The Shot They Said Was Impossible

I've been a photographer for a long time, starting when I was just 6 years old with my dad's Minolta film camera. I still have some of those images and I look back on them with great fondness and awe. I'll save that story for another blog post. But the main reason I set up this blog was so I could tell the story behind some of my images. This is one of those stories.

"You won’t get the shot."

Those were the words from a veteran photographer, someone who had worked for the Smithsonian, as I set up my gear at the Korean War Memorial. He wasn’t being unkind; he was being "realistic." Between the tricky shadows, the haunting stainless steel figures, and the unforgiving night sky, he was convinced the lighting would never cooperate. He told me the technical limitations were simply too high.

I respected his experience, and still respect him to this day, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he was looking at the rules while I was envisioning the image.

I stayed. I waited. I adjusted. And eventually, I pressed the shutter. Today, that "impossible" photograph is one of my most popular prints. Here is the story of why I’m glad I didn't pack up my camera that night.

It was a humid July evening when I decided to test my luck. Shortly before parking, it started raining. And I don't mean a steady rain or a sprinkle. I'm talking a cats-and-dogs downpour. Seriously? THIS is what I'm going to get? But I waited... it didn't take long, maybe 20 minutes, and the shower stopped. Guess what that meant? The memorial would be mostly clear of people. And the shower made everything a little more saturated. Perfect!

I made the trek and set up at the end of the memorial. I envisioned the flag in the forefront and the memorial behind it. I wanted everything BUT the flag to be in black and white. Why? Because most of the images from the Korean War were black and white, but I also wanted to honor what this memorial means.

With that voice still in my head, I took the picture. Several actually. And I'm so glad I didn't listen and said "watch me."

Don't listen to the naysayers, even if they mean well. If you don't TRY, you'll never know. Would you rather try and fail? Or never try at all and never know?

This image is now available in my Etsy shop! Click here!

Until next time—keep finding the beauty in the details.

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All images Copyright © Janet Davis. All rights reserved. Artwork may not be reproduced or resold without the express permission of the artist.