Unposed

Man Kneeling With Rifle, Waynesville, NC  -  2013

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Although this photo made at the Shelton House in Waynesville last month may looked posed, I assure you it's not. This Civil War re-enactor was just beginning a demonstration of how to load and fire his rifle for some young children. He was kneeling down so they could better see what he was doing. I chose a camera angle that excluded the children, and made the exposure as he was reaching into his pouch. By letting this soldier "pose himself", I got a much more relaxed position than if I had tried to pose him.

I used an overlayed texture that I found online to give the photo a more aged look. Working with textures can be frustrating because the results are seldom repeatable. There is no formula that gives the same result every time. Each photo is an exercise in trial and error, but when you finally hit on a combination that gives you the effect you want, it is very rewarding.