Always Keep Your Eyes Open

As a photographer, it's just as important to observe as it is to record. When I shooting Seniors, I'm always jabbering with them (I'm sure that a few can lay an Amen to the end of that statement). But, what it hopefully does for them is puts that person in front of the lens at ease. Being in front of the camera can be a bit nerve wracking. While I'm yakking away, I'm also watching. I'm looking for the sweet light if we're outside, I'm looking for a natural smile or just a natural look. Perhaps it has something to do with how a girl flips her hair, or just the way a guy stands when he's at ease talking about music. It's all about observing, to get the best image. This is a perfect example of keeping my eyes open. We shot her session in October, and it was starting to get cold out. When the session was over, she put on her winter coat and I saw the coolest looking hood on her coat. I said, "Wait! I want to do one more image!" So I sat her down, adjusted the lights a fired off 2 frames. I was elated. I knew I had a great image. I downloaded my card and went to work in Photoshop. Poof! The Ice Queen was born.