I was delighted to find this image in Rosemarie’s latest Yellowstone gallery on pbase ( http://www.pbase.com/sunlightpix/yellowstone_country_2008 ) She writes in her caption: “Phil is an outstanding photographer and has taught me many lessons, including composing with less sky, and looking at things in new ways. I observed him enraptured with a composition, and took his portrait, then flipped it upside down. Phil seems so happy taking pictures – he reminds me of Fred Astaire in the movie “Royal Wedding,” when he’s so happy that he dances upside down on the ceiling.”

I left this comment for Rosemarie: “This is a remarkable image – the flip does wonders for it, and so do the primary colors of my parka and hat. I can vouch for the happy feeling I get when making pictures, but I am considered a hazard on the dance floor.”

Rosemarie responds: “I was drawn to the primary colors when I composed this portrait. You are the red and yellow, combined with the blue into a trio of bold color. I was very careful to not include any sky, since I was getting a deeper blue from the reflection. And the steam makes a great background. Then I wanted to take it to another level to try to capture the “head over heels” joy that photography imparts.”

With this image, Rosemarie shows us that a successful portrait need not always show human features – but it should always express something about the character or interests of the subject. In this case, her image says that I love what I do, and that I often try to do it in a colorful way, Fred Astaire not withstanding.