Behind the Edit: The Power of a Smile
Marie McGrory is an assistant photo editor for Your Shot and the curator of the Power of a Smile story.
As you might assume, this edit was a joy— sifting through smiles and happy scenes for a month came with many laughs and wonderful moments at work. The end, as with most things in life, is the hardest part. Getting the edit down to the last 60 or so and having to start saying goodbye to some of the smiles I learned to love over the month is not an easy thing to do. As an editor you must decide what works best for the story, the final curated group. It is what makes our jobs beautiful and challenging.
Below I decided to follow in the footsteps of photo editor Sarah Polger, editor for the I Heart My Citystory, and share some selects along with the near frame. As Sarah says, “So, what ‘near frames’ hit the floor and missed the final layout? See below. Let me know what you think, because storytelling is a subjective path, and we all wander down it with our own points of view.”
The Select:
Photograph by Angie Hart
The near frame: These smiles are irresistible. With tight crops, they are the focus of the image. In the near frame, the separate strands of wet hair fit with the separated teeth wonderfully, as if they were made to match. Both captures are loose and fun, but ultimately the bubbles won me over.
Photograph by Danielle F.
The select:
Photograph by Heavyrain Ijioma
The near frame: I loved the silhouettes. They give enough information to have an idea of what’s going on but leave enough mystery for you to integrate your own life experiences. These mothers have such a strong and joyful bond with their children. I love the tongue of the young girl sticking out, and I wonder what they are playing with. The top frame for me was a stronger composition. The light on the babies face and the glowing window behind the mother are beautiful.
Photograph by Miikka Samuel Luotio
The select:
Photograph by Oscar Medina
The near frame: The moments where we can relate to another species’ emotions are delightful. The perspective on the dog, Ruby, lets you see her big brown eyes as she raises her eyebrows much the way we do when we laugh. The shallow depth of field allows you to focus on the face and turns the street into a soft gray backdrop. I chose the horse because I love the frame- it has more depth and more of a story, the colt’s smile is sweet and innocent as it finds comfort in a cuddle.
Photograph by Kyle Behrend
The select:
Photograph by Steven Nestor
The near frame: This story made me think about how much power our smiles really do have and how hard it must be when your face can’t express the emotions you wish to share. The shot of the young girl in the chair is amusing, and I can relate to the moment. The way she is pointing to her mouth is playful and really made me love the shot. The select was such a unique view. It is the position you are always in as a patient but never see. I could feel the bright light in my eyes and hear the dentist saying “Open a bit wider!” The image really forces the viewer into the scene, and I love that.
Photograph by Jen Bilodeau
The select:
Photograph by Isabel Deleuran
The near frame: As I narrowed down the edit over and over every few days, I would always stop and giggle at these two images. I figured it would get old after the first few passes, but they never did. Without a doubt both photos are silly moments that I could not help but smile at with each look. The bathtub scene made the cut because I noticed something new every time I looked at it. Between the various haircuts and goggle shapes, head tilts and hand positions, there was always something new to look at, always a reason to spend some more time with the image.
Photograph by Tansy Harkin
Article source:
http://yourshotblog.nationalgeographic.com/post/90770168779/behind-the-edit-the-power-of-a-smile?
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