Family

This is my cousins' son. I remember when I took this picture I thought, "this isn't going to turn out very well". I didn't like the fact that his mom was holding him, and I was afraid that it was going to come out too dark. But the one thing I have found when photographing children is that you really have to take what you can get. Children do not necessarily cooperate when you point a camera in their direction. And as much as I like portraits, I do not really like to pose children. I prefer to capture their true nature. And this is his true nature. He loves cameras, and every time I take his picture, he gives me the same look. This is the same look his daddy has in pictures too, so I believe he came by it honestly.

This has turned out to be one of my favorite pictures of him. I like the way the light (natural sunlight) covers half of his body while the rest is shadowed. It is such a dichotomy; light and dark. And I love that you can see a hint of his mother because for now this is his favorite place to be, in his mother's arms. It is where he feels safe, where he feels loved, and all too soon that sweet time will come to an end. So for now, it is to be treasured.