Photographers are a very interesting breed of person. Their passion is to see and photograph things that most people take for granted. Their talent is to find beauty in the mundane. A photographer sees what sometimes no one else can, what no one else wants to admit, what no one else believes. What does a photographer see? Art.
Yesterday I talked about an event that took place here in Orlando FL at SelfieWRLD. Models and photographers from all over the state gather to network, meet, and of course, create. While I was working through the various scenes and backdrops I heard models say over and over…
“I’m not very pretty.” “Can you hide (insert perceived flaw)?” “I don’t think I am very good.”
Photographers hear these and various related phrases all the time from people they work with, and I am going to tell you something that you should remember the next time you work with a photographer…They will never believe you!
Whatever flaw you see in yourself, there is a VERY good chance that YOU are the ONLY person who sees it. We are our biggest naysayers, but despite all that, a photographer’s job is to see beyond your insecurities and worries. What a photographer sees is your truest potential. Your best self. The real you.
It is through this gift that photographers are able to bring out powerful emotions in a single image. They are able to capture what’s really there instead of what someone fears are there. Because they can see what others can’t and with a photograph, show the world what they see.
When I work with different models I sometimes catch a glimpse of who or what that person is. It honestly depends on the situation and the person as to how this bit of inspiration occurs, but it does happen, and it did happen while working the event at SelfieWRLD.
I was walking through the event and I stumbled upon Shaun. He was working with a few other photographers, but something stopped me and made me take note of him. He had a presence or an aura about him and I wanted to take his photograph.
When it came time for my turn to work with Shaun I asked him a simple question. I asked him to close his eye and think about the man he wanted to be in 5 years. I told him I would count to 3 and when I said 3 I wanted him to open his eyes and make his future self proud. I think he understood the assignment.
As I was editing this image the words of Muhammad Ali came to mind.
I’m a show you how great I am!
If only those in front of our cameras could see what we photographers can. If they could there would be more worldwide belief in one’s self, and more people would go out and show themselves just how great they can be!
Thanks for stopping by. I would love to hear what you think about all this. Feel free to leave a comment or reach out on Instagram, Twitter, Patreon, or Vero.