Friday, October 9, 2009

Happy Camper?

"A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into." ~Ansel Adams


Look at this happy photographer. I was getting ready to shoot the unveiling of a marker in another town. My mind was on the one-shot unveiling and a badly positioned sun when my husband, who was carrying my camera bag, decided he would snap my photo. Do I look happy or is this a deceiving photo?

When photographers are on assignment they are thinking about a million things. Right, Jen?

The shoot went well, the people were lovely, and despite the impression you get from glancing at the photo, I was in a great mood. Heck, I am always in a great mood. I just happened to look up and, seeing a camera pointed in my direction, threw my hands up.

My husband oftentimes goes with me when I am on assignment. He is a great help when it comes to taking names and knows which lenses I like to use on what cameras. I am trying to teach him how to take photos. He is always practicing on me, though. Um? Looks like I have taught him well. Except for me, that is a pretty good photo.

See? Photos can be deceiving.

Thanks to all the officials who made the shoot go smoothly. Those homemade oatmeal/cranberry cookies were wonderful.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Man am I jealous of your pictures. But I bet you can't start an IV in someone's A/C so there, I am not trained to shoot good pictures but I am trying to learn. Probably a new camera would help.
QMM

J9 said...

You don't look particularly unhappy, but you do look intense.

aurbie said...

Queenmothermamaw: You are getting good. Keep practicing.

J9: Photographers are always intense, especially when they are on a deadline.

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

Patty-Let's call this total dedication!
Have a great day!
<><

Patience-please said...

my word is ... focused!

aurbie said...

Noe Noe: I am very dedicated to my newspaper.

Patience-please: Focused? Always.

Joanne said...

Your dedication and focus always shows. Kudos to you :)

Barry said...

Interestingly, no one in the photo looks like a particularly "happy camper"--except for the man stepping off the pathway and going in his own direction.

Maybe there is a metaphor at work here?

I wouldn't say you looked unhappy, but you sure do look intense. And in that intensity, perhaps, I can glimpse some of the intelligence and craftsmanship (some of the work) that goes into the amazing photographs you capture.

bARE-eYED sUN said...

Patty, :-)

we totally misunderstood the gesture.

we thought that you were framing your next shot, consummate shutterbug that you are.

kudos to Mr.Patty ;-)

..
.ero

aurbie said...

Barry: Actually they are a very happy bunch. I photograph them often. See how deceiving a photo can be?

They were in deep thought, too, over the unveiling. There were speeches to remember and food to prepare for the reception.

The man stepping out of the photo with a smile on his face will get a kick out of your post. He is the editor and sole photographer of a small rival paper. He is stepping out of the photo because ethical newspaper people try to stay out of the way of other photographers. He is smiling because he knows that I growl at my husband - in a humorous way - when he takes my photo. Everyone else is oblivious to my husband because they know he is not the "real" photographer.

I am trying to make my husband a "real" photographer because there are many times I have to be in two places at one time.

aurbie said...

bARE-eYED sUN: Yep. Again, shows how deceiving a photo can be. The people I am walking with, except for the guy moving out of the photo, were my subjects. They are leaders of the town. The lady to the right was actually responsible for getting the state sign I was to photograph. I arrived early to check out my lighting and get a handle on how I would go about doing the shoot. They arrived early to make preparations. This photo was taken about 30 minutes before I took the photo for the newspaper.

NanU said...

You don't look unhappy to me, you look Concentrated.
I get that intense look too, and people find me scary! But no....

A Scattering said...

There's no accounting for what our spouses will do to us when they're holding cameras. Love the shot and the story behind it.

Girl Tornado said...

I agree with J9, you do look intense, or focused! Such a cute picture of you, I love it! :)