Boonsboro

Ok, so I know that this is supposed to be about my weddings but, I do take so many other types of pictures that don't go as beautifully as they should so, I figured I would also use this forum to share about my other photographic experiences that aren't quite so loverly.

I landed a contract with a company out of central Virginia that does fund raising for volunteer fire departments in the DC Metro Area. Actually, now that I typed that, I realized that they extended further outside of the area because I've gone down to Kent Island before. So, it works like this. This company sends out folks to ask the community for money and as consolation prize, you get a free family portrait in the fire department. Conceptually, great. You give something and get something back in addition to fire and EMS protection. The thing is, sometimes the folks that show up aren't really Sears Portrait Studio or Olan Mills candidates.

How appropriate first of all that I was shooting portraits in a place called Boonsboro. Should have been more like "Boonies-boro." It wasn't an overwhelmingly busy day but, I showed up to find no one manning the station. Typically, I go to a station and they are expecting me. They've got an area for me to set up my equipment and such and I transform a fire station into a portrait studio. I get pretty decent captures considered to the right and left of me is usually a fire truck, wood paneling, or a bingo machine.

This station was quite a bit different. There was no one around. I waited around for a half an hour for someone to show up and when the guy did show, he directed me to the second level of the station into a room that was setup for a meeting. I had to move all of the folding tables and chairs first. Then carry all of my equipment topside. Set up and then wait. There was no air condition so I was nearly melting as I sat there. I was quite a bit less that excited needless to say. I had some normal families post for photographs...really nice people...good old rural America at its best. The people were interesting--like the family that had TEN children ranging from ages 2 to 26. When do you stop!? My goodness that's so many kids. Nice looking family though. But the part that fits into this blog were the two teenaged females that showed up near the end. A 17 year old and a 16 year old that just giggled uncontrollably. And continued to text message through the photo session. They didn't like any of the pictures of themselves but were there because their grandparents forced them to come. I always love photographing people under duress (wish sarcasm could come through in typing). Their "cuteness" in giggling in being youthful ended up getting old and annoying after about three minutes. Then again, I guess it was better than people who bring their bad ass uncontrollable animals in for photographs. I love my dog but don't expect her to sit still for pictures.