I keep thinking about the coming trip, the coming chance to make photographs once again. What do I want to capture? What do I want to say?
I have figured out what tools I will use to speak with. I got all the tech stuff taken care of, the cameras are packed, the film, meter and reflector are in the suitcases and ready to go. What is it thou I want to say with the photographs? What is the underlying message?
"Forgotten Laughter" is about children living and surviving in poverty but I just do not want to take sullen looking child portraits. It is important to go beyond that, to get to another level in the work. Children are such beautiful human beings, there is such hope, potential and joy in a young life. I need to capture not only sad looking children surrounded by their nasty environments but also the joy of youth, the hope in their future, the wonder and excitement they live each day by. Children often look at the world with eyes of wonder, they see the rose of life not the fallen petals. They are filled with optimism and can find good and fun everywhere, even in places like garbage dumps and slums where I will be making pictures.
I need to capture some of that beauty, some of that, excitement, optimism and joy. If I can get a bit of the feeling of what it's like to be a child into the pictures. If I can communicate that child's viewpoint into the work then the underlying power of the photographs will be magnified ten fold.
I want and need the viewer to empathize strongly with the children portraits in "Forgotten Laughter". When viewer feels a strong attachment, a deep and personal connection, only then will the photographs have power and be truly effective. If I can communicate that message, then the photos can lead to positive change and have a chance to make a positive difference in the lives of my subjects.
This challenge awaits me, bring it on!! I am ready.
I have figured out what tools I will use to speak with. I got all the tech stuff taken care of, the cameras are packed, the film, meter and reflector are in the suitcases and ready to go. What is it thou I want to say with the photographs? What is the underlying message?
"Forgotten Laughter" is about children living and surviving in poverty but I just do not want to take sullen looking child portraits. It is important to go beyond that, to get to another level in the work. Children are such beautiful human beings, there is such hope, potential and joy in a young life. I need to capture not only sad looking children surrounded by their nasty environments but also the joy of youth, the hope in their future, the wonder and excitement they live each day by. Children often look at the world with eyes of wonder, they see the rose of life not the fallen petals. They are filled with optimism and can find good and fun everywhere, even in places like garbage dumps and slums where I will be making pictures.
I need to capture some of that beauty, some of that, excitement, optimism and joy. If I can get a bit of the feeling of what it's like to be a child into the pictures. If I can communicate that child's viewpoint into the work then the underlying power of the photographs will be magnified ten fold.
I want and need the viewer to empathize strongly with the children portraits in "Forgotten Laughter". When viewer feels a strong attachment, a deep and personal connection, only then will the photographs have power and be truly effective. If I can communicate that message, then the photos can lead to positive change and have a chance to make a positive difference in the lives of my subjects.
This challenge awaits me, bring it on!! I am ready.
