Brynn works at Bread Alone in Rhinebeck, NY once a week. We arrived just as they were closing, and she was sweeping up when her friend came in. She was so pleased to see him she nearly dropped the broom as she gazed at him. Her boss agreed to let her have her picture taken.They stood together shyly and asked if they should smile. They light was fast fading. We were outside the café. We heard a hard knocking on the window from the inside. It was the boss saying, that's enough, finish the sweeping.
We spent another minute or two. I hope she still has her job.
Ah..youth...when one "nearly drops the broom" at the sight of one's love...you can feel that here...they beautifully blend innocence and sensuality.
ReplyDeleteAnd, you commentary is leading me to ask what I have been wondering...do you ask your subjects not to smile? As you know better than the rest of us, nothing more unnatural than the forced smile - and that is what we are [sadly] accustomed to seeing in posed shots..
I do sometimes ask people not to smile. But if he or she smiles spontaneously I will very often snap it. Generally I like pictures that have a kind of neutral expression. Smiles are too blinding and smirks too polite.
ReplyDeleteI'm most impressed by all your portraits Dmitri. Very inspirational, and further proof of the maxim, 'Never go out without a camera'!
ReplyDelete