This Was Supposed to Be a Test Shot

Introduction:

It always happens during portraits. Someone’s fixing their collar, mid-laugh, not ready. I’m checking my exposure or making sure we’re not about to get photo-bombed by a dog in a diaper. And then click — there it is.

The test shot.

The real one.

The image that cuts through all the performance and lands on something honest. Sometimes I deliver it. Sometimes it’s just for me. But it’s almost always better than the one we spent ten minutes posing for.

This series is for the in-between portraits. The ones where people forget they’re being photographed — and finally show up.