I spied this couple almost immediately as I got out of my car at the equestrian photo shoot. The woman in particular had that sophisticated equestrian look to her. I waited until after I said hello to the other members of the group to go over to them to ask if I could take their photo.
I predicted rightly that they would assume I wanted take photos of their faces and start to turn to face me so I stopped them before they could by saying I wanted them exactly as they were and that I was going to take the photo from the back.
‘The Observers’
Not many people get that idea, it is pretty alien to most people, and to most photographers. But I got the shot and that is what is important.
Today you get a double treat of tattoos at the fair!
I noticed the black straps surrounding the tattoo and was intrigued by the writing that was only partially showing. I asked her if I could take a photo and she was very happy to allow it.
‘Wings at the Fair’
I gave her my card and told her if she needed any other photography to give me a call. Her friend piped up and they were from out of town, working one of the booths in the expo building selling shammies I think.
But she said she gets around so she would keep my card, just in case.
I was eating my required fair meal of italian sausage and notice this couple talking at the table in front of me.
The guy was clingy, wrapping his arms around her again and again, kissing her cheek and generally seeming to want to possess her. She on the other hand simply sat there eating and talking, never once turning to him.
The wind blew her hair and I notice the star tattoo. I went up and asked her if I could take a photo of it and the guy butted in and answered quickly and authoritatively, ‘sure you can’. I looked to her and she said ‘yes’.
I later saw them walking towards the parking lot and he still had her wrapped up in his arms. It didn’t seem to be a good type of wrapping.
Another in my postcard series, #7 from our Colorado road trip in the summer of 2007. There was a great trail close to the home where we were staying and I took a hike on my own just for the purposes of photography. When I do something like that I often am not looking for a single shot (though I find those of course) but I am looking for pieces, for moments, etc. that will be part of the raw material for a collage. So in that case I am not worrying always about composition or lighting or a complete image. I am finding the essence of a place or a person and recording it.
In this case the trees had the knots in the shapes of eyes everywhere I turned, flowers were abundant and the creeks had the most amazing light playing on them. The final connection came for me when I saw this woman and her wonderful dog running on the path. The dog was protective and turned to scrutinize me, making sure I wasn’t a threat. The eyes of the dog were compelling and I loved the juxtaposition between the tree eyes and the real eyes.
