Hareniks Wild Side of Pretty
Hareniks Wild Side of Pretty Backstage
Hareniks Wild Side of Pretty makes me smile because those last two words don't seem interested in behaving for each other. Pretty sounds so polite. Add a wild side, and suddenly I'm wondering which part my camera should pay attention to first.
Probably both. That's usually when I get myself into trouble. :)
When I photograph someone, I can be tempted to settle too quickly on the first thing that works. Find a lovely frame, take the picture, feel pleased with myself. Very professional, David. But a photo set needs more than one good answer. I want to keep looking, because the next photograph might change how I see the one before it.
That's what I enjoy about the idea behind this set with Hareniks. Pretty is an easy word to use, but it doesn't tell me very much on its own. Is it sweet? Is it confident? Does it sit quietly for the camera, or does it make the photographer rethink what he was looking for? The title gives me a little room to play with those questions.
And no, I don't think a wild side needs a grand announcement. If I start treating every photograph like it has to shout, I'll miss the quieter possibilities. The fun is in allowing someone to be more than the first impression I had of them.
Of course, saying that is much easier than doing it while I'm holding a camera. I still have to make decisions. Where do I put the frame? When have I looked long enough, and when am I just admiring my own cleverness? That second question can be particularly useful. It keeps me from getting too comfortable. :)
I like that a photo set lets me spend time with an idea rather than forcing everything into one image. A photograph can draw me in for one reason, and the next can ask me to look again. For me, that is more interesting than making every picture say exactly the same thing.
So that's the little game I find myself playing with Hareniks and Wild Side of Pretty. I don't want to pin either word down too neatly. I want the pretty to have some character, and the wild side to leave room for a smile.
Maybe that's why this set's name has stayed with me. It reminds me to keep looking when I think I've already found the photograph. Hareniks deserves that attention, and I had a lovely time giving it to her.
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