A few weeks back I got to spend the day wandering the streets of Pittsburgh with these two lovely ladies. On this usually warm winter Saturday we roamed Southside and the Strip District, drinking coffee and conversing. And of course taking pictures. Having friends that are willing to showcase their lives in front of the camera is a huge blessing. When friends of mine refuse to have their photo taken it's difficult to wrap my head around, and here's why. The first reason being that I find it extremely interesting to see how people capture others' souls with the press of a button. I think that viewing pictures of ourselves shows us a side that we don't get to see and it helps give us a better idea of how we're seen by those around us. The second reason being that for me, taking photos stops a moment in time. The way my brain works I need tangible visual representations of my life to remember these moments so vividly. It's the only way I can remember exactly how I felt in a moment, my emotions, the time in my life, the cold wind or the warm sun on my skin. Everything.
This is especially true for people. I photograph people to capture their emotions, their character, their love, the essence of who they are in a minimal way for a short period of time. Pictures of people laughing or genuinely smiling are my favorite because you can truly see the genuine characteristics coming forth. Pictures aren't always just about looking pretty. They're about showing emotion and causing your viewers to feel those emotions. When I'm photographing couples for a session I set them up in a spot and just let them be them and interact and love one another. It's the moments in between the posing that you need to be looking for. Those are images I like to keep.
Yasha & Ang are two wonderful friends of mine who allowed me a glimpse into their lives as they do often when we are together. This time I had the pleasure of capturing their lives in photo form to share with whoever will look at them. They as individuals are special and unique, loving and independent, brave and caring. But together they are these things and more, with more strength and power combined. Snapping a few of these photos during our day together was just another way for me to remember these times and these people for who they are. And that's pretty amazing.
