Thursday, November 6, 2008

Photostory Friday: Take another look...


PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I'm not in the habit of hanging blurry pictures on the wall. And yes, my vision is fine. Some of you may think I'm crazy. That's okay.
I assure you, I am.

This is the story of how a picture went from a mistake, to a piece of art (if I may use that term so boldly), hanging on my living room wall.

While taking family portraits last week, in between shots I (FINALLY!) let my kids loose, to run off some energy, so that, hopefully, they could sit still through a few more shots. I don't mind doing portraits, but, what I love are the candid shots -- the moments.

As I looked up from reviewing pictures, I saw my daughters, skipping down a winding path, among the Autumn leaves. That's a picture I live for. In my mind it was a beautiful and playful image. I lifted the camera and shot quickly. The moment was so fleeting that I was sure I had missed it. Later, while editing, I came across this shot, realized that it was blurry, and moved on. 




But, for some reason, I didn't delete it right away. I kept thinking about it, and coming back to it. I began to see it in a different light. It was certainly not the picture I had intended to take, but I found that as I looked again at the image, I saw that the picture I had originally envisioned was there -- a colorful, playful shot of my beautiful girls.

When I approached it, not as a failure, but as a thing of worth, I found more than I had seen at first. When I treated it with respect, and as something of value, it became something valuable -- to me anyway. I gave it a chance to put its best foot forward (so to speak), and it showed me things I didn't know were there.

This picture is not the kind that wins awards, and it freaked the poor girl out who processed it, because she thought her machine was broken, but I found that when I treated this picture differently, others began to see it in a different light. They began to admire its good qualities, and to look, with less criticism, at its shortcomings. 

There was a lesson here that, for me, went much deeper than admiring the hidden beauty of a blurry picture of my daughters. 

I've taken a lot of pictures in the last couple of weeks, many of which I am actually quite pleased with. 
This one is my favorite.

ps. Sorry about the sermon.

62 comments:

Aaron said...

Oh Chris, your blurry photo is SO inspiring. Even when you make mistakes with your pictures, I feel I need to go get my camera and try to do it TOO!

You are just like my wife, I swear, if you were a woman you would be just like her.....

....And your words, so flowing and emotionally charged.

Exceptional.

Aaron said...

Actually I was kidding on that last one.....just a tongue in cheek laugh at the 87 posts you will get in the next 24 hours.

Seriously I like the pic, I have one or two like that. They looked like a mistake, then after a couple views...they grab you. I have fished a photo or two out of the recycle bin myself.

You don't give sermons, so don't apologize.

Chris said...

I sense sarcasm here. You wish you could take this picture. Do people ask your wife why she puts up with you too?

Laura said...

LOVE IT!! BEAUTIFUL!! I hope you blow it up big!

Cecily R said...

I'm SO glad you used this for PSF. It's such a great shot for so many reasons. And leave it to you to find a lesson in a blurry picture. I love that!!!

Mom24 said...

Much more eloquently expressed, but similar to the lesson I learned for my PSF tonight. Thanks.

Wendelyn DeMoss said...

I do love that photo and hope you do enjoy this one on your wall!!

Unknown said...

sensatinal...you caught a fleeting moment, which is all we have left of our children's childhoods!


~AirmanMom returning to her blog...

Pam Emmons said...

Very cool, it's like a painting. And I am laughing out loud at Aaron's comment.

photomommy said...

I agree! That shot is beautiful.

I find that this sort of thing happens to me a lot. Sometimes the "mistakes" are better than any other.

I would proudly display that in my house. It's exceptional.

Bren said...

That looks like it belongs on a card. I love it!

I have a blurred one like that of my baby pushing a doll carriage. It's one of my favorites!

Indrani said...

:)
You have a message here. I must observe carefully next when I sort my shots.

I liked your blurry shot!

Anonymous said...

Oh I'm so glad that it made its way into a frame and onto your wall. There really is something beautiful about it.

Robyn said...

It is a neat photo, it seems to blur the right way, yet keeps the color beautifully.

Steph said...

That's one awesome blurry photo!

Lori of I'm no super Mom said...

I love the blurry picture and the words that went along with it!

Lori of I'm no super Mom said...

Thank you for your very sweet comment about my faith, it uplifted me!

Kat said...

YAY!!!!!
I told you when I first saw that shot that it needed to be blown up and framed! I'm so glad you are treasuring it as you should. It is gorgeous!!!!
:)

Michelle said...

It is amazing how something we would consider imperfect turns out to be just what we were looking for.

I have a few blurry shots that I adore too.

latree said...

if you hadn't told us it was an accident, I might say: what methode did you use taking it?

but I experienced it too. I took a picture with my camera phone, and it looks like I was using a pro camera in a pro way.

here it is

Lindsay said...

I'm so glad you decided to hang this picture. I LOVE pics of kids running off together.

Straight to Your Hart said...

Well if you want to call it a sermon..AmEN!! It is a beautiful shot for many reasons...GreaT work and again I love your PSF!!

imbeingheldhostage said...

