Birth of a Muse

It was fourteen years ago today that I gave birth to my muse. I love to take pictures of my sons. They are both very photogenic. At a young age, Senpai knew what a camera was and would immediately stop, pose and give me a grin. Kohai on the other hand was much more difficult to photograph. He was constantly on the move, fidgety and very easily distracted. So out of the two, Kohai is definitely my challenge and therefore my muse.

If I told Kohai that he was my muse I'm sure he'd duck his head in embarrassment, after asking what exactly a muse was. Every single photo I have ever taken was and is a battle, and for the very few that actually come out, a monumental victory. It's not easy trying to capture a free and unwilling spirit, but when the light is just right, the angle perfect and there is a total unawareness, the shot can be magical. At least for me anyway.

I've learned a lot over these fourteen years of photographing Kohai, that he must be treated gently. He's not one for taking direction, so I give him very little. All I ask of him is not look into the camera lens, I find that gives him a little ease from feeling like he has to perform. Being a skittish subject, I must rely on my own keen sense of knowing when the time is right to take the shot. It's much like photographing wildlife, I lay in wait patiently for the right moment and hope that I don't spook him.

If I'm lucky to snap off a shot of one of his smiles, it just brightens my day and is a balm to my soul. But those photos of him being him, totally intrigue me. There's no mischievous grin, no pose, no subterfuge, he's just Kohai. You can read so many things just from his eyes, but you'll never truly know what he's thinking. I never know what I'm going to get when I take his picture, but it will always be interesting. So happy birthday my challenge, my muse, my son. Here's to many more pictures to come.