up close and ...

I usually don't share too much personal work, or life here on my blog. This year I decided to change it and start showing you more of what I really love or …hate. Yes, those small little pesky things that gnaw at you and cause that itch to write about them on your blog. But let's start with nice.
It's easy to take pictures and I can take a nice portrait of anyone at any time. It's very much different with your loved ones, especially the kids. Yes you have access to them at almost all times and they should be comfortable in front of a lens by now (well after over 10 years of being followed by an odd person with a camera in hand)- sounds easy but is it? Well, the first problem encountered is making them sit for you - how do I ask/bribe/threaten them to comply? Once they actually sit, or stand or lie down for me to take the picture how do I make them stay for longer than 3 seconds without falling into a weird, silly, ugly face mode? Once that is solved how do I capture true them?
An honest, sincere, real portrait - that's what I'm striving for and I still hope it's doable. I'm still trying to get that natural genuine expression, that unposed posed portrait that when you look at it you feel like you have an immediate connection with that person, that vulnerable state in between poses… still trying and won't stop till I get it right. Not easy but nobody said it would be…And to illustrate - lucky to capture this genuine serene joy.