Cecily had a shot last week of her daughter with the leaves and only a tiny bit of her body was sharp and clear and the rest shouted energy-- I LOVED it and thought it's a piece I'd hang in my living room-- this picture had the same effect for me. I think it's fabulous. I've held onto a couple of my blurries for arts sake, but they don't compare to this!!

Oh, and good luck calling some big burly guy a Lori :-)

scrappysue said...

i took the most BLURRY photos at my daughtter's first softball game last week (mostly because the win just about blew the camera out of my hand!) but i got it developed (and i'm going to scrap it) anyway! sometimes ya just gotta!

Mandy said...

First, your header, my boys loved it! Huge Indiana Jones fans here!

Your fall pic with the girls was great!

Alex @ I'm the Mom said...

Im glad you framed it! It's stunning.

tiarastantrums said...

GORGEOUS!!!
Beautiful words!

Unknown said...

I love it! Blurry-ness and all! And beautiful girls and fall colors! What more could you want? : )

SalGal said...

If you hadn't have said it was a "mistake", I would have thought you'd photoshopped it. Well done!

Lorina said...

I think it wonderful. Reminds me of a painting.. truly a keeper.

Melissa said...

Yes, that picture is a keeper!! And I agree with you, candid shots are the best; they're "real"... :)

Kellan said...

I loved the sermon and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the picture and would have hung it too - blown it up big and hung it - LOVE IT!!!

I love this line, "When I treated it with respect, and as something of value, it became something valuable"!!! I have been going through tremendous turmoil this week with my twins' basketball coach - meeting after meeting and I think we finally resolved some serious issues. This line I quoted of yours is EXACTLY the point I tried and tried to get across to this coach about my precious girls. I think I finally did - but you said it so much better and I wish you had been there with me!!

Have a great weekend - Kellan

Upward Falling Autumn said...

I love your pics... and your stories! This one is no exception.

I love how you found something so clear in something blurry.

Anonymous said...

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET,

sometimes when I take my flash off and work my camera manually- there us usually only ONE spot that is in focus- and it comes out as the BEST pic.

very good.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

I love surpise shots like that - it's a GEM!! And a sermon? I love it.

CC said...

I love it, although I probably needed the sermon to truly love it and appreciate it!

stefanie said...

I like blurry pictures too. And its a good thing since I am getting older and life is getting blurrier.

It's fun to discover a good pic on the 2nd or 3rd run through, when you think you've already seen it all, then you find that you can appreciate the ones that require a longer look, or maybe a squint.

Deb said...

i love it! i think it enhances the action... the lightheartedness of the girls skipping. and the fall colors are gorgeous. if i saw it hanging on a wall, i would just assume it was supposed to be that way.

Kmommy said...

Oh it definitely turned into something amazing :) It's beautiful!

Unknown said...

I love it! And I think it's so funny that the girl processing it thought her machine was broken momentarily. :)

Jyl @ MommyGossip said...

Glad you didn't throw it out. Love it!

Carissa(GoodnCrazy) said...

Sermon away...LOVE IT. And wow. I'll stumble that photo.

Oh, and what's with the header photo, Indiana Jones moment??! cool.

A Crafty Mom said...

It's gorgeous - I love the picture, the colours are just amazing. Well done!

koopermom said...

This IS a beautiful shot!! Well deserving of hanging on the wall!

Liz {Learning To Juggle} said...

That sermon was definitely perfect. That picture is gorgeous. You are right at first glance it is just blur but knowing the story behind it, the motions and color it shows - it couldn't be better!!

Anonymous said...

I think that is an incredible picture! You couldn't have planned it if you tried! Beautiful words too!

Anonymous said...

You deserve some bling. Come visit me and pick it up. :)

Anonymous said...

Great words of wisdom from a blurry photo. I love it!

tommie said...

rusnesI so know what you are feeling...I have a set on Flickr called
"learning to love the blur".....while it is hard to like those,,,,,it is so my life right now

KATE said...

That is a great life lesson! I have to say I loved that picture, and tend to love pictures like that anyway. I feel they speak the truth, or at least represent my family better. We have alot of beautiful blurry pictures, although not quite as gorgeous as that one!

Cafe Mommy - said...

Somehow blurry pictures lead us down the path to our imagination...and your girls look so beautiful, innocent, carefree...full of adventure and the background paints a canvas filled with life!

echoeve said...

I loved the sermon. You are right it is all in how we look at things.
thank you so much the picture is 'a moment' in time.

Anonymous said...

I like it. It looks a bit like an impressionist painting.

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

You are right! It's perfect!

So perfect! Your kids will fight over that one one day.

Judy said...

You know, your photo reminds me of a pastel drawing. Very beautiful and stylistic!

Roxy Wishum said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughtful photo and the meditations inspired by it. Your message of a second chance for the broken is encouraging.

ewe are here said...

I can see why you didn't delete it and it called you back...

Honey Mommy said...

That is a beautiful photo and I appreciated your take on taking perfect photos.

Storytellin' Mama said...

Love it!!!

Emily said...

what a beautiful picture!

Casey's trio said...

What a beautiful picture. I think it is very easy to see the beauty in it and I bet it looks fantastic hanging on the wall.

Holly said...

I keep blurry photos too. Mostly because they are a metaphor for my life! But yours is really art.