Welcome home Major Tim Murphy, his first hug from his lovely wife Kelley on his porch as he returns from a year away serving his country and you and I in Iraq.
When thanked by me his response was "My Pleasure." Takes a special kind of man to say that and mean it.
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I'm sorry that my comment upset you so badly. I guess I explained myself badly, or maybe I just touched a nerve, but that wasn't my intention.
I haven't been here long, but I keep seeing comments referring to pictures as "just snapshots", hence not belonging in challenges and rated very poorly for this reason. It doesn't seem to matter what importance the content has to the photographer; if it's a snapshot it's generally dismissed. That's why I asked. And I did ASK why this one was different.
Oh I forgot one really important thing, everyone in tim's unit came home from their tour uninjured, no one died from his unit either. That was another happy moment knowing that fact. Ergo the title "Home Safe and Sound"
If you can not grasp what this photograph is all about, well read on.
You miss what photography is, as an explanation to you and one or two of the other ignorant commentators I'll expound.
(Definitions of ignorant in this context:
• unaware because of a lack of relevant information or knowledge; "his rudeness was unwitting" )
To capture a moment in time for all time is what photography does; remember the picture of the soldier kissing the nurse at the end of WWII in Times Square? That was a journalistic (according to some a made up word but it gets the point across I am sure) shot which can never happen again, it wasn't posed or well thought out it just happened and the picture was taken.
Yes the flash made some massive shadows and I would be able to remove them had it been advanced rules but it wasn't or if I had more time setting up. I also would have been able to re-shoot this shot another night but that wouldn't be natural it would be staged. This shot was taken as Tim and Kelley stepped on his porch for the first time in a year, he, in his words "still had dirt on my boots from Fallujah." This was about 45 minutes since his plane landed.
I had taken about 5 shots of this event and this was one I thought conveyed "Comfort" the best. I had one of Tim by himself, one with him kissing Kelly, one of both of them looking at me and this one which I shot right after Kelly and Tim had kissed. My god look at her face beaming, I couldn't let that get away, shadow or not.
Knowing Tim and Kelley's friends who all turned out to cheer him home, I knew stories about what Kelley was going through while Tim was serving you and me. Friends would come over when she wasn't home and cut her grass, and then when winter came and it snowed they shoveled the snow for her. They have two children under three, friends made a point that Kelly had time to do the girlly girl things and watched her kids for her, and they cooked meals for her and just were there for her when she was lonely and down.
As wonderful as all the things Kelley and Tim's friends did it couldn't comfort that longing she had for her lover, husband and protector. This one picture captures that satisfaction in her eyes that her man has done a wonderful thing for our world and now it is her turn. He is there now for her and their family. It is a rare and wonderful moment to capture for all time even with the shadows.
BTW I have sent copies to friends and family and Tim and Kelley, they all loved it in more ways then I have time to say here. Isn't that what matters? I also love it and am proud of it. I want to thank so many of you who made constructive and supportive comments on this image it is well appreciated by me.
FYI
Image was shot in journalistic mode, ergo, no setup or posing, the porch was completely dark except for the little light shining through the front door. I had a very short time before Tim and Kelley wanted to be alone in their home for the first time in a year to capture this shot and I didn't want to intrude on their private time together more then I already had. You realize, he had not even entered his home yet?
Well that's the last comment I will make as I see it here unless someone has a question feel free to PM me.
Michael
PS My edit of this comment was to cut BeeCee some slack since she was so nice as to apologize for whatever misunderstanding there was between us. Thanked her privately and now publicly here since she was so nice to me about it.
I don't mean to be insulting with this, but if you take away the title and cover up the word "marine" on his uniform what have you got left?
A snapshot of a smiling couple. Would it have rated this high then?
I think this one scored purely on emotionalism. Yes, how a picture touchs is important but in somewhere like this, is it the only thing?
As a new member I may be wrong, but that's just my opinion.
The comfort of getting one's husband home from a desert area is so shown on Kelley's face.
And the smile he gives to the camera saying, "Yeah, I made it and I am glad to share it with
all of you for whom I served" is inexcapable. Great candid shot full of happiness and emotion.
Yeah USA! Thank you Major Murphy.
This should not be in a competition, I understand the emotional attachment this must have for you but this is a snapshot that has nothing to offer in terms of a composed, lit and thought out photograph.
i'm glad you're home safe and sound and looking very much in love. as for the picture, i like it. i'd recomend trying to get rid of the shaddow somehow.
Nice concept. The photo looks too much like a snapshot for my taste. The flash is a little harsh. Again, I love the concept. Thank you Major Murphy for your service!! It is muchly appreciated!!!
I don't like the large shadows behind the people, or the reflected star in the door behind them. Looks a bit like a holiday snap, rather than something you've composed for a challenge.
You have captured a nice moment and it meets the challenge well enough IMO, but the light is too harsh for my taste and the background and the shadows are distracting IMO. I also think it would have been better if the man looked at his wife but not at you. Nice shot though.
I'm happy for them and God Bless Major Murphy. If I look past my instant emotional response though, I wish you could have avoided the shadow behind them...but I guess in a candid capture, that's difficult. Maybe a tighter crop, from his embrace upward?
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