Here is an image of Wesley, Denise and a 3-days-old Baby Lucius before they set off from TMC to bring Lucius home for the first time. It was about three months ago.
Honestly speaking, I struggled with this image, revisiting it countless times in post-production. And even as I was writing this, I stopped and went back to re-edit it, correcting the colours, once more. Initially, I had thought that Black & White would be nice here but after going through a few versions, I find that it could be overly dramatizing and went back to colours instead for a much more natural look.
While it took ten months for a baby to be born, this image took three, much like a cheetah. The reference came to mind only because of a recent documentary on cheetahs that I’ve watched.
The planning and capturing of this shot took much less time. Before this was taken, I had it in my mind that I wanted dad, mum and baby to be intimately close in the picture sharing a moment together. I thought about using natural light from the window but it was raining that day. The next option is to use the yellow/orange ceiling light, and this spot at the corner of the room is perfect to frame the shot with.
A few minor adjustments were made to ensure the curtain and cushions were proper and I made Wesley and Denise sit really close to each other. They were really in a “tight spot”, literally speaking. Other than that I just ask of them to relax and talk to each other. This image was one of many shots. Some had them laughing and looking at each other while sharing a joyful moment, and some are of them smiling and interacting with Baby Lucius.
This shot, however, was what I was really looking for. It has a sense of unspoken serenity and telling quality to it. It’s a little difficult to describe. I’ll try my best here. I like the way Wesley was smiling proudly while looking at Lucius. And I especially like Denise’s motherly expression as she cradles Lucius. What happened in this moment just felt very right.
Do you share my sentiments?
Photography Andy Post-Process Andy Words Andy