This is my daughter, Trinity. She is a sensitive person. I learned early in her life that all it takes is a glance; just a hint that she’s disappointed you, and she melts down like ice in Arizona. After seven years, her crushable heart still astounds me.
I will use this photo to create a layout that documents Trinity’s fragile nature.
Would I surprise you with the truth that the image comes from a picture I took at Easter; when she was happy from counting the eggs she found in the hunt? Here is the original:
The fact is, Trinity was just observing something that was happening to the side. She wasn’t sad at all. I was going to delete this photo because it doesn’t tell the right story for Easter.
Then, just before hitting that no-return button, I realized the photo could tell a different story. After cropping away the Easter details and closing in on that pensive face, I have Trinity’s Fragile Heart story.
Is it okay to do this? Of course. As artists and story tellers we can do whatever we want. But if it helps, my friend, Paolo, gave permission. And he’s an artistic genius.
On the Tips and Tricks page of his website, Paolo lists three photography pointers. The first one is to be careful not to delete too many photos. He explains:
I can always come back to an image and use it once it becomes relevant, or once I am able to manipulate the image to convey whatever message I am trying to get across. Now, mind you, there are definitely photos that should be deleted. But just be sure that you preview and make certain there aren’t elements that catch your eye.
Paolo shows two different examples of “photo mistakes” that he cropped into incredible, eye-catching mastheads for his blog. Amazing images. Make sure you look for yourself.
Browse through your photo manager. What “bad photo” do you have that you can manipulate to tell a different story? Remember, we don’t have to restrict our pictures to what we originally intended them for. Sometimes there is more to a photo than we first realize.
