Atlanta Celebrates Photography With Us | Atlanta Child Photographer

Happy Wednesday! Yes, another week has come and gone and I have a bit of news to share. This year’s ACP (Atlanta Celebrates Photography) is from September 26th through November 14th. It has already started but it’s not too late for you to join all of the fun. ACP has been around since 1998, constantly pushing the art form of photography, further. There are so many different events going on throughout the city, I’m sure you’re bound to find something you want to attend. On September 26th, I attended an artist’s talk which was given by my friends Regis and Kahran of CreativeSoul Photography. I always try to support them when they are in town. If you haven’t heard of them, they have a photo series called Afro Art which is absolutely amazing. Anyway, there are guides throughout the city. Just pick one up to see what you’d like to attend.

Okay, getting back to my news. This year I and two of my photographer friends, Jerrold Mobley (IG: @pixelegant) and Gudrun Hughes (IG: @mademoiselle_manic), participated in the ACP. We’re even in the ACP guide that I mentioned previously. In case you’re wondering, we’re listed on page 59. Our exhibit is called LYRICAL and it is currently on display at the Embry Hills Library at 3455 Chamblee-Tucker Road in Tucker. It will be up through the end of the year, so you should go by and check it out.

You may be wondering why we chose the theme of LYRICAL and what it means, I’ll tell you. Since all three of us love music, we thought it would be fun to create images that were based on the lyrics of our favorite songs. For me, it didn’t work out like that because that’s not how I photograph. I’m creative with the things I see, not from what I hear. To be honest, it just wasn’t true and natural to me. Instead of using that process, I selected some images and selected the song/lyrics that resonated with me regarding the images. Since you missed the artist’s reception on Monday, I’ll give you, the title and synopsis of each image along with the song choice.

Title  –  Cocoon

This is an image I captured of my youngest niece when she was a newborn. In case you’re wondering, she’s five now. Sometimes I go back to old images and rework them. I really fell in love with it and was not sure why I hadn’t done anything with it until now. I think it was because the cloth wasn’t wrapped the way I would have liked but I fixed that in Photoshop. Don’t ask me why I didn’t do it previously. I named it Cocoon because she looked so safe wrapped in that fabric and being held/supported by her father’s loving hand. I guess you could say that she’s as snug as a bug in a rug. Anyway, I thought it told a beautiful story about her and her father. The song that I chose for this image was, “Little Girl’s Eyes” by Lenny Kravitz. It’s a beautiful song that he wrote about his daughter and how he feels about her. If you want to read the lyrics and hear a sample of the song, you can find it here.

Title – Batman and Robin

You’ve probably seen this image before. It is one of my absolute all-time favorites. I am a member of PPA (Professional Photographers of America) and every year they have image competitions regionally and internationally. In these competitions, you are not competing against other photographers. You are competing against yourself. It helps to develop our skills as photographers and help us improve upon our craft. So, a few years ago I entered the competition with the image below and four other images. Three of those images merited and the image below is one of them. I’m very proud of this image! I love the story that it tells. I believe it shows the strength and tenderness of a father. He cradles his son gently but protects him fiercely. The song that I chose for this image was “Just the Two of Us” by Will Smith. If you know anything about Will Smith, you know he’s a wonderful storyteller with his raps. His rendition of this song is so moving, relatable, poignant and funny. It’s just the sweetest thing ever and always puts me on the verge of tears. If you’re not familiar or need a little reminder, check out the lyrics and a sample here.

Title – Waiting

Every once in a while, I will photograph scenics, landscapes and still life. Those types of images are usually just for my enjoyment. If I really like what I’ve captured, then I will upload them to my account on FineArtAmerica.com. If you’re interested in my other photography, please feel free to visit me here  Back to the image…it was a foggy, overcast day in November. I was heading out to run some errands and I noticed the fog. I realized that I could probably capture some really cool images because of the fog. So, I picked up my camera and headed out the door. Before I could even get out of my neighborhood I spotted a wonderfully, misty scene of the park. I captured several images and the one below was one of my favorites. The song that comes to mind with this image is “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. It’s such an iconic song. The bench is empty, waiting to be filled. Plus, I made desaturated the colors except for the red in the leaves, to give it a sort of melancholy feeling.

Lastly is an image I captured while I was out photographing my son. At this time, I believe he may have been six or seven and a willing subject. Nowadays, getting him in front of my lens, it takes some considerable effort. Anyway, we were at a nature preserve because I was working on my environmental portraiture and needed some different scenery. While looking for another area in the preserve to photograph him, I noticed the egret on the fallen tree. I just had to capture it! I don’t know how many snaps I took but they were many. This was one of my favorites from that day and the song that it reminds me of is “Easy” by the Commodores. That is such a relaxing song and this was such a relaxing scene. I just adore nature photography.

Remember, there are photography events all over the city through November. Grab an event guide or go to the source. Whichever you choose, make sure you get out and enjoy some awesome photography!