Welcome to the July edition of our Storytellers Blog Circle! If you’re new here, our intention is to use our collective posts to give you, our beautiful and amazing readers, our storyteller point of view. We’ll provide a little background, and then tell you why we’re drawn to the image and pass on the technical details (ignore if that’s not your thing 🙂 ).
A high-pitched seagull cry breaks the low, chatter hum of those lunching or university folks having a meeting (or maybe a “meeting”) at Memorial Union Terrace. We found our dappled light table in seconds and no one even had to sprint ahead to save it. Our usual terrace time, sunset with popcorn and pitchers of beer/lemonade, is often packed to the gills with live music and chaotic, joyful hustle. Lunchtime offers an entirely different vibe.
Jack, my oldest kiddo, who is actually out in one of the sailboats on the lake, has severe food allergies. He doesn’t have food intolerances; he has full on severe food allergies. He carries no less than two adrenaline pens with him at all times, and we are incredibly diligent about reading labels, calling companies, and speaking to restaurant managers. Our family food options are limited, especially when it comes to spending our dollars on local fare. Gratefully, there is far more awareness now than when we started this journey more than eleven years ago. That said, while there is far more effort in labeling and understanding cross-contamination, we still have few safe options to eat out.
I have two other kids who have zero food allergies. Their hearts are full of compassion for their big brother, and they would never even think to eat unsafe foods in front of him. I often introduce the younger boys to these foods when Jack is at camp or a sleepover. Here, Charlie and Ben eat noodles from the food carts on Library Mall for the first time ever.
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While my WHY on how this picture is special to me wouldn’t necessarily resonate the same with someone who might not be dealing with food allergies, there are a couple things that make the one below worthy of being a keeper. 1) I’ve set a personal goal to use the full frame. That’s right, no cropping. That means seeing everything at once. I didn’t get Charlie’s full hand in the frame in the one above, nor did I get Ben’s full elbow. Whomp. 2) Below, one of my most favorite things in the documentary approach is mirrored behavior. Both boys attempting to use chopsticks by lifting and dropping into their mouths simultaneously is what make this work. 3) Full disclosure: I’m still not thrilled. Charlie has the flag pole coming out of his nose and the horizon slices off the top of Ben’s head. I knew it at the time, repositioned myself and then lost the mirrored behavior. Mirrored behavior wins for me.
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Canon 5D Mark III, 24-70L @ 24mm, ISO 100, f5.6, 1/160
Shoot me any questions you may have about my storytelling process!
In the meantime, please continue the circle to see Blimie’s storytelling post HERE.
xo, Jen
Beautifully Ordinary is a trademark of Jen Lucas Photography, LLC.
