The door of the apartment opens to the warm welcome of Tara and Tim. Bicycles fill the narrow hallway, one leaning against the wall, one hanging from the ceiling above. I accept the offer of a strong cup of decaf Nabob, and settle into their kitchen. A proud rooster stands watch above the stove, jars of flour and dried beans line the shelves, and the fridge is decorated with a smattering of photographs and magnets.
I’ve recently been exploring «the home» as a photographic environment. Although the home has more visual distractions than the studio, I have been delighted with the increased intimacy of shooting in this space. As a photographer, the challenge is put to me. Comfortable in their own home, my subject is at ease while I’m left scrambling to acquaint myself with a new environment, obstacles of furniture, and the variations in natural light. It’s a role reversal from shooting in the studio where I’m the one at ease while my subject is forced to settle into comfortability. Given how much time we spend at home with family, partners, and friends, photos in the home can also be a treasured record of this special space. For Tara and Tim, these are photos in their first home together as a couple.
With the coffee made, Tara and Tim move into the living room. The space is decorated with posters of Joe Hill and other memorabilia from the 1920s labour movement, with cute little earth pals scattered around the room. The south wall is filled with a robust collection of books and records, and together Tara and Tim select Madonna’s “True Blue” album, before settling into their antique couch and matching chair for a game of cribbage. The game continues amidst friendly banter, and as a second round of birthday cupcakes are brought out, it becomes clear who will be the latest “Champignon”.
This Life by Selena Photography blog post about couple photography was created by Montreal photographer Selena Phillips-Boyle. This blog post was edited by Montreal communications professional Max Baru. This photo session was done in the Plateau of Montreal, QC. Here you can see an Ottawa couple session or this Edmonton couple session.
Cet article de blogue sur la photographie de couple Life by Selena était créé par Selena Phillips-Boyle, photographe montréalaise. Cet article de blogue fut révisé par Max Baru, spécialiste de communication à Montréal.