Molly Hoffman + The Story Behind

“Our greatest experiences are our quietest moments.” -Nietzsche

Being a photographer allows us to wear many hats with one being a fly on the wall when it comes to shoots. With that said, we’ve seen many of the most beautiful images come from the in betweens…..the breaks for a quick snack for the kids or as in this case, a diaper change. Keep shooting during those in betweens because as Molly shows us, a beautiful moment can be captured in a frame. We were super happy when Molly gave us a nod to do our The Story Behind series. Continue on to learn more about this stunning image:

IG Handle:.
@mxllyhxff

What inspires you?
The raw emotion you can capture in the photo. You can take a single second and capture it for a lifetime.

Where was this photo taken?
Kansas City, MO in the Crossroads Art District.
Brush.co Studio  

How did the location add or hinder to your image?
The big windows allowed for a more intimate and moody feel with the backlight.

DSLR, iphone, instant or film?
DSLR – Canon 5D Mark IV shot with a 35mm 1.4.

What were your camera settings for this image?
ISO 200, f1.4, 1/250.

Can you tell us “The Story Behind” this shot?
I planned this shoot with Joyce knowing she was a new mom. i wanted to capture her interacting with her son in a spontaneous and not posed way. this shot was a lucky one because she had just gotten done changing him when she picked him up and i snapped this photo to see if the lighting and settings were correct on my camera.

What speaks to you about this image? What specifically made you press the shutter?
The way Joyce is holding her baby so naturally and looking into his face made me stop and start shooting.

What was your composition technique with this shot?
The windows were behind her making it a bit more moody without the direct sunlight. i placed her in the center of the frame.

Did you have any lighting challenges/How did you light the image?
No lighting challenges. the big windows gave the best soft back light.

Was this photo happenstance or did you visualize it prior? If so, how did you envision the image and set up for it?
This photo was not planned. She had just gotten done changing him when she wrapped him up and rocked him back to sleep.

Did you use a preset to edit this image, your own selective edits or a combination of both?
I used my own presets for this image.