Week 3: Tiggr Pooh

This was a tough week to get a photo.  I was in Chicago with Kristi for a few days - our first couple's getaway since Jonah was born. I was home for a little over 12 hours before I ran right back out the door and off to Washington, DC for a business trip. I got home in time for dinner on Wednesday. I defined my week for this project as Friday through Thursday, because Jonah's birthday was on a Friday. So, here we are at the 11th hour - literally.

I've been wanting to get a 2 year portrait of Jonah and wasn't able to get him to "pose" with his grandparents around. So, I had an idea for a lighting scheme that I wanted to try. I got it all set up, light set and ready to go - add kiddo, push shutter, done. Ha. Kristi had to work late tonight and didn't get home in time to help me pull off my plan. Scrap it. Plan 2, portrait of Mommy - been wanting to do that, too. Same lighting scheme will work well. Great! Add Mommy, push shutter, done. Ha. Then Jonah decided he wasn't keen on sleeping tonight (he's still awake, by the way). So, Kristi was busy trying to get him to sleep. . . what now?  Time for a "portrait" of something important to Jonah.

The fitting thing with this shot is that they are a gift I brought home for Jonah from my trip to SoCal this January. Most every time I travel I bring a little something home for Jonah. Jonah's a big fan of Tiggr and Pooh, so, when I found myself passing through Disneyland to a work event this January, I knew what I needed to bring home. Jonah loves his Tiggr and Pooh and often walks around our apartment hugging them both, saying "Tiggr Pooh!" So, on a week when I struggled to get a shot because of travel, it was Jonah's favorite travel gift that came through for me. It's always heartwarming to come home from a trip with a gift for Jonah and watch him light up and love it when he receives it.

This is actually the same light setup that I was hoping to try for a portrait - for those who care. This is a flash with a gridspot, shot through an umbrella to take the edge off just a bit. The flash is in pretty close, camera left, just above (height wise) Tiggr and Pooh. They are sitting on our stainless steel kitchen table with a black backdrop about 3 feet behind them.

So, my lesson this week:  flexibility.