Capturing His Essence

I have a nephew who is a very willing model for me, which I find amazing for a boy of ten.  Yesterday we were out taking pictures. He has been asking me to take him to the railroad tracks for a while. Although it is illegal to walk the tracks, we went anyway. While travelling from spot to spot we chatted.  I told him that I only have two photographs that are my favorites out of all the pictures that I have taken, which I think is about a billion.  One is a picture of him.  It is hanging up on the cabinet above my desk at work.  It is just of his face with a black background, in black and white. He was surprised that I had his picture up at work.  I told him that not only his pictures but his mother, sisters, and brother is there too. 

Somehow, I captured his essence, it is something that all photographers desperately want to catch when they encounter their subject.  Things are going on in their heads that we have no idea about.  Then for a split second, there it was in full view, written all over his face. I had no time to think. So, I pressed the button on the camera. There wasn't time for a fake smile or posing, just being. When I reviewed my shots and came to his picture, my jaw nearly dropped to the floor.  An image that I have always wanted to take was there before my eyes. I'm so blessed.  

                                   I think that I got it again...