closed

 
From the time my clients and I arrived at the quaint little downtown area, their girls had been veering off in random and opposite directions from us and each other when suddenly this spot caught both their attention at the same time. So happy to finally have the opportunity for a sister shot I quickly knelt down into position and adjusted my camera settings. The girls were curious about the old fashioned mail slot in the door and I imagined them considering the possibility of slipping through this special opening to enter the closed store. I took this shot when I realized their father’s reflection was looming in the background of the door. I asked the dad to quickly move to the side so that I may have another try without the dark figure hovering above them, but by the time he did the intrigue had passed and the girls scattered, once more in opposite directions.

So often it happens that something is lurking in my photographs that I wish wasn’t there. One subject will finally exhibit the perfect expression of repose while their sibling alongside looks completely goofy. A sweet little moment will unfold when someone walks in front of my camera and blocks the scene. An unwanted beam of light draws attention to itself rather than my subject. And don’t even get me started on giant hair accessories. Things are rarely as “tidy” as I might like them to be.

When I first viewed this image I briefly considered how I might eliminate the shadowy figure as well as the distracting white wood thing on the other side of the door. It didn’t take long to dismiss that idea though, mostly because I don’t have the Photoshop skills necessary to pull it off, and also it’s simply an image of the back of these sisters, of which I already had plenty. I looked at the image again and decided it told a more accurate story just as it is. Of course their wonderfully attentive father was there watching over them on the downtown street, he never let his precious girls out of his sight nor lost interest in anything they did. And in a surprising shift in perception, I found myself glad for his presence there and willing to accept the image as is.

 
~Cynthia