Innocence

Innocence, originally uploaded by SusaninHarlech.

My grand daughter was less than six months old when I took this first image of her. The directness of her gaze, the questioning curiosity and the delightful innocence is for me 'there before my very eyes' as it where. I don't wax poetical about my photographs. Most of them are taken for pleasure, simple image making to hold a memory closer, to make something clearer ...this image, this was taken because she stared at me .
With an unwavering gaze she kept me enthralled as I lowered myself to her tiny hieght where she dangled from her other Nanas hands like a little puppet doll. With soulful gaze and that intensity which I believe I captured well..I clicked away and she never moved so much as a centimeter.
Taken with an old Pentax, at 4.30 on a cold and dreary afternoon, no flash, and a long exposure because of failing light. Thats almost 17 years ago now. I rushed to the darkroom and processed the film, waiting to see the image as it slowly developed. I had never felt so nervous or so expectant of an image.
I still believe to this day that this single photograph is the best I ever took, the best I ever developed and the best I ever printed. Digital imaging has never held for me the same enchantment and the same excitement as developing and printing my own photos but it is an instant gratification and of course, like all photographers I love to download my pics and do whatever i can with them...but this picture...this is my baby on all levels.