I love taking pictures.  I got into photography as a way to document and capture memories of my travels.  I’m mostly a landscape photographer.  But at times in my travels, and more recently, I’ve ventured into people photography.

Photographing people is very different than photographing a place, object, or landscape.  Pictures of people capture more than just beauty, light, and colors.  I prefer to take candid pictures of people versus a posed picture.  Candid pictures capture a real moment, an emotion, or a feeling.  .

Many times there’s a reason or a story behind the picture (of a person) I’m taking.  Most of these stories don’t make into a blog post.  But many are great memories for me. So, I decided to share a few of those stories in this post.  As you read each story, click on the picture to see a bigger image.

Dancing with Tricia

This is a picture of my friend Tricia dancing at music festival in Connecticut.  I met Tricia on the dance floor several years ago.  I enjoy dancing with her.  She’s a nice person and is very fun and engaging to dance with.  Joyful is probably a better word.  She is always smiling and her smile is infectious.  I can’t help but smile back.  I took this picture so I could capture her smile and the joy she brings to the dance floor.  It took several shots to get this picture.  I smile every time I look at it.

The Beautiful Bride

I was walking around historic St. Augustine photographing the architecture of various historic buildings.  I was walking back to my car when I came upon a wedding in progress in a hotel courtyard that I could see from the sidewalk.  I just caught a glimpse as I walked by.  The bride was a stunningly beautiful woman and once I saw her I had to stop and watch.  Luckily I had a telephoto lens and could take pictures through the courtyard fence.  This is a picture of her as her soon-to-be husband reads his wedding vows to her.  Her face shows the beauty, joy, and love of the moment.  Total serendipity captured in a photo.

Jedi Mike

My wife and I learned to play cornhole at an RV park where we spent the winter   We participated in the weekly tournaments at the park.  II was a fun social event and a good way to meet and engage with people at the park.  We didn’t know how to play initially, so one of our camping neighbors, Mike, gave us lessons and guidance on how to play the game.  Mike loved to play cornhole and is an expert player.  His advice reminded us of how Yoda in the Star Wars movies instructed young Luke Skywalker.  So we gave him the name “Jedi Mike”.  This a is a picture of Mike throwing bags and using his focus and Jedi powers to get them in the hole.

Pastor Jeanne

I began my faith journey in 2017.  That’s when I started having a relationship with God.  In searching for a church to attend, God led me to the Beach UMC in Fort Myers Beach.  It was there that I met Pastor Jeanne.  I learned much from her.  It wasn’t so much from what she said.  I learned from watching her.  Pastor Jeanne was all about love.  She treated each person as if you were her favorite niece or nephew and she was your favorite aunt.  Whether you we’re a long time friend or a new attendee, she always gave a warm greeting, a touch, or a hug – a simple gesture of her love and kindness.  Jesus main teaching is to love God and to love each other.  Pastor Jeanne was all about love – it radiated from her.  This is a picture of Pastor Jeanne (she’s in the middle) greeting church attendees as they leave church.  Pastor Jeanne retired in 2019,  We still stay in touch and I am blessed know her.

Helping & Remembering

Not every picture is a happy picture.  This is a picture of a woman at the start of the annual Margie Toothaker Memorial Cancer Walk in Phillips, ME  I’ve participated in the walk, which raises money for a local person who is battling cancer.  The walk is both uplifting and somber.  Its a walk of fellowship, a walk of community generosity, and a walk of remembrance.  This picture captures a moment of remembrance.  The woman is wearing a tag around her neck remembering a love one (James Kennedy) who passed away in 2019 at the age of 50 from pancreatic cancer.  On the day I took this picture, we (125 people) walked for 40 year old Natalie Wilcox, who was battling a second instance of breast cancer.  Together we raised over $10,000 and gave it to Natalie to help her pay her medical bills.

Christmas Dinner with Becky

I spend the winter in Florida and don’t get a chance to be with my family at Christmas.  It can be a lonely day.  On Christmas in 2019, I signed up to attend a Christmas Pot Luck Luncheon that was being put on in park where we have our winter home.  The luncheon was a chance for snowbirds to gather and be with others on Christmas Day.  I didn’t know anyone at the luncheon and was seated at the “Solos Table” – twelve people who came by ourselves.   Each table had a host who orchestrated the seating, table settings, and meal serving.  Becky, the woman pictured above. was our host.  The Solos Table was by far the best and most fun..  While most tables used paper plates, paper cups, and plastic ware, Becky brought her finest china place settings, silverware, crystal glasses, candles, and served us wine.  After dinner she had raffles and games for us to play.   It was obvious that Becky loved hosting dinners for people.  Although we were not her family she treated us like we were.  I met several new people.  It was one of the most fun dinners I’ve ever attended and a great way to spend Christmas Day.

The Lady with the Big Voice

I first saw Sarah Potenza sing at the Rhythm and Roots festival in Charlestown, RI.  It was back in 2013 and she was a local blues singer who was being given a chance to perform one a big stage.  Sarah has a big a powerful voice.  She sings right on key and when she belts out a song it makes the hair on my neck stand up.  She’s come a long way from her start in Rhode Island.  She competed on The Voice, moved to Nashville, and has put out two solo albums.  I posted this picture because it’s one I’m fond of and it took some effort to get it.  It’s taken with a telephoto lens, about 30 feet from the stage.  I was just waiting, waiting, and hoping for her give me the right look, the right moment.  I was clicking away, listening to her sing several songs, taking numerous shots when she finally turned and looked at me just as she pushed out a big note.  Click!  She gave me the moment.

And I guess that’s one thing I’ve learned (and that’s different) about taking pictures of people.  Sometime you have to wait, take several shots, change position, see a story, be ready for the moment.  Sometime it never comes.  Sometimes you stumble upon it.  But, when it does, you capture something special.  That’s why I now like taking more pictures of people – the pictures tell a story..

 

 

PS. If you’re wondering about the picture I used as the featured thumbnail image for this post (woman kissing a man), there’s a story in that picture. See the comments for the story.