Today my nephew, Wesley, turned three years old. When I was back home visiting in June, shooting for a new project I’m working on, I did these shots of him enjoying him a slice of watermelon. It was a spur of the moment type idea, but I was making a serious effort to let as little time go to waste as possible while there. Light was valuable to me since I was trying to shoot most everything for the project available light. Letting an evening of light go to waste was not on my agenda for the trip down there.

So, I sliced the watermelon, took it outside and handed a slice to Wesley, and told him to have at it. I did the shots with a wide angle lens to give them more of a whimsical feel — and it worked. They’re pretty fun. Wesley is a sport — he’s super good natured. Up until recently, he liked to stand in front of the TV watching his favorite cartoons — and when he felt he needed to use the bathroom — he wouldn’t be bothered with actually going to the bathroom. He just would wip it out and pee right there on the ground in front of the TV without taking his eyes iff the screen. Atta boy, Wesley! His mom and dad have broke him of this, and now his mom tells me he gets his kicks from stealing food. Last night he apparently started out by just plainly reaching over and grabing him some food off her plate. He then went on to plainly just take her plate all together — pulling it towards him. Before it was over with she told me that he would shove her fork away when she tried to eat from her own plate — telling her, “No!”  Yes, he is a growing boy. No, my brother and sister-in-law will not just let him have his way like this without correcting his behavior.  It is fun to tell the stories about what kids will do and say though.

His favorite thing to eat is candy, which he gets from his dad, and he likes to pass his time by watching Team Umizoomi — whatever that is. Happy Birthday, Wesley. You’re a sport.

Apparently you can’t hardly find watermelons with the seeds still in them in grocery stores anymore, which is what I really wanted for the shoot. I was going for the look, not ease of eating.