Jon has become the subject of my Polaroids.
From the photos I’ve taken, I like the ones best that have a person in them. And the only person I’ve taken a Polaroid of, so far, is Jon. I believe that me knowing him the way I do makes him the perfect subject for me. He adds a layer of depth I just wasn’t getting from the animals or scenes.
This morning I took a picture of Jon sitting on a chair in the hotel room in Kingston. But he thought the light soft coming in the widow would make a better photo. So I asked him to stand by the window and for some reason he draped the curtain around him, almost hiding.
It was so interesting, I’d never seen him do something like that before. He’s usually reluctant (as I am) to pose for a picture. But it seemed a most natural gesture.
I snapped the picture quickly and we both watched it develop.
Jon asked me what he thought the photo said about him.
I thought about his book reading last night. How much he loves being in front of the crowd. What a good story-teller he is. How he could have continued the conversation all night.
And I thought how this picture shows the other side of him. The private and shy Jon. The one who blushes when I tell him how handsome he is.
I know I’m capturing Jon in these Polaroids in a way I can’t with my iphone. The medium and subject are perfect for each other. Intimate and everyday, without the focus of real life. The blurring of detail, once removed.
I’m enjoying the artistry in your Polaroid shots. Really interesting.
I love this Polaroid of Jon. To me he appears childlike. In fact, in one of my favorite pictures of my granddaughter, she is two years old and standing completely behind a sheer curtain. Because she is two, she thinks we can’t see her! The curtain is so sheer we can even see the sparkle in her eyes as she thinks she has fooled us!