I always have a camera on me. Not always a bag full of gear, but something. The Fuji X100F fits in a jacket pocket and I've learned to treat that as a reasonable excuse to never leave it behind, even on vacation.
We were visiting family in Florida for the holidays. I was at the pool with my son, not thinking about photography at all, when I noticed a couple walking toward the far end. She was in a vivid red hanfu, the kind of traditional Chinese dress that stops you mid-stroke. He was in cream. They were dressed for portraits and had a tripod with them.
My first instinct was to leave them alone. They had a plan. I wasn't part of it.
But then I watched them fiddle with the tripod for a minute, and it started to look less like a plan and more like a frustration. I swam over to the edge of the pool and introduced myself. Told them I was a photographer up in Michigan, that I happened to have a camera with me, and asked if they wanted a hand.
They said yes. I climbed out of the pool, grabbed a towel, dug the X100F out of my bag, and we got to work.
The light, the dress, the last hour of the day
Florida in January has that particular low, warm afternoon sun that photographers who live further north would trade a lot for. It was coming in sideways across the pool deck, hitting her red dress in a way that made the whole scene feel deliberate, like someone had thought this through very carefully. Nobody had. That's usually how the best situations arrive.
We spent maybe thirty minutes together. They were relaxed and warm, a little amused that a soaking wet stranger from Michigan had offered to help them ring in the new year. I made some portraits. We talked a little. My son waited patiently by the pool, which I appreciated more than he probably knows.
The note I'd leave for other photographers
Keep your eyes open. Take the camera. Introduce yourself even when it feels a little awkward. The worst answer is no, and they were never going to say no.
Some of the portraits I'm most glad to have made started with a moment of hesitation. This one started in a pool. You don't always get to pick your starting point.
If you're planning a portrait session and want someone who shows up ready, we'd love to hear about it.
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