I'm a big fan of fun. I'll always choose a comedy over a drama. I like happy endings and good stories. So much of the current content in the world is just too dark and serious for my tastes. This weeks assignment presented 3 different photographers who I found to be too depressing to spend much time pondering. Dwarfs, circus sideshows, human exceptions, alcoholics and overly tattooed people just don't inspire me to comment. I nearly opted to skip the assignment to avoid the experience.


I searched a bit deeper, however, and found this image. It is described by it's photographer, Richard Billingham, as his favorite shot ever. This is good, coming from an artist who has pondered the darker side of his own families issues for years. It depicts his son and his dog in a fleeting moment of recognition and curiosity. The black & white image shows a marvelous symmetry in the main subjects and in the background. The bay window compliments the two subjects, and the two potted plants reinforce the pairing. There is a slight blur from the rapid, spontaneous decision to shoot, but it doesn't detract from the idea captured in this image. 


I'm glad I kept searching, despite my natural bias. This one really is fun.