Capturing Timeless Moments: Our Black-and-White Photoshoot Adventure!

Attention, Substack enthusiasts; Jason the Writer is facing some rivalry. Jason the Photographer is making more regular appearances recently. The unusually warm winter climate and nearly a year of practice have JTP carrying his Nikon Coolpix P1000 more often than his laptop.

Rest assured, I’m not relinquishing writing or podcasting anytime soon. There’s space for all three of my creative passions. Heck, I’ll still even prepare dinner most evenings. I relish engaging in activities that nourish my creative spirit.

Photography is one of the two fresh artistic pursuits I initiated this year that I’m relishing. Since acquiring my first expensive camera last January, I’ve had an incredible time capturing images. As I’ve familiarized myself with this camera, my photography abilities have been advancing.

Lately, Mooch appears happier with another subject I’ve been shooting more often. She gets weary of Daddy shadowing her with his camera in hand. She’s turned anti-paparazzi in her senior years.

Luckily for us both, my daughter Kiera enjoys posing for photos. Her aunt used to frequently photograph her several years back, and she always seemed to enjoy it. Now that I’ve become a photographer, she’s kindly consented to model with me on several occasions. We consistently have a blast.

We usually spend a day doing it, going out for lunch before capturing dozens of images. We had our initial shoot this spring, exploring downtown. We captured some pretty fantastic shots for my first time doing a photoshoot with a person, some of my favorites.

Subsequently, we attended Kiera’s biology club meeting shortly before that in search of birds to photograph. Birdwatching turned out to be far more enjoyable than I would have anticipated, especially when we observed numerous amazing species. I took some remarkable photos that first day.

After photographing at our Birds of Prey reserve just outside the town, we decided to do another photoshoot featuring Kiera. A writer friend remarked on an article I composed about photography that a black-and-white graveyard shoot would be quite fascinating to see. Well, Jean, you were absolutely correct with that suggestion; thank you.

I inquired with Kiera about her thoughts on the concept once Jean suggested it. She’s a pre-med college student, and I had just noticed the outfit she wore to class recently: A vintage-looking black 70s Freddie Mercury t-shirt paired with black trousers adorned with skulls and intriguing designs. This would be ideal for a black-and-white graveyard photoshoot.

She enthusiastically concurred that it would be enjoyable. She also mentioned having distinctive, spooky jewelry that would complement it well. A fashionable black leather jacket would also be neat, and I reminded her about her black cowboy hat to complete the look. Kiera adores anything cowboy-themed.

I selected a day that was cloudy and somewhat dreary, which wasn’t challenging to find this time of year. It also had to align with Kiera’s academic timetable. She diligently works to sustain a straight-A average in college, just as she did in high school. She’s a very career-oriented young woman who prioritizes her education.

We ended up opting to shoot on a Friday when the sky was overcast but dry. I completed my writing in the morning while Kiera focused on her studies. After I finished my tasks and she prepared herself, we ventured out for the afternoon.

We made a brief stop to grab black lipstick. I noticed Kiera attracting attention in her outfit while we wandered through Walmart. You don’t often see a goth-looking cowboy. Six dollars later, she was all set. Wisely, she waited until after we dined at Mongolian BBQ to apply her black lipstick.

We were mindful to remain respectful while photographing in the cemetery. I’m not sure if it was the time of day or the weather, but no one was present while we were capturing images. We noticed one blue SUV across the graveyard, but they never approached where we were.

We intentionally chose one of the oldest cemeteries in the vicinity for our shoot. We encountered a few graves that looked like they dated back to the Civil War period. Some of the gravestones were in extraordinary condition considering their age. It was a sorrowful, somber atmosphere photographing among so many souls who had departed.

There were several mausoleums on the grounds. We took some photos in front of them, and my inquisitive nature made me wonder what it was like inside. A couple of them seemed to be over a century old. I would genuinely enjoy being an archeological photographer. There are astonishing sights to behold in this world of ours.

We also captured some close-up shots of her jewelry and outfit. Like many young individuals her age, Kiera adores eerie, dark-themed jewelry and clothing. I appreciate how she’s unafraid to embrace her uniqueness and enjoys standing out.

Some of the best shots I took were close-ups. Take a look at her bling in a black-and-white context:

We had an enjoyable time with this photoshoot. For my initial attempt at black-and-white photography, I believe I did a commendable job. I understand how some individuals become so passionate about photography. Each time I capture something new, it only motivates me to go out and take another series of images soon.

Kiera certainly makes it easy. She’s well-versed in posing from previous shoots, is delightful to hang out with, and is a natural beauty like her mother, so my role isn’t challenging at all. After the editing and cropping, we ended up with a final product that left both of us pleased and thrilled.

As we build my photography and her modeling portfolios together, we are creating art that will endure long after we’re gone. And strengthening our father/daughter bond while doing so. Thank you for reading this, and please share your thoughts about the photographs. We love to read them.

© 2024 Jason Provencio. All rights reserved.