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Rangefinder Magazine
July 2004

Images That Speak by Tim Walden

Hands of Time

Have you ever been in the company of someone that just “hung around”? These people are just there—generally with nothing to say or contribute, no opinions. They would be the equivalent of the color beige. In other words—they are very boring! Eight years ago, when searching my soul for where I wanted to be in the future as an imagemaker, I made a decision—a simple decision in theory, but a challenging one in practice. I no longer wanted my images to merely “hang around.” I wanted my images to speak!

Learning to See
Before I could be, I had to see. To create images that would speak, one of the first things I had to do was to see with different eyes. You see, as a photographer, most of us are at a disadvantage because we see things as photographers. We evaluate people from the perspective of a photographer. How would we light them? Which side is the most flattering? How can I make this woman look thinner? All of these things are good, but they are not the point. The real question to ask is “Who is this person, and how can I reflect that?”

A Daddy’s Touch

I needed to learn to see as a dad would, a brother, a son, even a mom or wife. I had to see people and their relationships through the eyes of the ones that love them the most. I had to detach myself from my profession and be an observer of the people I was to photograph with new eyes. For this reason, today, when sharing with other photographers, I will usually make the following statement: “I am more interested in my ability to see than my ability to create.”

This realization, for me, came when I recognized the need and set forth to make the effort. I put a lot of my training behind me—having to control every situation and create it myself. Instead, I learned to see what best represented the relationships and personalities of the people in front of my camera.

In order to do this, there are a few things that became obvious as I began to let go of the technical and walk the emotional road. The first thing I learned is that your personality in the camera room is critical! Before you can have your clients bring their walls down and become vulnerable in front of the camera, you have to do that very thing yourself. Your subjects will sense that connection with you, and the camera will directly affect the believability and feel of the images you create.

Best Friends

Don’t be a stick in the mud!
My second thought is to watch closely when changing film (I like to shoot short rolls of film, so I change film often) because that is when the walls seem to break down and people will let their real selves out. To me, body language is more important than posing structure. If you watch closely, people will show you what will look best on them. This is why I would prefer to watch and react to what they do naturally instead of creating some pose that may not be them at all.

Also, if you have subjects that have their arms around each other or their small child, you can encourage them to squeeze a little harder, love a little more. Then watch because the body language and expressions will improve tremendously. When silly things happen during the photography process, photograph those things as well because sometimes they can make the most wonderful images!

What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

	Kisses and Caresses

One of the most important things when creating an image that speaks is to know about the people, their personalities and their relationships. At our studio, we do a design appointment with every session. This design appointment is not to pick out backgrounds and props, but instead it is to learn the story. Every person and every family has a story. I am not talking about some big, long, drawn-out life story. I am talking about the little details. Is this portrait celebrating something, and, if so, what? Is the son a mommy’s or daddy’s boy? Is he an introvert or extravert, playful or quiet?

These details, and others just like them, will arm me with the ability to recognize something that will help me to capture the essence of who these people are. Also, when I know the story, it changes how I see and capture the subjects.

Once, I photographed a young lady who was in remission from ovarian cancer. She wanted a portrait with her two best friends who saw her through that terrible time. With that information, I knew I did not want to put these ladies in a formal pose with various antique props standing in positions a few feet from each other. No, I had them in a huge group hug with the lady I mentioned in the center. I had them give an extra hard squeeze and they all laughed. At that moment, when I hit the shutter release, it captured the frozen moment in time—the moment that represented their victory together. Then at the end, I had them all clasp hands, and I photographed just their hands in a circle. You could not tell one from the other, and as I look at that image, I see a picture of total unity and friendship—all the hands are equal—they all had a part in this victory.

Love’s Embrace	Mama’s Boy	A Place of Refuge

Every one has a story. It is my goal to have every image tell the story of the people and their relationships. It is my desire to have every image speak with the values and the details of each subject’s life.

Proud	Siblings	Growing Together

The Time Is Now
You must set the stage for this type of imagery. Begin to think differently. Create images that move those who see them. Develop a style that reflects these thoughts and ideas. Put your skills to work creating from the heart, and market that to the public. You will be amazed at the response. You may find you have just put your finger on what people wanted all along.

Snugglebuddies	His Father’s Eyes

No better time exists than now for images that speak—images that celebrate life, love and family. We as imagemakers have a very distinct privilege, and yes, maybe even calling to capture the moments, the people and the events that mean the most to the people we serve.“ It is not the days we remember; it is the moments.”

Tim Walden, M.Photog.Cr, F-ASP, earned his Master of Photography Degree at the age of 25 and his Craftsman Degree soon afterwards. In his home state of Kentucky, Tim’s work has won many awards, including Best of Show and Master Photographer of the Year. His work can be seen in many loan collection publications, and Kodak has recognized his work through Gallery Awards, a Gallery Elite and publication in their Portrait Book. To see his work, visit www.waldensphotography.com/.