i'd decided a while back that i wanted to start a new photo series of sorts. i wasn't positive how i was going to go about it, until out of the blue today, BAM! it hit me.
i want to know the soul behind the photo.
you see, when i look at portraits, i feel this sensation in the pit of my stomach. maybe you feel it, too. it's a mixture of curiosity, and longing, hope, and knowing. when i look at a photograph, i find myself wondering who they are. what makes them tick. i want to dig deeper. in the end, i usually just make up stories in my head about the lives they live. but i want to know more.
as a photographer, i believe in capturing the essence of who someone is- what makes them who they are. i want to capture their heart. so with this series, i will ask the people within the photos a few selective questions about who they are.
humans as a whole are so complex and i would like discover the heart within the people i photograph- the people i see. a little glimpse beyond just what we see and feel. you see, too often i think we forget that people are...just that. people. human. with thoughts and feelings, and wants, and needs, desires, and fears, and really everything in between. we get so caught up in who we are that we forget we aren't the only ones trying to make it through the every-day life. it's important to stop and look around at the world and the people surrounding us, and just soak it all in. empathize. relate. find compassion and a deeper connection to the world around us.
my good friend, april, was willing to be the first entry. she's a doll.
name: april
age: twenty-five
what is your middle name?
marie.
how would you describe yourself?
i over-think everything. sometimes i like that about myself, a majority of the time it's a burden. i have learned to relax over the years. i'm happy with the amount of self-confidence i have. it took many years to simply accept... myself, i suppose. i am overly optimistic. i am a loner, and that's okay.
how do you think others perceive you?
very friendly, flirty, anxious, smiles too much...yeah. despite me saying that i am happy with the amount of self-confidence i have, i still have some reservations. i'm very aware that i occasionally come off a little too eager.
what makes you happy?
memories. photographs. nature. creative minds.
describe one of your favorite memories.
re-enacting "grease" on the school playground. we did that for a couple weeks straight during every recess. in third grade, i was marty; frenchie, when another friend wasn't available!
what are you struggling with right now?
i'm feeling held back; i'm ready to start my life, so to speak, but i've hit a bit of a roadblock. i'm also not being challenged enough at work and it's starting to wear on me.
where do you see yourself within three years?
hopefully, starting a family and renting or owning our own place. pretty simplistic, right?
what is love to you?
love is compromise, good communication, and friendship. love is caring enough to at least try to understand one another. love is respecting one another. love is universal, and i'm thankful it isn't just something to be experienced within a romantic relationship because love is so much more than just romance.
who is your inspiration to be a better person?
honestly, so many people inspire me. my mother, first and foremost. i can't even begin to describe how much she inspires me. she's the strongest person i know. i can only dream to be half the person she is. --so kind, persevering, unwavering...just a genuinely good person. other than that, i honestly find my inspiration in everything.
what without fail can always make you laugh?
i'm a firm believer in the cat videos and the baby videos of the youtube universe. i'm allergic to cats and don't know any babies, so they fill that void. i find humor in many things. thank god.
what is the best thing about your parents?
i incidentally covered this briefly earlier. my parents have supported every decision i make, even if they don't necessarily share the same views. i am very blessed. they made sure i knew how much they care and appreciate me. you can't put a price on that.
what song defines your life at the moment?
okay. officially one of the toughest questions to answer. i can't think of a song that pertains to my life at this moment in time, but i do have one that i heard a long time ago that really means a lot to me.
smile though your heart is aching
smile even though it's breaking
when there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by
if you smile through your fear and sorrow
smile and maybe tomorrow
you'll see the sun come shining through, for you
light up your face with gladness
hide every trace of sadness
although a tear may be ever so near
that's the time you must keep on trying
smile what's the use of crying?
you'll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile
i'm fond of nat king cole's version, and love the fact that one of my favorites wrote it-- charlie chaplin.
what is home to you?
home is where the heart is.
