Just Another Self Portrait

 

What I love about photography is that it freezes a split-second of constantly moving life onto a two-dimensional surface that otherwise would never be seen or surely forgotten. Once framed, it can be looked at and contemplated upon for as long as the viewer desires.

I think most serious photography is self portraiture. I’ve always been a thinker, or maybe just a worrier. My mind never stops unless I am intensely focused on something.

The “thinking” toddler above, was of a patient’s grandson. The daughter had this blanket laid out to change the boy’s diaper. There was light from the large sliding glass window, the boys’ smooth brown skin against the wrinkled and textured light blanket, the curls…he was squirming all about, giggling. I asked if I could take a few shots. The mother wanted to put a shirt on him, dress him up. “He looks fine,” I said. The simplicity of the setting was perfect. I grabbed the Leica from my truck.

I remember the moment the shutter clicked. Unlike a SLR with a mirror that blocks the image when you press the shutter, with the rangefinder what you saw is what you get. Although this is not a “cute” image, one families usually want, it is the image I liked. The toddler as a thinking, human being, with something on his mind. I’m so lucky I never had to mix photography with money.