Empty Frames Photography: "Of White and Black" "After the Glimpse"

“After The Glimpse”

This image is of a dear friend of mine, Melissa. I originally contacted Melissa about being a girl in white for me. However she had just gotten a new black dress for her birthday which ironically was a day after our shoot together. The dress was purchased at a boutique in Wilmington NC which is ran by Melissa’s sister was quite stunning, A high low with a cutaway on both sides of it just above the hips hugging Melissa’s feminine figure very pleasantly. Ok, ok, ok, ok enough about the dress. This was Melissa’s first time being in front of the camera other than her senior portraits she had done 3 years previous. Seeing my work previous she had confidence in me that I would make you look the best she could and then some. I however was confident I could bring out the best in her, but not so much about bringing my imagination to life through these images. We were trespassing down in this small valley sort of area, pressed for time being as we work night shifts in different places, the wind was blowing my gear all over God’s creation. None the less we were able to capture amazing images to work with and also I captured a few portrait images of Melissa capturing the beauty and grace that she has to offer. A beauty and grace I will forever cherish.

This image is actually the last image of a series of three called “The Sighting” a sub series within “Of White and Black” the images together show Melissa as she walks through the brush in this area we are shooting. As if she is playfully skipping down a well beaten trail. In “After The Glimpse” you see her fade away in a blur leading you to believe that she is indeed a ghost, only making herself visible to you for a fragment of time. In a way to intrigue you but mainly to alert you to her presence here in this seemingly vast plain of emptiness you see around her.

I promise you all that I wouldn’t let my explanation hinder your imagination. This post is no exception. I will however tell you what I experience when I view it. These thoughts and questions may or may not be what I intended when creating this image but these are what I feel now.

“What’s her story?”

“Where’d she come from?”

“Where’d she go?”

“Who is she?”

After asking those questions I reflect on myself. “What am I feeling?” subconsciously I feel sorrow. A sorrow sparked by her disappearance, but at the same time I feel joy. Joy that she was able to reveal herself to me. Confusion also seeps in, confusion fueled by the questions listed above.

I hope this piece has intrigued you and made you come up with questions of your own.

-Spencer