Just the Right Moment
Last weekend I took my family to Anna Maria Island, Florida on vacation. We stayed a few blocks from the white sand, shell-strewn beaches of Florida’s central Gulf of Mexico. Late afternoon convection produced towering plumes of cumulonimbus clouds. The sunset was shaping up to be quite spectacular so I put down my fishing pole and picked up my camera.
Dramatic and rare photography opportunities abounded. Ominous storm clouds, the blue-green waters of the Gulf, sunset colors, people on the beach, reflections – Holmes Beach seem to have it all. But there was one particular series of photographs that stand out not only as a successful capture but as a teachable moment. This teachable moment is about THE MOMENT and waiting for just that right moment.
Below, you’ll see a progression of moments in sequential order. This is an elderly couple that piqued my curiosity as I roamed around the beach looking for stock photos. My attention kept gravitating toward them as they sat calm and happy, holding each other’s hand, talking and smiling. I felt compelled to introduce myself and ask if I could make a portrait of them sitting there on the beach, just as they were. I’ll let each image speak for itself as to how this very brief, spontaneous and poignant shoot evolved. Meet Ruth and Marvin Brice…
This is the first shot and was pretty close to what I wanted with a few minor changes. The first thing I noticed was compositional – the leading white edge of the storm barely touched the top of Ruth’s head. No good. Also, the bottom of the frame was too close to Marvin’s foot. So that had to be fixed too. Otherwise, as long as I was careful about how the sun threw my shadow onto the scene, this was basically what I was going for.
Ok … so here I fixed those things from the previous shot. This is my second capture. I like it. What happens next, however, is even better. It wasn’t totally unexpected. I wanted it to happen, to have something different, but there was no way to set it up. It just doesn’t work. I wanted a candid portrait. The same feel of the portrait, but with a moment, a flair of emotion. So I started talking to them, asking about their life, their upcoming anniversary, their time spent watching sunsets, etc.
So here Ruth is talking to me. Really a sweet lady. Very easy to talk to. This was good. It was just a matter of time. I wasn’t even looking through the camera at this point. I was shooting so they would get comfortable with the sound of the camera shutter firing. But I was looking at them and they knew that. It was important they felt like we were in a conversation not a photo shoot.
Ruth is still talking. She’s gesturing. None of these photographs are good, or even keepers. The only reason I didn’t delete them from my archive is because I wanted to illustrate this point I’m making, this point about the evolving moment. Otherwise, these photos are trash.
Here, Ruth puts her hand on Marvin’s leg. She’s still talking but this is a gesture that got my attention. This could be the beginning of that moment I’m waiting for. She’s talking about how much they love each other at this point. So there is no way I could make this stuff happen by telling them what to do. Their actions reflect their feelings. That’s what matters because it’s those feelings that get communicated through their actions.
Ruth finished what she is saying about their love for each other. You can tell she is beaming. At this point, I’m being as natural and charismatic as possible because it’s what helps them relax and feel comfortable. But I have to look through the camera now because this is almost the moment and I want to make sure my composition is correct. So I say something to the effect of how inspiring their love is and how this is such a great moment. I essentially ask them to pause. This all happens within two or three seconds – the words I speak, the transition to me looking through the camera. The shot has to be quick and the connection we’ve developed has to remain smooth and uninterrupted.
So here it is, the final shot. I love this stuff. You can see the subtleties between the first photo and this photo. The evolution of the moment is so plain to see, yet so fleeting. So simple, yet so powerful. This couple has been married for 62 years!! You can see in their body language how much they love each other and how much they still enjoy life. This is the moment I wanted. I like the straight portrait but this is a true moment. He’s looking off camera. She’s looking at him endearingly. She’s grabbing his leg with affection, and he’s touching her hand. They are both smiling, and there is a wicked awesome storm behind them with sunset light on their faces. I love it. It’s like I’m not even there photographing them. This is Ruth and Marvin Brice – naturally.