@michelecelentanophotographer’s journey to becoming a #CanonExplorerOfLight: “Anna – August 2004. At the age of 3, she was running around the house half-naked wearing only a pull-up. All I wanted to do was test a new background I had just bought. It was a classic mom moment trying to photograph my own child. I tried every trick in the book to wrangle her just to get a few images on this background but Anna wanted nothing to do with my mission and ran around like a wild child. She ran in circles waving the silk flower prop around like she was in charge of the world. After yelling and chasing her around the house I managed to get her on the posing stool (adjusted high enough so she couldn’t get down). With my best effort to get control of my toddler, it was Anna who was in control as she continued to move that flower side to side on her face despite my directions to sit still. In between the chaos I snapped this image. To this day it is still my favorite image I have ever created of her.
A few months earlier I was presenting the opening keynote program at the international conference WPPI. It was one of my greatest career highlights! Public speaking and teaching are part of my superpowers and I absolutely love being on the platform teaching what I know to other photographers. I had been a Canon user from day one of my career, and I was thrilled that Canon was sponsoring the program.
As I stepped off the stage at the end of that program I was invited to a meeting the next morning where I would be offered a position as a Canon Explorer of Light. I could not have imagined at the time that a company I loved and had a deep loyalty to would invite me to be a part of THE most prestigious groups of photographers in the world. For many years I stood in the audience of shows as I watched Canon Explorers of Light present programs and never dreamed I would become one of them. This year marks my 18th year as a Canon Explorer of Light!
It is in the most unexpected moments when the greatest highlights of life often happen. This image and becoming a Canon Explorer of Light are two of my moments.”
📸 #Canon EOS-1D Mark II
Lens: EF 85mm f/1.2 L USM
Ciao, Nihon.