Look Closer
Surprise!
Posted by Viewfinder (Bradenton, FL, United States) on 29 August 2007 in People & Portrait and Portfolio.
It happened at a youth work camp one day. This young woman was hard at work... until the paparazzi arrived.
Michael Rawluk from Prince George, Canada
Cool expression on her face. Did you put down the camera and help?
29 Aug 2007 5:16am
@Michael Rawluk: Ha-ha! My job for this mission work camp was paparazzi; I had lots of other campers to shoot. She actually had help outside the picture, so to answer your question -- "No."
Lost Valley from Kamloops, BC, Canada
That is the most priceless expressions ever...it was like I GOT YA!!!
Fun!!
29 Aug 2007 5:30am
@Lost Valley: This girl showed a lot of personality; she even made scraping old funky painted walls look like it could be fun.
@Dimitrios: Thank you Dimitrios.
@Myst: Yes, it was amazing to me that my camera managed to capture this one little part of her bubbly personality.
tyan from Singapore, Singapore
'man,i should have combed my hair and wear a dress!'--imagining what she would have said,lol.i like the background,she IS hard at work!
29 Aug 2007 8:03am
@tyan: You just about caught what she was saying to me, word for word. Ha-ha!
@Paulo: Thanks a lot, I appreciate your comments.
@acheyJ: So glad; thanks.
MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom
I love her expression of suprise, this is a really nice natural capture VF :)
She sure looks like she has a hard task ahead of her, sanding down all that paint work!
29 Aug 2007 10:13am
@MaryB: This is such a cheerfully vivacious young lady; she was working hard and outside the frame there were other young people also working hard on this same wall project. But this one isolation shot of her just personified the positive spirit of that youth mission camp. Thank you MaryB, for your comments. I really like your silhouette shot today.
Rebecca from Leicester, United Kingdom
Such a lovely candid capture and genuine expression of astonishment on this beautiful young lady. :) and that peeling wall is just fabulous. *-)
Also wanted to say, as I've also mentioned to kairospix on his site today, his 'genre' of sharing along with yours (typified by your post yesterday on which, btw, my comments were honest and certainly not intended to be efffusive! :) lol) have inspired me and my post today has a special mention of the both of you. cheers :)
29 Aug 2007 10:28am
@Rebecca: Rebecca, I try to make it my practice to first click on the site of whoever comments here, view their photo of the day, and leave a comment before I read and respond to someone's comment at my site. Which is what I did in your case. So imagine my surprise to find the old Viewfinder's name mentioned right beside kairospix, at the top of your text. As I commented there, you have given me a great honor. It is humbling in the very best sense of that sometimes tricky word, to be included among those who have given inspiration along the way. Bless you for including me that way.
Oh, and thank you for today's comments and gracious words of encouragement. It is always a glad moment to find your name among those who have viewed and commented on my photo of the day.
Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada
FANTASTIC! Great capture of startled dedication, the whole composition is wholesome and beautiful. Well done VF!
29 Aug 2007 10:58am
Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States
Thank you so much, Lorraine. You are very gracious and kind. There is so much bad news going around about youth and teens, one can tend to forget there is far more "wholesome" and good about these wonderful young people than we will ever read and hear about in the news. If every picture tells a story, then I hope this one capture will serve us all as a reminder of that.
29 Aug 2007 11:11am
@Craiger: Thank you my friend.
ttomasso from Ballina, Ireland
the titel matches here indeed! I just wonder what was the big surprise :-)
29 Aug 2007 12:46pm
@ttomasso: I guess she was so focused on the wall, when I showed up and said her name and she turned around and realized I had the camera poised, her whole teen life's image flashed before her and she wanted me to wait until she got her hair combed and make-up on. I didn't.
@Amir: Many thanks!
Daniel from Scranton, United States
Love the textures on the wall and the expression on the face here. Great timing
29 Aug 2007 1:18pm
@Daniel: I appreciate your comments.
zoloper from Bucuresti, Romania
nice face expresion .. the freez of a natural moment :P
29 Aug 2007 1:36pm
@zoloper: Yes. Thank you for the comments.
@Brian: Thanks!
Rebel Szczesny from Big Apple - NYC, United States
Perfect timing. Well done VF. Her expression and captured on film is priceless. Well done.
29 Aug 2007 2:06pm
Rebel Szczesny from Big Apple - NYC, United States
2nd visit...it's great. A+
Is that a Sunset glistening in her hair?
29 Aug 2007 2:09pm
@Rebel Szczesny: Thanks, twice RS. No that is not a sunset glistening in her hair -- the sun doesn't set in metro Atlanta where this photo was talen; it just fades away behind layers of smog and ozone (just kidding).
@eureka: Thank you, friend.
Dawn Sutherland from Phoenix, United States
Very honest capture, she looks surprised. Love it! The red just pops!!
29 Aug 2007 3:50pm
@Dawn Sutherland: Thanks Dawn. I only met this young lady at our church's mission work camp that year, but her glowing, sweet personality really shows through.
Walt from Scarborough, Canada
Nice...I agree, very expressive...but is it just me, or did she miss a spot? :)
29 Aug 2007 4:07pm
@Walt: Lol. I'm sure she would have appreciated your noticing and telling her about it.
@LuisRodrigues: Much appreciation for your kind words today Luis.
bronzebilly u.k. from cardiff, United Kingdom
hey VF--nice to see somebody else doing what I've been doing lately--but I'm sure a shot of me wouldn't be half as appealing as this image--nice one--billy
29 Aug 2007 10:42pm
@bronzebilly u.k.: What's up, Billy? I always look forward to the times you show up here. I am pretty sure a shot of you doing wall scraping wouldn't be anywhere near as appealing as this young lady at work. But I like ya anyway, man! Thanks for the good words.
jen from Alpharetta, United States
Great capture VF!!!
Love the expression on her face.
29 Aug 2007 10:48pm
@jen: So glad to hear from you. How's the new job going? Thanks for your comments today, Jen.
@Nick Passantino: Hey Nick, thanks a lot for the nice words. Mucho appreciation.
Ken McCoy from Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL, United States
Such charisma! And I think she likes you :)
30 Aug 2007 1:12pm
@Ken McCoy: Likes me? Funny guy. I'm old enough to be her dad, possibly her granddad.
Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2
1/200 second
F/4.5
ISO 50
111 mm (35mm equiv.)