I’ve been trying for the past year and a half now to capture a photograph of a friend of mine that is both to my liking, and more importantly, to hers. Finally I have succeeded.
Most of the photos I have taken of her in the past have represented the way I see her, rather than the way she sees herself. This has meant that I have been reasonably happy with a few of them; unfortunately I’ve been on my own in that regard.
It is far more difficult to produce a photo that shows someone as they see themselves than as they appear to others.
A few months ago she moved to Glasgow with her boyfriend, whom she’d met whilst living in Edinburgh. I’ve seen her a few times since then, mostly to drink coffee and remark on the weather there that seems to be permanently gloomy.
The last time I visited her it was a surprisingly beautiful day, with blue skies and relative warmth from a sun unhindered by the usual layers of clouds. We took a walk around the local park, which was still glistening from the overnight frost that was yet to completely clear, and I tried to photograph her feeding the squirrels that were reluctant to stay still for more than a few seconds.
This photo is the second last of the day, and I knew as soon as I’d taken it that it was what we were both after. A natural pose that does not require interpretation or critical analysis. Simply a picture of a friend of mine looking happy, and a souvenir of a wonderful day.
Scott Bird (Edinburgh, UK)
