By Scott Shephard

It isn't unusual that I end up with a photo from a portrait session that I think is pretty good but which is rejected by the customer. This photo of Ashley, taken in 2002, is an example. I'm not sure why she didn't like it, though I vaguely remember being told that her parents preferred photos showing a smile. And why not? She had a beautiful smile

But the subtle smile in this photo is beautiful, too, if you ask me. It is like Mona Lisa's smile. But better. And I had nothing to do with that.

However, I'd like to think that I had something to do with the pose, with Ashley's relaxed and natural look, and with the lighting. All of those things, along with Ashely's poised beauty, come together to make for a good portrait. Which was never printed and thus ended up in the archives of long forgotten photos.

Canon 1D 1/160 sec, f3.2, ISO 250