Glances

Great loves, friendships and rivalries are all made up of a billion glances – when you understand this, you grasp almost everything there is to know about visual storytelling. Sometimes these glances are through flickering candlelight, over cups of coffee or amidst the clacking of light sabers, but, no matter the locale, they are the heart of any emotional tale. On the first weekend of April my fiancé and I romped around our backyard with a photographer who I quickly learned understands this concept better than anyone. This incredibly talented shutterbug is Jamie Conlan, a guy I’ve known for several years as someone who can get my love talking for days about German cars and taco stands, and he remained the very same guy when he wielded a camera in his hands last weekend. Not once was I aware of him posing us or shushing silly conversations; he kept us rambling away with each other, rolling eyes, punching arms, keeling over in laughter, and even making psycho eyes at our dog. And, I eventually realized there was a stealthy method behind his casualness – while my fiancé and I were goofing off, Jamie was busy capturing genuine moments in time.

Sure, he was framing shots and soaking up the fleeting daylight like the experienced commercial photographer he is, but the storyteller in him was busy capturing glances left and right. I adore having these glances captured on film so I can obsessively pour over them now and forever, and I also can’t stop thinking about this simple lesson Jamie reminded me of: the heart of any story is in the eyes. What are some of your favorite glances captured on film? Are they from movies, still photography, or home videos? I’d love to hear all about them!

Psst: Each of these photos were taken in our backyard in Austin, TX, by Jamie Conlan, who reserves all rights for the images. I highly recommend checking out his website for more of the glances Jamie Conlan Photography has captured over his compelling, budding career.