© Armando Bellmas

I write so much about my son Nick that I have to give some props to my sweet girl.

© Mitch Epstein

My son Nick and I spent some time this morning looking through the photographs on Mitch Epstein’s website. This photo, Dad And My Daughter, Lucia 2002, must have interested him the most since he kept asking to go back to “the picture of the man and the girl.”

He asked questions like “why are they just sitting there?” and “why is it dark in the corner?” and “who are they?” I told him it was a girl and her grandfather spending some time together.

When I asked him what he saw when he looked at the photo he paused for a second and said, “love.”

© Armando Bellmas

Nick has had a camera in his face since the day he was born. I think he’s used to it, although he complains about it more often than he used to. Christie encourages him to say “paparazzi go away” sometimes. Ha ha. Yeah, funny.

Most of the photos I or Christie take of Nick are done so with a digital camera. The instant his photo is taken Nick is asking “can I see?” Hence the confusion when I take a photo with a film camera and the inevitable “can I see?” follows. He doesn’t understand why he isn’t able to see the photo right away, but I’m working on it.

I let him watch when I load a roll of 120 into the film back. I try to take him to the lab whenever I drop off or pick up rolls. I show him my contact sheets. I tell him that sometimes the pictures are so good that we have to wait for them (and many times it’s actually true).

Nick is only three years old so I won’t let him handle the 5D or a Hasselblad. However, three year olds and plastic medium format cameras are made for each other. He didn’t even ask “can I see?” after he the took a shot.