having a six week old in the house is a lot of things, all bundled together. it’s scary, although not as scary as it was at week one, that’s for sure. it’s loud, at times. it’s non-stop. it’s tiring. and at the same time, it’s one of the most amazing things i’ve ever experienced in my life. it’s miraculous, joyous, and inspirational.

i’ve been thinking a lot about the way my son sees the world. right now, he’s seeing a lot of things for the first time. he has no preconceived notions about, well, anything. everything is new to him. he observes, thinks, reacts, focuses on something to study it more, thinks, reacts, rinse, repeat. he’ll focus on something for what seems like hours. he can’t move his position, he doesn’t look from a new angle; he sits there, fixated on the same position, the same angle, the same scene. and he just looks to figure it out.

i’ve been feeling lately that i can learn from my son, and try some of those same tactics with my photography. i find that i sometimes don’t just look. i don’t take in a scene to try to figure out what i think is most interesting about it. to look at the scene without the camera, and to really study it like i’ve never seen anything like it before. figuring out what in a scene to shoot; what’s interesting, what tells the story. then to worry about the composition, the angle, the lens, the power levels of the strobes, and all of the other technical stuff. many times lately i rush in, slap all the technical stuff together, push the button, and i’m done. sure, i got the shot. the portrait looks like the person, the lighting is good, everyone’s eyes were open. but what did i miss? what detail, had  i focused on it, could have told more of  a story? what else was around, outside of the range of the viewfinder, that i could have included? what could i have omitted?

so in the first 6 weeks of his life, he’s taught me oh-so-many things, and reminded me to take my time and view a scene as if i have never seen anything like it every before. and then look. really look. see. really see. and then shoot.

i’m going to give that a try.

thanks, willie.

well, maybe it doesn’t start there, but it is certainly one of the most convenient places to pick up a camera. especially having a newborn in the house, screaming (to be photographed)!

throughout the entire process, i’ve tried to take advantage of what was around me. between the maternity shots i was able to take of my wife (and some friends who were pregnant at the same time), it afforded me an opportunity to focus on a specialized area of portraiture that i don’t know that i otherwise would have had an opportunity to explore. the first couple of sessions were basic portraits, and as time went on, i was able to explore a little more and work on some concepts and different themes. i think my favorite maternity session so far was the shoot we did in the field of flowers. i have a few favorite shots from that series, including the backlit one, but i think i especially like this one. just something about all those flowers, and kerri looking down at our future son.

now the next part of the journey begins. combining my love of photography with my unconditional love, joy, and amazement of this new life on the planet. finding the moments to capture, and finding new, creative ways to document the experience. to work hard to become the type of photographer that i want to be at the same time i strive to become the type of father i want to be. there is so much of the world that i want to capture through my lens, but right now, there is no place i would rather be shooting than at home.