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30-JAN-2010 Collin Baxter

A Split Second - CB
by Collin Baxter

That’s all solitude takes. This is Carey being given away by her father at her wedding. Two years ago Carey was dying of Leukaemia and knocked at deaths door a few times. Thanks to a monumental effort by friends and family and doctors enough money was raised to do a international bone marrow search (We don’t have a marrow registry in South Africa.) Eventually a match was found and after many months she started her recovery. When I saw this image and in the split second weep I realised that they where totally cut off from everyone in those few seconds. Well some stories have a good ending.

Olympus E-30
1/500s f/7.1 at 77.0mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Collin Baxter09-Feb-2010 14:59
Thanks for the comments.
Yes it has a good ending. It cost about $30,000 just to do the search and match. As each match has about 9 stages to go through. As to shooting this. I was a guest and shoot this from amongst the great unwashed. I was shooting between hats and umbrellas and ears and fingers. When I got the opening i waited and shoot a whole bunch of rapid single shoots ( And got lucky) . What the picture does not show is that it was in shade and had to be recovered and seriously cropped the colour was also lousy. I did the colour conversion with PSP X2 using the time machine 1875 filter (This is not a totaly gray scale image ) . I then adjusted the tones in ACDSEE Pro 2.5 using the highlights/shadow 9 position equalizer which is a fantastic tool.
Guest 08-Feb-2010 23:13
I like it a lot Collin.

(SA ? I somehow had managed to place you in Australia.)

Goffen
Olympus DSLR Challenge08-Feb-2010 17:46
Many many things goes between their eyes!
Beautiful story of love and overcoming.
I like a lot how you've captured this magical second, and the B&W rendition specially in her skin tones and hair.
endika
Guest 08-Feb-2010 04:51
A beautiful image of a very special moment.
Dennis
Stefan Kaben 08-Feb-2010 01:34
A beautiful capture of love's depth. Extended illness can be very difficult on all concerned, and strength in the midst of weakness, paired with unconditional love, are the offerings we can make as parents. I wish Carey well.
Guest 07-Feb-2010 20:21
A very moving documentary shot. Great stuff!

Frank
Olympus DSLR Challenge07-Feb-2010 18:51
What a poignant story. As a father it feels like we are never able to do enough - it is great to hear and see when it happens that someone was able to. The true heroes.

brent
Shirley Haden01-Feb-2010 06:13
A beautiful bride with an even more beautiful story. I am so very happy for her. This photo is so touching, knowing her story and I believe you're right, at the moment you took this photo, she and her father must have been the only two people in the world. Great photo and story. I bet the bride really cherrishes this photo.