The Honor of Seeing Someone's True Self

May 14, 2007

I had a delightful photo shoot today. It was a last minute thing for a dear friend, someone whose inner beauty perfectly complements her outer beauty. It was a young woman in the ward, finally getting around to some senior portraits (I can relate), who I have known, off and on, for about 10 years. When I look at proofs after a photo shoot, it never fails to amaze me. I look at them over and over again, because it is like I am seeing the person for the first time. I just love taking pictures of people, especially close-up portraits. I am getting to where I feel that might be a specialty of mine. I certainly have a lot of them in my portfolio that I really, really like. Anyway, when I prepare for a shoot, I think about what I want the pictures to show, and after ticking off their personality traits and interests and such, it usually comes down to trying to show them (this may sound a little high-minded for an amateur photographer) as I think the Savior might see them. When I get the feeling that I might have succeeded at that in some indescribable, infinitesimal way, clumsy as my earthly efforts might be, it stuns me every time. I hope my clients feel a little of what I feel. Anyway, here are my two favorites of my sweet young friend. I don't know if she'll choose these, but this is how I see her.





















Here is my son-the-senior. He ended up not having the patience for a photo shoot, so I said a prayer and asked if I could take a shot of him on his way to the Mormon Prom. He reluctantly agreed. I took 3 shots, and this was the third one. I have NO doubt that the Lord guided my hand to be able to capture this view of my sweet boy.

10 comments

  1. Those are beautiful shots! Maybe you can be our photographer when those of us who are sadly obsessed with America's Next Top Model girlishly play dressup and act out our favorite show!!

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  2. Beautiful Kellie. I love the photos.

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  3. what a beautiful insight for your art. I love these. Both are vibrant shining youth. you truly have a gift!

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  4. Those are so great!! What a talent you have!

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  5. Great pictures! You do such a fine job. I like Cami's idea of an America's Next Top Model photo shoot :)

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  6. Lovely! Beautiful pics of the girl. Love the ethereal effects. And Johnathon just looks so, well, himself! Very nice. Not forced at all!

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  7. Wow, that is a great picture of Johnathon. I hardly recognized him. There's just something authentic about it, even though I don't know him at all really.

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  8. Those are great photos of both of them. Good job, Kellie! I can't believe how quickly you got a great one of your son.

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  9. I am thoroughly impressed. I feel like I know something important and unquantifiable about them, even though I've never met them. Beautiful!

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  10. Beautiful work Kellie! I love your post processing.

    The photo of your son is wonderful...guys that age are always hard.

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Thank you for sharing your insights!

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