Just yesterday, I took some photos of a woman I never met before. Ironically, I was initially interested in photographing her maybe 4 or 5 years ago, but never got the opportunity. She had recently seen a photograph I did of a friend of hers and I think vaguely remembered my name. A few weeks later, I got my opportunity.
I posted several images online, a few from our session in fact. I selectively pick and choose, edit and decide which of them go up, and often move on. However, one interesting comment on one of her photos struck a cord with me. It said she looked worried, or stressed.
As a photographer, that mostly photographs people, I was somewhat taken aback by the comment. Low and behold, Tara, my subject in my image of her suddenly took on a different appearance. She does in fact look a bit worried. Her eyes... her hands... I often shoot for beauty, not in the traditional sense, but in ways that the images are pleasant to look at in the sense there is no conflict. I'm starting to think that I don't look at my own photographs for what they are as opposed to how I think I want them to look.
What is more interesting is that I posted another image of her, that reads somewhat the same as the first...
Maybe not so worried, but melancholy. Not all of the images I shot that day brings that same conclusion, but I did select these images to post and they both have a sadness to them.
By no means do I not like either of those images any less, but like them even more. My choices are emotional more than anything else. Portraits are supposed to be enlightening, and apparently not only to the viewer, but sometimes to the artist himself...
