The Maestro

I am going to invent a new word. "Sponentaitude", the attitude of being spontaneous! And that is exactly what you have to be if you are going to work with animals of any kind, or babies- especially babies, or younger children. One of the things I loved in my practice as a portraitist was the privilege of showing a new baby; God's greatest creation, and his affirmation that the world may continue. When working with very young children, or with puppy dogs, you have to be ready for the moment when the magic happens. This little guy was flailing his arms about, and I happened to catch him in this moment which reminded me of a great maestro conducting a huge orchestra. Hasselblad 500ELm with a 150mm Sonnar lens. BTW, this was a very interesting session. I got a call from a lady that wanted a portrait of her newborn, who wasn't born at the time it was scheduled. But she wanted the portrait of the freshest baby possible. She scheduled a mid morning session and gave birth the evening before, just as she said she would. The babies cord was still attached... about as fresh hatched a baby as one could get!