photographers...it is all about the "moment"! Today's sneak peek is courtesy of Calvin & Henry...two guys who certainly understand this philosophy!

I like this Cesare Pavese quote, “We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten.” For me, my photography is about not forgetting those memories. It is a way to remember more than just what a child looked like at a certain age. Taking a snapshot in time that merely shows size & shape is simply a form of documentation, and to be honest, most anyone with a digital camera can do that. The challenge I give myself is to do more than that. I want my images to preserve a child as they were in that moment. I want not just an image of their grin, but a glimpse of the spark of mischeviousness behind that smile. I want their parents to see more than their blue eyes...I want them to see their adventurous spirit shimmering in those bright eyes. I admit that at times I think I have set my bar a bit high and feel like I fall short. But then, I am able to spend a few hours with little guys like Calvin & Henry. Watching them, I am again inspired to enjoy the moment in which I stand and enjoy the energy around me. These two brothers are fun, energetic, and quite imaginative. I loved their "slow motion" running and dramatic NFL style tackles. With my camera, I captured the quiet moment when Henry froze in mid-tackle to softly pet a barn kitten that had wandered into the game zone. In several images, I also captured the encouragement, kindness & affection that Calvin shows his little brother. Along the way, I learned that bulls are actually color blind...this fun fact was mentioned as we discussed whether or not there were any of the farm's bulls in the field where we would be taking some of the photos. After their mom assured us there were no bulls, we enjoyed the beautiful morning and were able to capture some great images.