privilege of following this artist around for the entire summer, even if he’s not very happy to have me. As the day wears on, I feel a giddiness build over the prospect of learning from him.
JP locks the doors a little after five. I make myself useful and sweep the floors as he closes up. Music has filtered quietly through the gallery all day, but now it’s turned up and I find us listening to an alternative rock station. I continue to sweep as JP hurries back through and starts taking a section of photographs down.
“What are you doing?”
“I swap the photos out every other week,” he says over his shoulder.
“Why?”
“So it doesn’t get boring.” He turns with hands full of photos and begins heading to the back.
“I don’t see how one could ever get bored with the beauty you’ve captured in any of these shots.” I motion around the gallery in awe.
JP stops briefly to give me a curious look, before continuing on his way. To be sure, this guy has got to be used to receiving a compliment by now in his career. He didn’t seem so comfortable with it, though.
I finish sweeping and grab a duster I spot as I put the broom away. I stroll around and dust anything I come across even though there’s no dust in sight. JP makes quick work of replacing the empty spaces. Within an hour, he has transformed the entire gallery and I find myself wandering around in reverence all over again with a slack jaw.
Behind the stairs is an alcove. Earlier it was home to a vibrant rain forest of lush, brightly colored shots. As I walk in now, I feel as though I have entered a completely new space. Gone is the vibrancy of color, and in its place is a display of interesting black-and-white images. There are five photos grouped together with purpose. I shuffle over to the right and take my time inspecting each one, not wanting to rush the revealing of their story.
The first photo is just awe-inspiring. It is of a pregnant woman on a beach. The sun is behind her and all you can see is her silhouette. Her long hair is cascading all around in the breeze. It’s remarkable, giving the illusion of her being bare to the world with how her image is shadowed. Upon closer inspection, I find faint lines of a bikini swimsuit in the outline of her body. She is very round with child and she has her hand resting on the edge of her belly protectively. I want to stay rooted in front of this one all day and try to decipher how JP was able to completely shadow her out. I eventually move to the next and find myself grinning at its sweetness.
This photo is of a newborn baby with his or her perfectly round bottom stuck in the air. The baby is snuggled in the shielding hands of who I’m guessing is the daddy. The hands look strong yet gentle with the fragile newborn. The baby rests peacefully on one of his own hands while the other clings to the daddy’s wedding-ringed finger. It’s the most precious photo I have ever seen. The background is completely black so all focus is on the baby as it should be. It is such a crisp photo, I feel as though I could reach out and pick the baby up right out of the daddy’s hands.
Again, I have to force myself to the next picture. This photo has the black background like the previous so all the focus is on the subject, a pair of male hands palms-side up. These hands are longer and a bit thicker than the set holding the baby. They are cupped together with one hand ever so slightly holding the other. The hands seem to beckon a closer look as though they are holding a secret. I automatically step closer for a better look, but see nothing hidden on the surface. The angle and the way the hands are holding each other in comfort makes me feel mournful. It’s like they are all the other has in the world. I study for a while longer before moving more to the left.
This photo replaces my melancholy mood with a more uplifting one. This is another beach shot where the sun shines so bright it shadows out the subjects once
JP locks the doors a little after five. I make myself useful and sweep the floors as he closes up. Music has filtered quietly through the gallery all day, but now it’s turned up and I find us listening to an alternative rock station. I continue to sweep as JP hurries back through and starts taking a section of photographs down.
“What are you doing?”
“I swap the photos out every other week,” he says over his shoulder.
“Why?”
“So it doesn’t get boring.” He turns with hands full of photos and begins heading to the back.
“I don’t see how one could ever get bored with the beauty you’ve captured in any of these shots.” I motion around the gallery in awe.
JP stops briefly to give me a curious look, before continuing on his way. To be sure, this guy has got to be used to receiving a compliment by now in his career. He didn’t seem so comfortable with it, though.
I finish sweeping and grab a duster I spot as I put the broom away. I stroll around and dust anything I come across even though there’s no dust in sight. JP makes quick work of replacing the empty spaces. Within an hour, he has transformed the entire gallery and I find myself wandering around in reverence all over again with a slack jaw.
Behind the stairs is an alcove. Earlier it was home to a vibrant rain forest of lush, brightly colored shots. As I walk in now, I feel as though I have entered a completely new space. Gone is the vibrancy of color, and in its place is a display of interesting black-and-white images. There are five photos grouped together with purpose. I shuffle over to the right and take my time inspecting each one, not wanting to rush the revealing of their story.
The first photo is just awe-inspiring. It is of a pregnant woman on a beach. The sun is behind her and all you can see is her silhouette. Her long hair is cascading all around in the breeze. It’s remarkable, giving the illusion of her being bare to the world with how her image is shadowed. Upon closer inspection, I find faint lines of a bikini swimsuit in the outline of her body. She is very round with child and she has her hand resting on the edge of her belly protectively. I want to stay rooted in front of this one all day and try to decipher how JP was able to completely shadow her out. I eventually move to the next and find myself grinning at its sweetness.
This photo is of a newborn baby with his or her perfectly round bottom stuck in the air. The baby is snuggled in the shielding hands of who I’m guessing is the daddy. The hands look strong yet gentle with the fragile newborn. The baby rests peacefully on one of his own hands while the other clings to the daddy’s wedding-ringed finger. It’s the most precious photo I have ever seen. The background is completely black so all focus is on the baby as it should be. It is such a crisp photo, I feel as though I could reach out and pick the baby up right out of the daddy’s hands.
Again, I have to force myself to the next picture. This photo has the black background like the previous so all the focus is on the subject, a pair of male hands palms-side up. These hands are longer and a bit thicker than the set holding the baby. They are cupped together with one hand ever so slightly holding the other. The hands seem to beckon a closer look as though they are holding a secret. I automatically step closer for a better look, but see nothing hidden on the surface. The angle and the way the hands are holding each other in comfort makes me feel mournful. It’s like they are all the other has in the world. I study for a while longer before moving more to the left.
This photo replaces my melancholy mood with a more uplifting one. This is another beach shot where the sun shines so bright it shadows out the subjects once
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