I Can Explain
My dad had a drawer by his favorite seat at the kitchen table. In there, among the jumble of notepads, screwdrivers and knickknacks, he kept a stack of photos that no one else wanted. He loved to show them off, the outtakes, the rejects, the people caught unaware, the quirky angles and questionable scenes that made you wonder what you were looking at. I think I’ve inherited his attraction to the imperfect surprises, the ones you couldn’t set up if you tried that were usually more reflective of the messiness of real life than poses were. The photo above is related to a weekend event I covered for a story I’m working on. It doesn’t tell the story as much as it asks the question, and that’s what I like about it. ________ Shadow Shot Sunday
March 12th, 2016 10:47 am
oh yes. That’s exactly it. My mother had a penchant too for surprising people in oops expressions: folks coming out of the bathroom, often “adjusting”; the surprised look when you heard your name, turned, and were blinded by a flash. har har. It also explains why no one gets near me with a camera, these days. =)
but what these pictures showed was not only people at their natural if unexpected best, but family traits that I never noticed (nor would have recalled) without them. The most telling ones all showed my mother and her sister doing the “teapot” thing over the stove or sink–one arm raised and away from the body, the other stirring a pot or leaning that way.
I do it myself, and I think, “I’m a little teapot”–its for balance, real or imagined.
Nature sometimes is far stronger than nurture or imitation.
I love the composition of this one, by the way. It’s indeed intriguing, all by itself.
March 12th, 2016 11:21 am
I have a picture of me doing “I’m a little teapot with my grandson Bryce.” My dad never took the pictures, just collected others’ rejects. I usually get my favorite shots like this on by accident or by not trying.
March 12th, 2016 1:57 pm
The Apple does not fall far from
the tree : )
He called them the “rejects” but he loved them…, kind of like the way he would root for the underdog…, always willing to give love to those who needed it more. xoxoxo
March 12th, 2016 2:24 pm
I always thought he rooted for the team with the prettiest cheerleaders! I think his tendency to save the worst outtakes also points to his quirky eye and his humor.
March 12th, 2016 4:35 pm
I ‘inherited’ the Dewars Stock box full of pics when my grandfather passed away in 1981. I have dawn so much blog inspiration in the thousands of B&W and cold prints that dated from the 1920-1970s. And he took a lot of pics that one might call quirky – but do give a fabulous look inside the mind of the photographer – and subject too. This a great capture!
March 12th, 2016 6:46 pm
Lovely creative shot and poses many questions to be answered in a human interest story ~
Wishing you happiness each day ~ ^_^
March 13th, 2016 11:58 am
Oh yes, your faithful want to know more! Your dad sounds like a fun person… His “junk drawer” really was full of treasures ….
March 14th, 2016 1:34 am
Yes-that is so true! A very intriguing image! Oh! The stories one could create from that.