permission

 

I love the attitude in both this little girl’s expression and body language, and feel they convey something important for me to be mindful of as a portrait photographer. “Taking someone’s picture”, or “shooting them“, (terms I dislike using) can easily be construed as an aggressive act to anyone, but in particular to a small child being approached by an unknown adult. Remaining cognizant of this helps me to approach those I photograph with greater sensitivity. I believe that making a successful portrait of someone who is aware they are being photographed hinges largely on spoken or unspoken permission being granted, no matter how young the person may be.

“Can I take your picture?”, may get me this permission, but not necessarily a meaningful portrait. Ask a child if you can take their picture and you are almost assured of a big cheesy grin. Ask an adult, and while the results may be more subtle, one is just as likely to get an ego-derived expression. The permission must be coming from a deeper place then…….more than someone simply saying “yes”.

I almost always experience a kind of uncomfortable feeling just prior to beginning a photo session. Some of this is me trying to anticipate how the shoot will go, but I think more of it is the awareness that to do the job well requires not only 100% participation on my part, but also a willingness to give something of myself that I might not otherwise be inclined to do with someone I don‘t know well. How can I ask another to reveal him/herself without opening myself first? I can’t fake my way in. What is being asked of me is to create an atmosphere of trust between us, and then to view my subject and myself in such a way that I might discover the divine within us both, knowing it’s always there.

Sometimes I make the mistake of rushing headlong into a session wanting to “get there” now…….attempting to prematurely reach that place of trust before the child is ready. But they quickly put me in my place and let me know I haven’t yet earned that right.

I respect that about them.

~Cynthia