When I am at an event, I usually stand around and observe all of the people around me as there were many characters at this particular show. These two boys stuck out in my mind right away and I immediately approached their parents and asked if I could take their photograph. The parents were visiting the show and said, "sure!" (For the curious photographer, the parents also signed a release) The boys were very animated by running around and making faces. I was trying to tell them to hold still and they weren't listening until their father yelled something at them in French. At that moment, my "stop smiling and hold hands" was understood and for one brief moment, they did what their father told them to do in French and I snapped this photograph. Once second later, it was back to playing and making faces.
I usually take portraits of people doing what they are doing at the time of doing it. I would like to say that I came across these boys holding hands with this look on their face but with just a little direction (and a father yelling in French), they ended up looking how I envisioned them. I am not in any way diminishing how cute they both are making faces and running around (I know all of you parents out there enjoy looking at how precious and unique your children are), it was a brief moment that I am thankful of capturing. Children with serious faces are more interesting to me.
