Last month I received a call from someone I photographed in 2007. She and her husband-to-be had stopped by my booth at the county fair to have a portrait taken, and I’m SO glad I printed my phone number on the back of the print so she was able to contact me again.
Three years later, we enjoyed a casual Saturday afternoon session outside her home. Comparing the new photos to the old one, I couldn’t help but notice how much my style of photography has changed. Here is the portrait I took of she and her husband in 2007:
While my county fair portraits were different from my usual work at the time, they were still very formal. Today I take an informal approach to portrait sessions, and the end result is a photograph that is more natural and personal.
It’s funny how a different approach can change things. When she mentioned this photograph to me, I couldn’t remember who she was until she brought up one detail: her husband REALLY didn’t like to be photographed. But during our recent session, he was much more comfortable. By the end of the hour he didn’t seem to mind the camera at all.
It is encouraging to see that my new approach to portrait photography evokes natural expressions from my subjects, even the ones who aren’t particularly fond of being in front of the lens. I love the relaxed images I shot of this couple. I hope I get to photograph them again!
p.s. Did you also notice that she hasn’t aged a bit in 3 years? Marian, you look great!
I’m not sure exactly when it was that I decided to become a photographer. I didn’t even own a decent camera until my junior year of college. It was a gift from my fiancee’ and my dad. I doubt they realized then what an investment they were making! That year I signed up for my first of many photography classes. Years later, I still count some of the photos I took then as my best work.
Without giving much thought to it, I turned toward portraiture. While hanging out with a group of people I would find myself zooming in on a person and moving around to find the least distracting background, best angle and good lighting. Soon I was planning portrait outings with my friends just to get more practice in. In between those sessions I looked for any excuse to photograph someone.
The pictures I am posting today are ones that I was particularly proud of when I shot them. My subject was a woman who volunteered as a greeter at my college. Because of my class schedule I would run into her a couple times every week, and I always looked forward to a hello and a smile. I don’t know much about her besides the fact that she was a widow and a church-going woman.
What I did come to discover was that she loved arranging flowers. When I chatted with her about my wedding plans she offered to teach me how to make a boutonniere. I thought it would be a nice way to save money on my wedding, but more than that I looked forward to seeing her in a different light.
I did end up making my own boutonnieres for the wedding, although they didn’t turn out quite like hers! But even if I hadn’t, I am really glad that I spent that time with her. I think I got to know her alot more just by watching her arrange the flowers. There was a calm joy about her as she worked with her hands. Her goal was to get everything just right, but it didn’t seem to bother her if the results weren’t perfect. She must have lived her life that way, and these images remind me of that. I pray that all of my portraits reveal something about the life of my subject!
I’ve decided to start out by posting some of my early work, just to give you an idea of where I’m coming from. I’ve been sorting through old photographs (real photos printed from real negatives!) for two days now. It is so refreshing, fueling and uplifting to experience my original passion for art all over again. I think it may help me redirect toward the areas of photography where I really shine.
So far I’ve noticed that almost all of my photos are about two things: objects I find interesting, and people who are beautiful. Although I shoot alot more people than things these days, I hope that my portrait work reveals the simplicity which stands out in my early work. There is nothing in these photos to distract from the main subject, and it doesn’t seem to matter where they were taken. I want all of my portaits to do the same–to document the subject as they really are, bring light to their good qualities and celebrate the mere fact that they exist.
While I really enjoy documenting the world, I find it so much more rewarding to document people. There is something so special about revealing how a person relates to their loved ones and to the world around them. I am really looking forward to doing more portraits this year!
Here are a couple of old images that inspired me today…
I just realized that my readers may want to know a little bit about me. My name is Miranda Gloria Kissling, owner of Gloria Photography. My middle name means so much to me as it is my grandmother’s, mothers’s and daughter’s middle name as well. For that reason it seemed like just the right name for my photography business.
I was born and raised in San Diego, California with a few jaunts spent living in Michigan. After high school I returned to Michigan where I met the love of my life, Josh. We married the day after graduation and moved to Ohio. Seven years later we have a two children and a home here. I spend most of my time on mommy duty, and in addition to that I am investing in my business and rediscovering my passion for photography.
So I’ve introduced myself! Now for my first photo post (drumroll please)…I am actually going to use photos I didn’t even take!
The photo in the header of this blog is a portrait taken by my cousin and fellow photographer, Mavi Welch. On a side note, if you don’t believe that it really took me twoyears to start this blog, notice the six-month-old baby boy in the picture. He is now a two-and-a-half-year-old boy! I love this picture of us. Being a mom is a big part of who I am, and while I do not always find photos of myself flattering, I always feel beautiful when I have a photo taken with one of my children. I think it’s because it reveals one of the deepest parts of me, something that I consider to be truly beautiful. Not flawless, just beautiful.Thanks, Mavi!
The following portrait of myself was taken at the same location a year later…in it I am pregnant with my first baby girl. To me pregnancy portraits are a way to celebrate that part of myself that desires to give life…to nurture, encourage, show affection, protect and love so much that I just might burst! Many thanks to Lisa of Elle. G Photography for memorializing such an important moment in my life.
Creation seems like alot of work, doesn’t it? (That could be the reason why I have procrastinated for 2 years on starting this blog.) But in fact, God made it look quite easy in Genesis. I can sum it up for you in four words: “God said” and “It was.” Pretty simple, huh? It is amazing what can come to be as the result of a few words.
While I don’t foresee you or I creating a universe any time soon, I do believe that we can echo our Creator by expressing ourselves through art. This blog is my own creation, a “Miranda says” of sorts. In it I will share my photographs and thoughts. It is my attempt to express what God has placed in me and in the world. My blog may have a far greater reach than the sound of my voice, and I hope it brings life to anyone who listens!