This is my brother and sister-in-law Laurence and Katie’s son Ben. Ben’s sister Anna and I were playing with him during a family brunch and he was darting under the table. I stuck my camera down under the table and took this picture blind (meaning I just pointed the camera and pushed the shutter button).
I didn’t do anything to it other than convert it to Black and White in Aperture, the software I use for my pictures.
This is not a perfect photograph, technically speaking. It is slightly out of focus, the background is completely blown out and over-exposed, one of Ben’s hands is cut off, and his hair is messy.
But of all the photographs I’ve taken this year, (around 30,000 is my guess), I think this is the best one so far. Why? Because it captures a moment in a life that might have otherwise gone missing. Because I love little Ben. He is warming up to his Uncle Steve and just a few weeks ago I never would have gotten this photograph. And because I feel like I could hang this picture on my wall and never tire of looking at it.
I thank g-d every day that I get the opportunity to do what I do with a camera, and I feel so richly rewarded. I just wanted to share that with you, my friends and family.
Happy Holidays.
Steve
