the process of remembering: a photoblog by andrew huth

“They Captured My Heart 04″

I like to think as a photographer that I put people at ease and as a result make it easier for them to put their guard down.  People often ask me how I (being a tall dude with a large camera) am able to photograph children who appear so natural.  I guess the first thing to know is that not every frame that I make is a great frame—often with children I can end up taking several frames to find one or two good ones that I might actually like (and no I don’t use squeaky ducks or something like that to make them laugh or smile .  The other answer is that I think many kids seem to sense that I genuinely care about them and that in some ways I’m just a much taller version of them.  Like a child, I am sincerely curious about the world around me and without a doubt possess a playful soul.

While working on an assignment for Compassion International in Korea I followed a man back to the orphanage of his childhood near the southern tip of Korea.  Although my time at the orphanage was brief, the unbearably sweet children there affected me deeply.  The mix of being reminded of my own orphan childhood with the knowledge that these sweet children were without parents to tuck them in at night choked me up for weeks after returning home.  Although their situation is sad, they, like most children, still experience the joys of curiosity and simple play.  I hope this short series will be able to express a bit of their joy in the face of adversity.  They have a great deal to teach us.  To see some background photos of me hanging out (literally) with some of the children you can go HERE.