Shutter Sisters

on fearlessness

By

The context of could you take my portrait would help, because it was fair to assume that she wanted me with her, that we were collaborators. But I wasn’t sure it would be enough. When I lifted the camera to my face, would I see the burden, the fear of glass, the uncertainty of self? Would I be able to get past it, taking something of her?

I’ve felt that way with someone else’s camera focused on me. That gulp. Eek. It’s not a great day for this. You feel all tight-of-breath and you worry what you’re showing, what’s being seen. Intimacy, trust, and self-acceptance (or lack of it). And then you become conscious of all those things and then it shows – oh crap it’s showing – and you become convinced that you’re just not photogenic, just not x-enough or y-enough.

This day, I lifted the camera to see her, wondering how it would go. Aperture, exposure. Turned a bit. The wind picked up, and she smiled, and the rest of the day went like that. She didn’t hesitate, and so neither did I. We played. She taught me about the mutual gift of fearlessness. From now on I’m going to cultivate it, in others and in myself. Because it’s just like Karen says. We are all beautiful.

Today, share with us your portraits, and your thoughts on capturing people in all their comforts and discomforts. Have you found that sweet, fearless spot yet? Have you photographed despite a lack of it?

Comments

  1. I have become quite comfortable in photographing people by now. I have given up the hope to take the perfect shot. In fact I love shots like yours above. The one that comes natural. The one that happens because I talk and joke with the person in front of my lens. I always tell them: never mind me, I'm not even here. Just do whatever you'd normally do.

    I fear however to shoot them analog. I love my Hasselblad or my Diana or other slr cams. But I always shy away because I do not own a light meter. I am flying blind. But I dared to shoot Patrizia with my Hasselblad (http://jennifer-renner.blogspot.com/2011/07/some-new-photos.html) and that gave me a boost of confidence. From now on I will always lug one of the film cams with me and I will mess up and fail and succeed.

  4. Great post!

    I feel like most people I photograph feel very uncomfortable when I put that big lens in their face, but I find I have the easiest time with moms because I tell that mom to just play with her kids-have fun-chase them around, give them small kisses and they go about doing daily life happenings right in front of me.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccasmithphotography/5949840729/in/photostream/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccasmithphotography/5949840555/in/photostream/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccasmithphotography/5950399386/in/photostream

  5. Being the mom of two Marines and the girlfriend of a man whose son was also a Marine KIA in Iraq, I have he opportunity to capture the rawest of emotions of grief, goodbyes, happy reunions, and all that is in between. The best portraits are the ones where the subject is unaware they are being photographed and simply experiencing their emotion. I worry that I'm violating their privacy, but most of the time people don't seem to mind. I have crossed the line a time or two and felt absolutely wretched when someone reacted badly because they felt I was acting as "paparazzi to their grief." I think twice now before snapping a shot, but the temptation is hard to resist. Here are a few of my favorites along this subject line:

    My son fresh home from Afghanistan in July 2010. His eyes reveal what his memories hold.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/leanne8790/4927851533/

    My friend catching her first glimpse of her son returning from Afghanistan

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/leanne8790/4927377396/

    My son and his wife sharing an intimate moment before he deploys.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/leanne8790/5941360750/

    And a more "anonymous" but expressive shot of the couple.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/leanne8790/5941198468/

  6. I love how natural your portrait is! I just started my own portrait photography business and while it's so important to capture a subject's personality and natural expressions, it's definitely not an easy thing to do! You did a great job! I can completely understand the initial nervousness.

    Recently, I took this couple shot and I love how I captured this genuine moment – a good, shared laugh:

    http://www.jenniferkrafchik.com/2011/06/still-laughing.html

  7. I haven't gotten brave enough to do portraiture yet but I hope to take that step soon. Thank you all for sharing your work, it's lovely!

  9. ps kate, what a beauty you captured. i LOVE that genuine smile and what a great background as well, that bird and her smile really make you feel like soaring.

  10. i'm learning that photographing people just the way they are takes time and practice…. but is really easier than we all tend to make it. what can be hard for me though sometimes, is getting in the photo myself. but now, with the iphone, i've been practicing a little on the self-portrait thing and getting in the photos more. and it also does help to be comfortable with *oneself*… in which i am more and more every day the older i get.

    http://gracethroughourworld.com/2011/07/daily/quiet-is-good/

  11. Oh Kate. I'm so flattered.

    It was a beautiful day and so much fun! I've never had such wonderful pictures of myself.

    I'm touched you had such a good experience, too.

  12. i can't get enough of photographing people, kids, babies….you name it, i love it…..
    here are just a few links, but you can always see people on my three blogs….yep, i said it, 3 blogs….i know, i know…what am i thinking, right….oh well.

    http://beyourselfphotography.blogspot.com/2011/06/baby-love.html

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/29291473@N04/3586444727/in/set-72157618034583808

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/29291473@N04/3785226434/in/set-72157618034583808

  13. Well, I don't know if this picture qualifies for what you are really looking for. But I recently took my kids to a butterfly museum and my youngest son sat ever so patiently waiting for a butterfly to land on him. He even wore his bright yellow shirt to attract the butterflies. Well, he finally has one land on him and the look I captured gives you an idea of how unsure…uncomfortable he was with this delicate beauty hanging out on his shoulder.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/29333822@N07/5951067661/in/photostream

  15. i should have mentioned that i normally do photos of other people…
    all the time…
    other people…
    but never me
    and i shy away from anyone's camera.

    so that's what i meant by kismet…fearless…
    i was scared that it might have sounded like i didn't even read the post…
    sigh.

  16. I was asked to take photos of my cousin's son's baptism yesterday and, as always, I was worried I wouldn't succeed…that they'd just be okay. But as I went thru them, I realized I was able to capture the emotion and feeling of the whole event. I've discovered I enjoy taking photos where posing is not required…where the candidness of the images is what makes them special.

    This one is my favourite…it shows his Mom's patience with him, as we all listened to the ceremony.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/58861148@N02/5952610336/in/photostream

  18. I have always been afraid of taking portraits. People are so unpredictable…how can I capture anything meaningful, I would say to myself. But like anything else, you just have to do it to overcome the fear. And sometimes you surprise yourself!

    http://sherralee.500px.com/people/#/1

  19. She's gorgeous, and it's a beautiful photo of her.

    I agree that getting oneself photographed is a fearful thing; but since I already shared my selfie recently here, I have to look elsewhere for fearlessness. And I found it, not only in my ever fearless son, but also in my brother's fiance, who is a little camera-shy.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/koreenphotography/5953427946/in/photostream

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/koreenphotography/5952917573/in/photostream

  21. I always find it hard to photograph people. I would love to be able to take fabulous natural photos of people but they move too much. Oh well, I'll just keep practising!

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  26. I can definitely relate to this. I always try to have a connection with the other person when I'm behind the camera so that I can capture them when they are at ease and truly being themselves.

    Coincidentally, I recently held a self-portrait contest and just announced some of my favorite submissions the other day. Now that I think about it, those portraits stuck out to me not only because of their skill and creativity, but because those people really were fearless. http://www.catherinehall.net/blog/2011/07/18/lowepro-chs-self-portraits-gallery/

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