It’s surprising to me that most people who smoke in the presence of a camera ask not to be photographed doing so. I don’t smoke and personally don’t care for it, but for some reason I really like to shoot smokers (take that however you like). Smokers smoking are interesting. Lots of interesting facial expressions and there’s a lot of hand activity when smoking – holding the cigarette, up near the face, just lots of little things going on that I find interesting to photograph. I know, that’s probably really strange to people who don’t observe for a living. To me, photographs are made infinitely more interesting when hands are involved. I had always felt this way and looked for this in photographs I was making, and then heard a very respected photographer give this advice at a conference and felt very validated. It’s the little things.
Anyway, this image was from a quickie smoke break prior to donning the bridesmaids dresses at Courtney and Justin’s wedding at First Community Church/Station 67. That the girl in the background is actively smoking while the girl in the foreground is clenching her smoke between her lips while putting in her earring – well, it doesn’t get more active than that. Smoking? Meh. This picture? Love.
