Here we go, deep into the archives this week.

Several weeks back, when talking about the picture of Jenny and Eric, I mentioned that I had another experience that helped shape the course of my portrait and wedding work.

Well, this isn’t the image. But it is a pretty good example of the type of work I was doing once I found my niche. I’ll come back to this in a minute.

Unfortunately, the negatives and test prints from the session I was referring to are now lost to time, but the story is instructive.

Back in those days I had a Mamyia C330 with 80mm and 150mm lenses. It was the only camera I had that gave a negative larger then 35mm so I used it for everything I thought I might need to enlarge bigger than 11x14. And rather than proofs, I used enlarged contact sheets for my sales presentations. Most clients had never seen a contact sheet before, much less an 11x14 or 16x20 so needless to say they made a terrific impact when seen for the first time. (Added bonus: I could also sell them as a framed piece as part of the order!)

The photographer I got the camera from got it used, and I think the guy he got it from also bought it used, so I had really no idea how old it was. Needless to say it was somewhat finicky on the controls, but the glass was beautiful. It clearly had been lovingly cared for. As a square format you had 12 negatives to a roll, so unless it was an extended session, each portrait session came with 12 images to choose from.

I had been commissioned by a commercial client to photograph her son and daughter who would both be home from school for the holidays. They had not been together as a family in a while so it was important for her to have the pictures made while the opportunity presented itself.

They arrived at the appointed time and we chatted a bit so I could get to know them a little better and a sense of their relationship. Once I felt we were ready I placed them approximately in position and told them to “talk amongst yourselves” while I made the final preparations.

As I was plugging in the flash cord the camera accidentally fired. Oh no! One frame down, now only 11 left. Adding to my angst, in setting up I had only zone focused and the flash firing caused them to jump so I had no idea if the shot was even completely in focus. Oh well, nothing to do except make a joke and move on. Gee, if only there were some way to see your pictures as you were taking them so you would know… Well, maybe some day.

After the session ended, and holding the roll of film in my hand, I agonized a bit over whether or not I should make a contact sheet as I usually did, or be like everyone else and have proofs made. By the time I had arrived at the lab to drop the film I had decided to let serendipity have its way.

A couple days later the contact sheet arrived and while it didn’t look too bad, viewing the negative with a loupe it was clear that the image was not sharp front to back. Now what? Do I show? Do I cut it out? No, its just a casual shot not the formal picture mom was looking for. She’ll never order anything from it. If she questions it I’ll just tell her it was a test shot. No problem.

The day finally arrives for the meeting with mom and as I present her with the contact sheet and begin to explain how she should just ignore the first shot, her eyes grow large and she literally screams: “My Babies”! Then clutches the sheet to her chest and starts to cry. Oh, oh. What did I do?

What I did was trip the shutter and record a moment that captured her son and daughter exactly as she remembered them growing up. Who knew?

Thank you, serendipity.

In that one frame, even slightly out of focus, I was able to capture the relationship between brother and sister just as their mother knew it, and save it for posterity. Such is the power of photography.

The picture above does the same thing, I think. Two sisters, born about 15 months apart and are very close. You can just feel it. No prodding, no coaching, just letting them be themselves. Preserved forever…