I find it interesting that almost at every photo shoot that I do, I get the same question: “How does your wife react to you doing this?” At first I found the question a bit odd. What is it that I am doing that should incur the wrath of my wife? I didn’t understand and so I have asked my wife if she minded. And with a bright smile on her face she told me that she did not mind. Quite the opposite, she supported and encouraged me. And me being me, I didn’t give it much thought thereafter.
It took me quite a bit to understand that taking pictures of models might arouse hints of jealousy in some people. And why shouldn’t it? The time that you could be spending with your significant other is now being spent on photographing beautiful people who are acting seductive and sexy for your camera. But it goes beyond just photographing models. Every time we pick up the camera we take from our loved ones and give to our passion.
To have a someone who supports you and who understands that photography is art and not adultery and despite themselves, help you, push forward while they stay behind waiting for your return. And I think it falls to us, artists, to understand that we are not the easiest people to deal with. We are needy and sensitive creatures. We need love, support, healthy criticism and social media likes. We want to be recognized for our work and to be desired by people who we never met. We want to see our names written in tiny letters on a building size advertisement. And while we crave all of the above we sometimes may forget the one person who is there for us, who understands us and who will step over their own fears, doubts and insecurities without a moment’s pause if it meant for us to continue doing what we love to do.
Thank you Anna, I love you.
