A little note on why I shoot - Geelong photographer Michelle McKay speaks about documenting life.
My son, after realising when you pull the plug the water drains out.
I almost didn't take my camera to the bathroom tonight, while my kids were bathing. It crossed my mind that I've photographed them in the bath so many times before - what's the point? I have those photos already.
In the end I figured I had nothing to lose by taking my camera in with us, just in case - after all, I could always choose not to get it out.
I placed it to the side and helped my children into the warm water and sat to watch them play. Within moments I was inspired.
My daughter, feeding her brother 'his medicine'.
What I relearned is that whether or not I’ve shot this scene before isn’t the point.
I photograph to document our lives, to tell our beautiful ordinary story.
Not to satisfy some non-existent set list.
Tonight I managed to realise a few things.
Firstly, no two days are the same, no matter how much it may seem like it at the time. My children are constantly evolving. THIS moment is always new and will never come again.
Another thing - the light is ever changing. These photographs are SO different to the ones I took last Saturday morning of the same two children in this same small space. They’re different to the ones I took at a similar time of evening last summer, when the days were longer and the light filtering through the window was more insistent. As a result, these shots have mood of their own.
Lastly, there will always be a story. Even if you've already told a similar one. Even if it's not the best story your camera has ever told. Even if today it doesn't particularly interest you. It doesn't matter. Just take the picture.
One day, future YOU will thank you.
Is anyone else's baby obsessed with tasting the taps?! I seriously cannot stop him doing this.
And just for fun, here are some other shots taken of these same two humans in this same bathroom at various times over the past several months.
This collection were taken over the past month, all during morning bathing sessions.
This one (and a whole series like it that are buried on my hard drive somewhere) were taken an evening last summer.
This shot was freelensed. I took this (and a whole series like it that are buried on my hard drive somewhere) on an early afternoon in autumn.