There are sounds that define a childhood.
The thump of a basketball in the driveway.
The screen door slamming.
And, in some homes, scales.
The same eight measures played over and over again until they finally sound effortless.
As a parent, it's easy to joke about those practice sessions. But one day...those sounds stop.
That's one of the reasons I love creating portraits for the Pelham Music Festival every year.
Yes, I get to photograph kids with a gorgeous baby grand piano or holding a harp (true story) but, to me, these aren’t cool props.
That instrument is like a sibling. That clarinet is one of your kid’s best friends.
The crazy thing about these portraits is that I only have about a minute to create each one!
Careful planning and execution goes into setting up this day-long portrait event. The night before, a truck load of my gear is unloaded into the Pelham Country Club. A 9ft seamless paper backdrop rolls out just for capturing 20+ member high school jazz band. Lights are tested and everything is ready before the first musician arrives.
The next morning, I meet kids who aren’t thinking about what kind of funny faces to make before my camera. They're about to walk on stage. Their recital piece is running through their heads. If they seem nervious, I tell them something I genuinely believe.
"Your best friend is sitting right next to you."
And I point to their instrument and I get a genuine smile.
If you’ve spent years practicing an instrument, no doubt you've celebrated with it. You've gotten frustrated with it. And you've wanted to quit because of it.
But that feeling when you work through a difficult part of a song— and suddenly the music comes together?
That's a friendship worth remembering.
Talent comes in a lot of forms, and I think it's important that we celebrate all of them.
Years from now, these portraits won't just remind you that your child played the piano or the violin.
They'll remind you what your home sounded like.
And I can't think of a better reason to make a portrait than that.