[Leica] soleil, christmas morning...

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Steve Barbour showed:
Subject: [Leica] soleil, Christmas morning...
> http://www.leica-gallery.net/barbour/image-90817.html<<<

Hi Steve,
Another child moment that works because of her face re-action. One can 
imagine the wheels spinning in her head as she rips away wrapping paper.

These simple family moments succeed because the photographer ...... "reads 
body action!"...... And that's the key to the success of many pictures, 
family moments or other wise. It's not just looking at the overall scene, 
it's the simple nuance of her open mouth, her finger tips and overall 
expression.

Anyone finding themselves with time to kill waiting for whatever, can learn 
about reading body language simply looking at passing people and what do you 
see? Its amazing how much we as humans telegraph what's going on in our 
thoughts visually and not realize we're doing it.

However a photographer who reads body - facial language can make for some 
amazingly story telling photographs. Or it can certainly add to the impact 
of your pictures once you realize how to read it.

By the way, a great airport time filler, at least you're doing something 
useful instead of warming your ass in a chair waiting for boarding call. 
The point is, what do you read in other people involved in conversation, 
walking by, you name it and you can find a million picture moments in faces 
and body carriage can be very story telling visually. You just have to make 
yourself aware of it even though you may not shoot it. These learning 
moments are "FREE!" Use them! Learn as we never stop learning and improving.

By observing all this prepares you for the time when you're shooting a child 
un-wrapping a gift photo moment, an old timer fiddling with a piece of wool, 
whatever. And all the time reading faces and bodies without shooting pays 
off because now you're looking at this scene completely different than just 
a kind of overall mass.

It's simple little things like this that will sort your pictures out from 
the "happy snapper who just clicks away wantonly without seeing the nuances 
of the moment, but believing they're shooting interesting photographs.

Watch a person reading a magazine or newspaper, watch the face as they 
telegraph their inner re-actions to what they're reading or have just read. 
And they do it without making a sound! ;-)  Million dollar series in just 
this alone.

Anyway Steve once again a very nice simply caught family moment!
good on you.
ted