The Art of Photo Taking

What makes a good photo?There are many people out there who are amazing photographers - and this year I hope to get a little closer to that category.  My in-laws got us a new Canon Rebel XSi for Christmas because they wanted to make sure I could snap the best photos I could of Coleman once he gets here (he seems to be driving many decisions these days)!The thing about SLR cameras is that unlike point-and-shoots, you have to look through the view finder in order to see what you are taking.  After the photo is snapped it shows up on the screen of the camera.We have had a learning curve happening at our house because of this feature.Since Jason can't use his hands and has very little "grip," he is constantly having to adapt the real world to fit his needs in order to function independently in it.  When he works, file folders are death and so we made sure he has plenty of table space for him to spread things out.  When he eats, forks and spoons tend to slide out of his so-called grasp so we use utensils with thicker handles.  The remote control sits chest high on the cabinet shelf - never on the couch or in a cupboard.  And we are always eager to see what new technology comes out that can help him access, organize and use information.  When the iPhone, where everything used the touch screen, started showing up on commercials, we sat enthralled with the possibilities for him (and yes, he has figured out how to manipulate his with taps instead of having to spread his fingers).Little things make the most difference when it comes to his physical success.So when we were presented with the new camera and I started trying it out, my immediate thought was that Jason wasn't going to be able to use it.  He can't hold it up to his eye and push the button at the same time - it's just not physically possible.  This was disappointing to me because I like it when he can take photos - then I can be in them!  I figured we could have him continue to use my point-and-shoot - it's small enough that he has figured out how to hold it vertically and snap a photo.

I should have known that Jason would not be content with watching me use the new camera.  He wanted in on the action, too.  And thus began our exploration of "How a Quadriplegic Uses an SLR."  Here are step-by-step instructions:1.  Hang the strap around your neck so you don't risk dropping the camera.2.  Move the settings to "sports" for continuous shot capability.3.  Hold the camera vertically against your chest where you think the subject will be in the photo.4.  Hold the button down with your knuckle, snapping continuous photos, while you move the camera slightly, hoping to actually get the subject in at least one of the shots.5.  Look at the pictures you took and find the ones that actually worked!This is how Jason took last week's "pregnancy" photos of me.  Watching him figure this out was funny to me so I kept laughing while the camera snapped dozens of photos.I love those photos.  You'll see a few of the series in my new blog header that I created last week.  Yes, some of them are blurry.  Yes I was kind of cut off most of them.  But all in all, they are great photos simply because they capture the moment of joy that I was feeling.  They show off my pregnancy, which was the point.  And they remind me of Jason's unique determination to figure out a solution to participate in life - even when it means taking photos "blind."Those pregnancy photos are some of my favorite pictures of all time.  Are they the "best" photos in the eyes of a professional or even just a regular person?  No.  But they are the best to me.  That is the true art of photo taking.