caryn scanlan photography

photography is quirky.

there are things that must be done

to make the light and angles work for you, that aren’t at all apparent

when you look at the final photos.

on friday, i crouched

below the white bridge railing,

pulling a stray branch through the slats

just below the view of the camera’s lens, so that the knitting nestled

in the branches that i wasn’t manipulating.

caryn stood on her tippy toes

on top of a bench

leaning at an almost impossible angle to get

the sunlight to hit in good places and not land where it would wash out the scene.

i stood smiling as the heels of my furry clogs sank slowly into the muck

because it was the best place to capture

the water’s reflections

behind me.

caryn, without a peep,

lay flat on her stomach on wet bridge planks

shooting across the pond

to get the perfect

angle on the little boat dock that held the knitting.

it’s stuff that made us laugh,

and hold our breath

at almost the same times.

then there was the getting of this shot below

(and i asked caryn to snap a picture of the picture being taken).

we’d found the exact section of worn bridge

that we wanted as a backdrop, but it was in full-on sun.

so, i stood holding the sides of my jacket

spread superman style like wings

to create enough shade that caryn could snap the inside of the bag shot

that we were going for.

now, i may be biased, but i do think we look at bit like superheros,

me with my ‘cape’ and her arm up as if ready to fend off any foe…

if you only get to be a superhero once in a lifetime,

i guess i’ve had my go at it.

and it sure was fun.

Talitha Kuomi