Lucky Shots – Thoughts of an Orange County Photographer

Where did the year go?!  It seems that the older I get, the shorter the years are.  We just couldn’t have lived through every single month this year.  I don’t even remember April and August.  What I do know is that when I turn my camera on, I completely lose track of time while I’m trying to capture time.

I know, I know, once time is gone, you can never get it back.  And John Lennon said “Life is just what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”  Well John and fellow John lovers, don’t take offense to this, but for me….

“Life is just what happens to you while you’re busy photographing it.”   (Yep, I just hijacked a John Lennon quote.)

I may never have another opportunity to make some of the photographs that I did this year.  I can honestly say that I had many lucky shots.  They weren’t lucky because the exposure was spot on or because the light was creamy or even because the pose was just Short of S-Curve Perfection.  They were lucky because the groom was moved to tears when he hugged his mother for the last time as a single man and again when he saw his bride for the very first time.  They were lucky because in some cases they were the only photograph of a person smiling that they actually liked.  They were lucky because I decided to take a risk and ask if could make a photograph and I wasn’t turned down.  They were lucky because they happened to be the last photograph of a person that was ever taken and now that photograph lives in the family room, and on the mantel, and on the night stand and sometimes on the obituary.  But really, I was lucky. Because by fate, I got to be there to make a photograph that will immortalize a moment in time that evokes emotion, brings comfort, makes someone laugh, or cry, or even debate who was late for the picture date.   It’s true.

I have to say that of the lucky shots this year, the luckiest of all were the Glamour, Boudoir and Art Nude images of women who’d never been photographed in that setting before.  Each of these women, a little nervous but open to the process, walked in a bit apprehensive but seemed to float out the door on a cloud of confidence.  The huge smiles, the squeals, the “OMG’s” and the mascara filled tears make those the luckiest shots ever!

So as we begin to wrap up our Christmas presents and what has been an amazing year of growth, I just want to say “Thank You” and invite you to sail into another year of lucky shots with me.

Remember, each day presents us with memorable moments to live and even more lucky shots to capture .   I’d love to hear your thoughts on “lucky shots.”

How do you define a “Lucky Shot?

What’s your favorite “Lucky Shot?”

PS:  To my dear friend Chris Diset…  Thank you for inviting me to hang out at the wedding with you where I grabbed this “lucky shot”.

(Ok, who stole April and August?!)