A 'Heap' of Happiness by the Harbor - A Canton Waterfront Moment

A 'Heap' of Happiness by the Harbor - A Canton Waterfront Moment

I make no claims for this photo being one of my best technically, but I do love the moment.

A visit to my hometown of Baltimore Saturday...mainly for shooting maritime (*)
and industrial motifs along the harbor in the Canton district of the city.

I wasn't sure upon arriving at our first stop, the Canton Waterfront Park, as to which lenses I'd be using.
And the heat of the afternoon had really affected my alertness. I decided to go with the Canon EF 70-200mm
f/2.8 II L Image Stabilized lens on my 5D Mk IV but had not "fine-tuned" things in terms of exposure mode or
focusing points for the lens to grab onto...when I saw this little "heap of happy." It was very bright by the water
and the family was just about in silhouette, but I liked the way Dad's big hand was securing his adventurous little
boy from toppling into the harbor, as well as the position of the little girl.

Usually, when I take a photo, I have a pretty fair idea if it's going to be a "keeper," and this one, I feared, would not fall into that category. However, the "silhouette" and its intertwined human forms had gotten its hooks into me, and last night I just had to see if anything might be "rescued" in the editing process. Fortunately, there was enough latitude in the image to indicate some effort in that direction could be worthwhile.

The rewards were in seeing what a pretty face the little girl had...
her expression of pleasure as she looked at her Mom and the very pretty dress she wore...
all of it in this people-magnetic spot by my hometown's sun-dappled harbor.

So much love in this little moment, just had to share it.

©2021 Steve Ember
(*)